Can't Let You Go: A Wheeler Brothers Novel Page 7

  "Jen, no. It's fine. Just let me go outside where it's not so loud." I hear a door open and close and then it's quiet. "So what happened? Is this about your date? Was Khaki Pants being an ass?"

  I laugh. "He didn't wear those tonight. He wore jeans. And he was fine. We just didn't click." I'm not going to tell Bryce what Chad said about him, but in that regard, yes, he was an ass.

  "So you're home now?"

  "Yeah. I have to study. I have a test tomorrow. I just wanted to say hi." It's more than that. I called because I wanted to hear his voice, because just hearing it makes me feel better.

  "Jen, what's wrong?"

  He always knows when something's wrong. He can tell by just the slightest change in my voice or my body language or the words I use. He knows me better than anyone else.

  "I just..." Without warning, I start crying. Like a complete idiot. I don't even know why I'm doing it. Maybe because I'm still upset that Chad made that comment about Bryce not being college material.

  I'm very protective of Bryce, just like he's protective of me. I don't stand for people putting him down, and the whole school thing is a sensitive topic. Bryce struggled all through school, and some of the kids made fun of him for it, so I get really upset when someone implies he's not smart.

  "Jen, I'm coming over." Bryce has that frantic tone he gets whenever he's worried something's happened to me.

  "No, don't. I'm fine." I sniffle and take a breath.

  "You're not fine. You're crying. What's wrong? Is it your mom?"

  "No. I'm just stressed. Between classes and work and all the tests I've had this week, I'm just really tired. I need to study and then go to sleep."

  I hear his truck engine starting up. "I'm still coming over."

  "No. Bryce. I'm fine. Really. Go back to work."

  "You sure? Because I can—"

  "I'm sure. Nothing's wrong. It's just stress. This week has totally drained me."

  "Why don't we hang out this weekend? I'll go over there and we'll watch movies and pig out on junk food."

  "You have to work this weekend."

  "Shit, that's right. I forgot. How about next week? You don't have class. I could take Monday off. After all the hours I've put in this week, I could use a day off. What do you think?"

  "Maybe. I have to check my schedule at the restaurant. My hours are changing because of spring break. We'll talk about it later." I smile. "Thanks for listening to me ramble on like a crazy person. Sorry I cried."

  "You don't have to be sorry. And you're not crazy. Get some sleep. And if you can't sleep, call me back. I'll tell you about all the different types of drill bits. That'll put you to sleep within seconds."

  I laugh. "Okay. Goodnight, Bryce."

  Friday after lunch, I take my exam and totally ace it. I didn't even end up studying last night. I was too tired so I just went to bed. The extra sleep must've paid off because my mind fired off the answers and I was the first one done.

  Now I'm heading across campus to my car. It's only four and I don't have to work because the library and bookstore both closed at three today for spring break. I haven't had an afternoon free since Christmas break. I think I'll go home, take a long shower, then collapse on the couch and watch TV until Callie picks me up at seven.

  "Hey." A girl catches up to me as I'm walking. She's tall and thin with jet black hair and a pierced eyebrow. "Jen?"

  "Yeah." I smile at her. She looks familiar.

  "I'm Natalie. We were in speech class together last semester."

  "That's right. Sorry I didn't remember your name. I try to block that class out of my brain."

  She laughs. "I know. I didn't like it either. I hate giving speeches." She keeps pace with me as we walk, adjusting her backpack on her shoulder. "So um, I saw you at lunch yesterday. You were with a guy. Was that your boyfriend?"

  "No. We're just friends."

  "Does he have a girlfriend?"

  "No." I walk faster.

  Is this why she's talking to me? She wants to go out with Bryce?

  She steps right in front of me, forcing me to stop. "Do you think you could give me his number?" She smiles. "He is seriously the hottest guy I've ever seen. I haven't been able to stop thinking about him."

  "I don't have his number with me." I go around her and keep walking. "Sorry, but I really need to get home."

  "But I thought you were friends with him. And you don't have his number?"

