drinking. Jamie’s in Reseda at a friend’s and is closer. He’s on his way. Tell Lorna I want her ass home. NOW. Xx
It was Lorna who came to me. She found me at the end of the drive, waiting on Jamie. I stared balefully at her, refusing to engage in an argument about what she’d done.
She sighed at my expression, jutting out one hip. “I can’t help it if he likes me more.”
“I couldn’t care less.”
Lorna flinched and glanced away. She nibbled on her lower lip for a second before turning back to me. “I’m sorry, okay. I should have told you I liked him too.”
“Yes, you should have. Because you know I would have stepped aside.”
“Yeah, because you’re so much better than me. We all know that.” She shook her head and heaved a dramatic sigh. “Are you just going to stay out here all night?”
Dreading her reaction, I wanted to stall but knew I couldn’t. “I called Skye for a ride. She’s sending Jamie. He should be here any minute.”
As predicted, Lorna exploded, cursing at me and calling me a buzzkill. That I shouldn’t be calling her family for rides when I had foster parents. That I’d deliberately done it to get her in trouble. That I was selfish and manipulative. I stared straight ahead, trying not to let her words sting.
The idea of being stuck in a car with Jamie for over an hour made me feel slightly nauseated, but I was relieved when he pulled up to the house in his black Ford Mustang.
He got out of the car, storming toward us, bristling with six foot two inches of aggravation. “Are you kidding me with this shit?” He gestured to the beach house. “Malibu, Lorna? Really?”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s just a party.”
“In fucking Malibu. You’re sixteen. Get in the car.” His angry gaze swung to me. “Both of you.”
“I have my car here, and I haven’t been drinking. I’ll take us home. You can go away.” Lorna shooed him.
Stuck in a car with Lorna while she berated me for calling Skye, or stuck in the car for an hour while Jamie silently seethed?
Without saying a word, I strode past them both and rounded the hood of Jamie’s Mustang. I yanked open the passenger-side door and got in.
Jamie’s voice carried down the drive. “Get in your car—I better see you following us all the way home.”
“Would you even care about this whole situation if precious Jane wasn’t here?”
I stiffened. Why did she have to do that all the time?
“Lorna”—there was an unyielding quality to his tone—“if you don’t want to push everyone in your life away like Mom did, you’ll cut that crap out. Now get in your car and follow us home.”
I tensed as Jamie marched back to the Mustang. The car lowered with his weight as he got in and slammed the door. His jaw locked as he watched Lorna stomp like a five-year-old down the street to her Mini Cooper. As soon as she was in it, he swung a U-turn and took off.
Every muscle in my body was taut with the tension radiating off him, so it was a surprise when he asked if I was okay. He shot me quick, worried looks between watching the road ahead.
“I’m fine.”
“Why did you call Skye? Why did you want to leave?”
Ugh. My reason sounded so pathetic and immature now. “Just because.”
Jamie sighed. “Jane, what happened?”
I shrugged. “It’s just girl stuff, okay? It’s fine. I’m sorry your evening got ruined.”
“I was just hanging at one of the guy’s uncle’s house in Reseda. There wasn’t a lot going on.”
I nodded and let silence fall between us. He had the rock station on low, so I watched the scenery pass by and tried to forget who I was with and how much I wished he’d notice me more.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Frowning, I pulled it out and saw I had a text from Chris. We’d exchanged numbers a week ago.
Hey, did u leave? Sorry bout Lorna. Dnt know y I did that? Had 2 many beers.
I frowned at his excuse just as my phone buzzed again.
Ure gorgeous. Liked u for long time. Not in2 Lorna. Want u. Okay?
No, not okay. I must have huffed out loud.
“What’s going on? Who’s texting?” Jamie asked.
“Just a stupid guy.” I turned my phone over on my lap.
Jamie didn’t reply right away, so I assumed he was uninterested in my stupid-guy story. I was glad because I didn’t want to