Broken Hill Hearts (Broken Hill High 4)

“Would you two just sort out your shit and get back together?” Courtney says as she joins us with Brylee, who has her face shoved deep into a textbook. Brylee is off to Yale in the fall and saying she’s trying to soak up as much information as possible before she goes is a disgusting understatement. She’s going nuts. She’s going to be Yale’s special little girl who has all her professors in her back pocket.

“We can’t,” I groan, having to repeat myself for the millionth time. I mean, we must have this conversation at least a few times a week.

“Yeah, yeah,” Court says. “We know, but just saying, when you do, you better make him work for it.”

A grin rips across my lips as I look back at the man I love. “Oh, believe me, I will.”

Nate’s eyes narrow on mine and it’s almost as though he can read my mind. He becomes increasingly suspicious, yet all I can do is grin. I can’t wait. I’m going to have so much fun with it.

If Nate Ryder thinks he’s just going to walk straight back into my life without fighting for it, he’s got another thing coming.

“Hello, hello, hello,” a cheery Jackson says as he throws both his arms over Brooke and Elle’s shoulders, forcing his way into our circle. Both Brooke and Elle groan. They’re both petite girls and I’m sure having Jackson’s arm on their shoulder is weighing them down big time.

“Is there something you need?” I question, still not having forgiven him for taking me to a rowdy Haven Falls party and leaving me to fend for myself in a house full of stoned morons wanting to stick it to Nate.

“Nope,” he grins like an evil little Cheshire cat. “Just saw your boyfriend looking over here and thought I’d take the opportunity to get under his skin.”

At the mention of my boyfriend, my eyes flick towards Nate to see his grin completely gone, replaced with pure annoyance. I try to shoot him a comforting look but there’s no way in hell it’s working on him. But then, he lost the right to storm in here like a raging bull when he broke up with me. I turn back to Jackson. “At least you’re being honest about it.”

He pretends to look offended. “I’m wounded, Tora. I’m always honest, especially when it comes to pissing off Nate Ryder.”

Brooke slips out from under his heavy arm though I’m surprised when Elle doesn’t move. “When are you and Nate going to call all this bullshit off?” Brooke questions.

“When are you going to forgive Maxen?”

“Never.”

“Well, there’s your answer,” he tells her with a proud smile as the bell rings. “Now, what do you ladies say about me walking you to class?”

I turn back to my locker and pull out my books for Mr. Miller’s class. “We’re good,” I tell him.

Jackson looks down at Elle. “And what about you?”

“Are you going to carry my books?” she questions with a raised eyebrow.

“Do you want me to carry your books?”

Elle studies him for a moment before giving in. “I do.”

His grin widens into a smirk before he turns back and winks at me as though he’s about to screw her in the hallway closet. “Lead the way,” he tells her. Elle turns and naturally, Jackson follows behind. They get halfway up the hall when I realize that neither one of them had a single book in their hands.

Brooke and I start walking to class when Nate falls in beside me. “What was that about?” he questions.

“You don’t want to know,” I tell him, surprised to see him walking to class on time, especially Miller’s class. I guess that’s what happens to a man when he wants answers.

“Trust me,” he tells me, taking my textbook out of my hands and adding it to his. “When it comes to Jackson and you, I definitely want to know.”

I let out a sigh but can’t help grinning knowing what his reaction is going to be. “He was trying to get under your skin,” I explain. “You know, if you two could stop being douchebags for two seconds, I think you’d be pretty good friends.”

“Yeah,” he laughs. “That’s never going to happen.”

Chapter 3

“Are you coming over this afternoon?” I ask Brooke over the top of my car as she unlocks her own. It’s been a huge day and I’m so happy to be seeing the end of it. Nate scowled at Jackson the whole day while Jackson did his best to push every damn button Nate has, and when it comes to me, it’s like a big shiny red one saying ‘push me’. I swear, I had to break up nearly three fights between the two today. I should just let them go at it but poor Jackson would get an absolute ass whooping.