  "He just got a new phone. I don't have the new number. I'll see you later." I sprint-walk just to get away from her. I'm not going to be Bryce's matchmaker. He gets plenty of dates on his own, something I try not to think about.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Jen

  Callie just picked me up and now we're driving to the house where the guys are working. Callie's wearing black leggings with a silver metallic tank that's loose and flares out at the bottom. She wore wedge heels so she can dance. She has trouble walking in regular high heels. I used to practice walking in my mom's heels when I was a kid, so I have no problem with heels, which is what I'm wearing tonight. Black high heels and a red sleeveless dress. The dress is made of a stretchy fabric that clings to my body, making it both sexy and easy to move in. I want to be able to move because I plan to dance my stress away tonight. It's a little chilly outside so I put on a short black jacket over the dress but I'll take it off when I get to the club.

  "Did you decide which one you want to go to?" Callie asks.

  "Maybe Z3? I haven't been there forever."

  "I've only been there once, but I liked it." She stops at an intersection and glances at me. "Bryce is going to love seeing you in that dress."

  "Oh, please. He won't even notice. We're just friends, remember?" I say that, and yet the truth is, I purposely wore a short, tight-fitting dress to see if Bryce would notice. He probably won't, but I wore it anyway.

  "Just wait." Callie smiles. "When he sees you, he'll be so distracted he'll probably drop a tool on his foot. And he loves it when you wear your hair like that." She motions to it.

  I wore my hair down and added some waves to it. I also put on more makeup than I usually wear and spritzed on some perfume. Part of my efforts are because I knew I'd be seeing Bryce, but it's also because it's been forever since I've been able to get dressed up like this. I haven't had a girls' night in over a month so tonight I wanted to look good, go out, and have fun.

  When we get to the house, Nash comes out, smiling when he sees Callie.

  "Hey, babe." He kisses her. "You look hot. I don't know if I can let you go out like this without me."

  She smiles. "No guy's going to flirt with me with this big rock on my hand."

  Nash gave her a really nice engagement ring with a big diamond. He inherited some money and used a lot of it on that ring.

  "The food's in the trunk," she says. "Can you get it? I don't want to spill on my clothes."

  "Got it." Nash takes the foil containers from the truck while Callie gets the paper products from the back seat.

  "Let Nash get the cooler," Callie says as I go to grab it. "The outside is dirty. I don't want it to mess up your dress."

  "Yeah, I'll come back and get it," Nash says.

  We go inside where Jake, Austin, and Bryce are working. They all have their shirts off and my eyes immediately go to Bryce. When did he get those abs? I knew he'd been working out a lot but damn, his six pack is now an eight pack. And his shoulders look even bigger without a shirt covering them. It's suddenly feeling very hot in here. I take my jacket off.

  I hear Callie's voice. "Jen, did you bring a bottle opener?"

  I force my eyes away from Bryce and look at Callie. "Yeah, it's in the car."

  There's a loud thump and then, "Shit."

  It was Bryce who said it. I look at him and see that he dropped a hammer on the floor.

  "Did you just drop that on your foot?" Austin asks, laughing at him.

  Callie's snickering behind me.

  Bryce ignores them, his eyes on
me as he slowly stands up.

  "What are you doing here?" he asks.

  "I'm going out with Callie later. She picked me up. We're going to a club."

  Bryce's eyes travel down my body, then back up to my face. It's the reaction I wanted but what does it mean? Does he just think I look nice? Or is it more than that?

  The room is quiet and I glance around and see everyone watching us.

  "I'll go get the bottle opener," I say.

  "Bryce," Nash says. "Could you grab the cooler? It's in Callie's car."

  "Yeah, I'll get it." He follows me out to the driveway, and when we reach the car, he holds onto my arm. "Hey. Why didn't you tell me you were coming over here tonight?"

  "I didn't think about it. Besides, I won't be here long. Callie and I are having dinner with you guys and then we're leaving."

  He takes my other arm and turns me toward him, his eyes falling over my body. "You look really...good." I see his neck move as he swallows.

  "Just good?" I smile.

  "Hot," he says quickly. "You look hot. That dress is..." He looks at it. "You sure you want to go out wearing that? You're gonna have guys putting their hands all over you."

  "I think I'll be okay." I pull on my arm but he won't let go.

