Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 113934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
She looked up at me, and I swore, her eyes brightened up. “Hey, Wyatt.”
“Are you busy after school?”
Before she had a chance to answer, Jacob walked up. “Skylar, I’ll meet you at the dealership right after school, and then I can take you home or to work.”
Her eyes darted back and forth between Jacob and me. “Um…thanks, Jacob. I really appreciate you doing this for Mitch.”
He smiled and replied, “No worries, and I’m not doing it for him, Sky.” When he turned to me, he nodded and said, “Wyatt, what’s up?”
I was sure my jaw was clenched tightly. “Not much,” I forced out.
After Jacob walked away, I looked at Skylar. “See ya around,” I barely said.
She reached for my arm. “Wyatt, please wait. It’s not what you think. Mitch told me this morning that he couldn’t pick me up from the dealership after I dropped my car off, and Jacob overheard. He offered to do it for Mitch.”
With a slight smile, I nodded. “I guess it’s really none of my business anyway.”
A look of hurt washed across her face. “Wyatt, don’t be like that.”
I let out a gruff laugh. “Like what? Bitter…angry…upset that your ex-boyfriend is picking you up when it should be me? And all for what, Skylar? Because you saw something that you wanted to believe but was far from it.”
“I didn’t want to believe anything.”
“Apparently, because you don’t believe me when I say it wasn’t what it looked like. Yet I get sent pictures of you in Jacob’s arms at a party I had just left. You talk to him and take his phone calls but not mine. You’ll let some asshole dick, who dumped you, pick you up, but you won’t let the person who loves you help you. I’m tired of trying to figure it all out, Skylar. I’m tired of waiting.”
Turning on my heels, I walked away from her. When she called out my name, I didn’t stop.
I ended up walking straight out of the building and to my truck. I spent the rest of the day at the spot where Skylar normally went to be alone up at Inks Lake State Park.
I was confused, pissed off, and hurting. Most of all, I was stunned that I’d told Skylar I loved her. The look on her face when I’d said it was burned into my memory. Her eyes had widened, and for one brief second, I’d thought I saw something in her eyes.
Love.
Pushing my hand through my hair, I let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m not giving up on you, Skylar Woods. I swear…I’ll never give up.”
***
Walking into the gym at the high school, I came to a stop. Narrowing my eyes, I looked at Jacob. He was spotting Mike while he bench-pressed what looked to be too much weight for him.
“Hey, I thought you were picking up Skylar.”
His eyes lifted to mine. “No. Mitch told me their dad was going to pick her up.”
I tried like hell not to smile. Jacob did a good job of shooting daggers in my direction though.
“Where were you last period?” Mike asked, sitting up, trying to catch his breath.
“Appointment,” was all I said, glancing over to Jacob.
Jacob made his way over to me. “You say something to her or what?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Don’t even try to act like you don’t. You got pissed off that I was going to pick up Skylar, so you said something to her. Why else would Mitch call me and tell me he didn’t need me to pick her up?”
With a shit-eating grin, I shrugged. “I don’t know, dude. Maybe because her father was able to pick her up.”
Mike stood in between us. “Okay, let’s not do this again, guys.”
Looking directly into Jacob’s eyes, I said, “She doesn’t even return my fucking phone calls, so what makes you think I could tell her not to have you pick her up?”
Jacob narrowed his eyes at me and then pointed. “You fucked it up with her.”
“And I have every intention of getting her back,” I replied.
He shook his head. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”
That was it. I lunged at him.
Mike grabbed ahold of me. “Wyatt! He’s purposely egging you on. Just let it go. Dude, let it go!”
A few other guys jumped up and held Jacob back.
“You had your chance with her, Jacob. You hurt her, and that’s the difference between us. I’d never do anything to hurt her, and I would never walk away from her. So, yes, I plan on fighting for her, and if that means blocking your attempts, then so be it. I love her, and I’ll do whatever it takes to show her that.”
Mike’s face dropped. “Dude…you just said you loved Skylar.”
Pushing Mike away, I fixed my T-shirt. “I do love her. And I will protect her, no matter what.”