Broken Hill Hearts (Broken Hill High 4)

I get down to his Mustang and open the door. “Your dad’s here,” Nate comments. “And you’re smiling?”

“Yep,” I grin, leaning over and planting a kiss on his delicious lips. “He gets it now.”

“Gets what?” He grunts, hitting the gas and heading back up the long driveway.

“You and me,” I tell him. “He gets that we’re more and that you’re not some teenage douchebag who’s going to knock me up and leave me at the first sign of trouble.”

“He gets it?” Nate confirms.

Removing the smile from my face is near impossible. “Uh huh.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah,” I laugh. “He has a few conditions though.”

“Let’s hear them.”

“He didn’t specifically list each one, but I’m assuming I have to keep my grades up and stay out of trouble,” I explain.

“That’s what I wanted all along,” he tells me. “What did he have to say about the suspension?”

I cringe as I look over at him. “We’re talking about it after school.”

He can’t help but grin at me knowing I’m about to get my ass handed to me by dear old dad. “Damn,” he laughs. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No,” I smile, loving how he cares for me. “I don’t want to rub our relationship in his face. Maybe we should take it slow with him.”

“Oh, so there’s a ‘we’ when it suits you?”

“Damn straight,” I laugh. “Now, hurry up and get me to the shop. I want my baby back and now I need to stop to pick up something to eat. I overslept this morning and then dad bombarded me. My stomach is about to eat itself.”

Nate rolls his eyes but nonetheless steps on the gas. We make it to the shop precisely seven minutes later and see my beautiful little R8 sitting right out front.

My heart rate picks up. God, I’ve missed her. She’s so shiny and pretty. Hands down, so much better than diamonds and jewels. No wonder Nate loves me so much. He wouldn’t survive with a girl who didn’t appreciate a sexy car.

I walk into the shop with Nate by my side. First things first, he checks over my R8 making sure they did a good job. I take care of payment and before I know it, I drop down into my beautiful little car and bring her to life. She sounds just as good as always and I grin realizing the mechanics spared a second to give her a little clean. I swear, I wouldn’t get that kind of service anywhere else.

Nate leans down through my open window. “I’ll see you at school,” he tells me. “Make sure you eat.”

I salute him with a roll of my eyes. “Yes, sir.”

“That’s more like it,” he winks before walking back out to his Mustang. A minute later, I’m driving down the road following the man I love.

I get to school fifteen minutes later and I’m pleased to find I still have a few minutes before the bell is due to ring. I sigh in relief knowing I won’t be getting detention this morning. Though I’m sure I can always find something else to get me in trouble, but then, now that dad’s back, I should really be on my best behavior. I don’t want a damn thing getting between me and Nate getting back together.

I make my way up to the front of the school and head down the hallway. “What’s going on?” Brooke questions as I reach my locker and start rifling through it. “Are you and Nate fighting again? You didn’t come with him.”

“No,” I smile. “We picked up the R8 this morning. Me and Nate have never been better.”

Brooke narrows her eyes on me. “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you guys back together?”

“No,” I say before explaining everything that happened with dad this morning. I find Nate up the hallway and naturally, his eyes are already cast my way. I can’t help but smile like a love sick puppy as I watch him. “It won’t be long now though, I can feel it.”

“Ugh,” she groans, noticing what’s caught my attention. “You two make me sick.”

An arm wraps around Brooke’s waist before a hard body falls against my locker, right between me and Brooke, instantly cutting me off from her.

My mouth drops open though I’m not sure if it’s out of shock or the sheer rudeness of this prick. I step around him and watch as Brooke physically pulls back from him. “What the hell do you want, Max?” Brooke seethes.

He gives her the puppy dog eyes and I watch her body melt into him as though she physically can’t help her attraction to him. “I want you back.”

I scoff my disgust as she scrunches up her face. Maxen turns towards me. “This is a private conversation.”

“If you wanted a private conversation, you shouldn’t have interrupted the one we were already having,” I spit at him.