  "Jen, I don't think it's safe. You're hardly wearing anything and you'll be around drunk guys all night. I don't want them touching you."

  Why does he do this? Why does he act jealous one minute but then show no interest in me the next? It's so frustrating.

  "Maybe I want them to touch me," I say.

  He drops his hands from my arms. "That's really what you want? Some guy you don't even know putting his hands all over you?" He's breathing hard, his anger rising.

  "When the guy I WANT to touch me won't, then yes!" I can't believe I just said that. I've never come right out and told him what I want like that. I hint at it, but that was more than a hint. And I didn't just say it. I yelled it, expressing my frustration with him.

  He's staring into my eyes, breathing hard and fast through his nose. I catch a whiff of his masculine scent and feel the heat radiating off his bare chest. I'm so turned on right now. I want him to kiss me. Right here, right now. I want him to lift me onto the hood of the car, push himself between my legs, and kiss me like I've wanted him to for years.

  But instead he goes around me and yanks open the back door and grabs the cooler. He slams the car door and storms off to the house.

  What the hell? He's mad at me? He has no right to be mad at me.

  I find the bottle opener and go back in the house and slam it down on the kitchen counter. "Callie, let's go. We can get dinner somewhere else."

  "Why? What's wrong?"

  "This kitchen is too small for all of us to eat in." I set my eyes on Bryce, who is now ripping the plastic off packages of flooring material. "I wouldn't want someone to accidentally touch me."

  Bryce stands up straight, his eyes meeting up with mine. "I'll eat in the garage to give everyone space."

  "You're not eating in the damn garage," Nash says, handing him a stack of plastic cups. "Stop talking like an idiot and pour some drinks."

  Callie hands out the paper plates. "I made mac and cheese and a salad. And I made you a chicken breast, Austin. It's in that smaller container."

  "Awesome, thanks." He takes the container and grabs some plastic silverware. "Should've brought one for Bryce. He's supposed to be following my eating plan. It's part of the weight-training program I've got him on."

  "I'm not on a program," Bryce says. "I'm just working out more." He sounds cranky.

  Again, why is he allowed to be angry? I'm the one who should be mad, not him.

  "Whatever it is, it's working," Callie says, eyeing Bryce's muscular chest. "Maybe you should try it, Nash."

  "Hey." He pats his flat stomach. "I'm in just as good a shape as those two idiots."

  She laughs and goes up and kisses him. "I'm just kidding. I love you."

  Austin groans. "If you guys are going to start making out, I'm gonna eat outside."

  "Did you start dinner without me?" Ivy walks in with a paper sack in her hand.

  Jake goes up and kisses her. "Only Austin, but he has no manners. Did you find the screws?"

  "Yeah. Got them right here." She holds the sack up, then spots me and sets the sack on the counter. "Jen, I haven't seen you forever."

  It's only been two weeks, but that's like forever for us. Ivy, Callie, and I are all friends and try to get together at least once a week.

  Ivy gives me a quick hug. "Callie said you guys are going to a club tonight."

  "Yeah, it's spring break and I just had a week of midterms so I need to go out and party."

  "I'd go with you guys but I really want to finish up the trim work tonight."

  "Just go," Jake says. "You can finish it tomorrow."

  "Yeah, Ivy," Callie says. "Come with us."

  "Okay, but I'll have to go home and change." She stands back and looks at me. "Damn, Jen, you look good. Is that a new dress?"

  I glance at Bryce. "I got it a few weeks ago on clearance. I found it when I was out shopping for Bryce."

  "Thank God you help him with his clothes," Jake says. "I'd hate to think what he'd be wearing if he did it himself." Jake is the best-dressed of all the Wheeler brothers. He always looks put together.

  "Are we gonna eat or what?" Bryce barks.

  "Why are you in such a bad mood?" Austin asks.

  "Because I'm starving. I need to eat."

  "Ladies first," Nash says, motioning us to serve ourselves.

  Everyone gets their food and the girls eat at the kitchen table while the guys sit at the breakfast bar.

  When we're almost finished eating, Callie leans over and whispers, "What's going on with you and Bryce?"

  I lean over and whisper back, "He doesn't want me going out dressed like this. He doesn't want guys touching me."

  "They wouldn't if he'd do it himself," she says, loud enough for the guys to hear.

  "Wouldn't what?" Nash asks. "What are you talking about over there?"

  "Nothing," I say, not wanting Callie to say anything to Bryce. I love her, but she tends to try a little too hard to get Bryce to go out with me. He doesn't like being forced into doing things.

  When I look over at Bryce, he quickly glances away. Does he know what Callie and I were talking about? I'm sure he does. He knows I tell her almost everything.

  "Ready for dessert?" Callie asks, getting up from the table.

  "I don't need dessert," Bryce says. He takes his plate over to the garbage, then walks out to the garage, letting the door slam behind him.

  We watch him leave, then Nash says to me, "He's been working a lot of hours. He's just tired."

  "I made brownies," Callie says, bringing me the container. "You want one?"

  "No." I get up and toss my plate out and go out to the garage. Bryce isn't there so I walk around the side of the house and see him pacing back and forth, his head down.

  "You're going to wear down the grass," I say. "I don't think the homeowners would appreciate that."

  He halts his pacing and turns to me. "Go inside. It's too cold out here."

  "Stop telling me what to do. Go inside? Don't go to the club? Don't let a guy touch me? Since when do you get so much say in what I do?"

  "I'm just looking out for you."

  "Well, I don't need you to." I turn to leave.

  "Jen, wait."

  When I turn around he's right in front of me. "I'm sorry, okay? I don't know what my problem is. When it comes to you I just...I overreact." He slips his hand around mine. "You know how much I care about you. I just don't want you getting hurt."

  He says that, but the thing is, I'm already hurt by the fact that he won't admit his feelings for me. And I'm hurt by the fact that he wouldn't talk to me after we had that kiss. It's been years, and yet it still hurts me. Why did he kiss me like that and then pretend it never happened?

  "Just promise me you'll
call if some guy gets out of hand tonight," he says. "I'll go there and beat the shit out of him."

  "I don't want you doing that. I can take care of myself. I'm not helpless."

  He sighs. "Will you just call me when you get home tonight?"

  "Yeah, but it might be pretty late."

  "Doesn't matter. I need to know you made it home safe."

  "I'm going with Callie. You know we'll be safe."

  "Just say you'll call me." He lightly rubs my hand. "I like hearing your voice before I go to bed."

  See? This is what I mean. He says stuff like that which makes me think he wants me, but then refuses to ask me out.

  "Yeah. I'll call you." I motion to the house. "We should get back inside."

  When we get to the kitchen, Jake, Austin, and Ivy are sitting at the table and Callie and Nash are standing off to the side, kissing.

  "Would you get her out of here so those two will stop?" Austin says to me.

  "I was just saying goodbye," Callie says. "Austin, you need a girlfriend." Callie lets go of Nash and comes over to me. "Ready to go?"

  "Yeah. I'm ready."

  "Ivy, come on. We'll follow you to your apartment, then we'll all go in my car."

  "I'm coming." She gets up.

  "Hey." Jake grabs her hand.

  She leans down and kisses him. "Bye."

  "Don't drink too much."

  "I won't." She hurries over to us.

  "You still going to Z3?" Nash asks Callie.

  "Yeah. Why?"

  "Just want to make sure we know where you're at." As we're leaving, Nash yells, "Don't be dancing with any guys!"

  Callie just laughs. We walk to the driveway and I realize Bryce didn't even tell me goodbye. He just watched me leave without saying anything.

  "We'll see you there," Callie says as Ivy gets in her car.

  "You guys can just wait in the parking lot. I'll be really quick. I'm just changing clothes."

  "Okay. See ya."

  As we're driving to Ivy and Jake's apartment, Callie asks, "So did you and Bryce make up?"

  "We weren't fighting. It was just a disagreement. But he did apologize for being an ass."

  "That's good. I will say that all the Wheeler brothers are good about apologizing. Nash is the first guy who's ever apologized to me when he's done something wrong. I respect that. It takes a lot for a guy to admit he's wrong. I can barely do it."