I just hope Nate cools down and comes around soon because I don’t like the way he just looked at me. It’s as though I was thrown back into the past and I suddenly became Nate’s punching bag once again.
I take a breath and hop off the shelf before quickly pulling my underwear back up my legs and hoping no one else walks in.
I step out of the pantry and go to head back up to the girls, wanting to be away from him for a while. As I reach the stairs, I see him walking into the garage alone and I can’t help but follow him. He clearly isn’t ready to talk about it and obviously is hurt and confused. We didn’t hear enough to know what’s going on but all we do know is that his mother is hurting while his father is keeping some sort of dirty secret.
Nate Ryder has been my rock over the past few weeks and now it’s time to return the favor.
I step into the garage and close the door behind me. He turns at the sound and I see it in his eyes, he’s prepared and ready to tell me to fuck off but I ignore it and walk forward. I crash into his body and throw my arms around him. “I love you,” I remind him.
Not a second later, his arms are curling around me and he holds on with everything he’s got. His head falls to my shoulder and I hear him desperately trying to calm himself. “I could fucking kill him,” he tells me.
“I know,” I murmur as I clench my fingers into the fabric of his shirt. “But you’re not. You don’t know the full story and until we work it out, you need to hold your shit together. If not for me, for Jesse. He idolizes your dad, don’t ruin that unless you truly have to.”
He grunts as his hand weaves into my hair. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs after he’s quiet for a little too long. “I didn’t mean to snap at you before.”
“It’s ok,” I whisper. “I snap at you all the time.”
“Yeah,” he says as he lets out another breath and finally manages to calm himself. “You’re a crazy bitch like that.”
I pull back and I can’t help but laugh at him. “And you’re an ugly, freckled, swamp frog.”
He grins back as he pulls me back in. “An ugly, freckled, swamp frog who wants to finish what we started before.”
I shake my head and tsk at him. “No can do, swampy,” I tell him. “You wasted all our time being a broody asshole. It’s time to go. You’ve got your race in thirty minutes.”
“Damn it,” he groans before dropping his head back to my shoulder and letting out a huff. “Get the guys.”
Chapter 15
We pull up at the race and as usual, the place is filled with bodies, even more so now that the word of an illegal race has started to spread around Broken Hill. I mean, it won’t be long until the cops are showing up and shutting this thing down. But don’t be fooled, all that means is a change of scenery. Someone else will open a new on one some other property which will probably be a good thing as it would give Nate a new track to play with and perfect.
Nate drives down to his favorite viewing spot, forcing people to get out of his way or risk being run over. Maxen drives behind us, this time not parking amongst all the other cars. Max comes to a stop beside us and as usual, the crowd starts to hover like magnets.
I let out a sigh as I lean back against the hood of Nate’s car. I mean, why can’t these people just go and hang out with their friends? Why do they insist on crowding around the boys? I know they’re irresistible and generally the life of the party, but it’s annoying as all hell and especially frustrating when all you want to do is relax and watch the race.
Tyson and Puck turn their backs on the crowds, making somewhat of a circle around us and blocking everyone out while hoping they get the point to leave us the fuck alone. Puck reaches out and pulls Courtney under his arm, making the wall between us and them even stronger, all to Courtney’s delight, of course.
I roll my eyes as her cheeks pinken and turn to Brooke. “Hey, I’ve been thinking,” I start.
She lets out a groan, cutting me off as all eyes fall to me. “This couldn’t be good.”
“Shut up,” I laugh, bopping her shoulder. “I was thinking of maybe… befriending Elle.”
“What?” she shrieks with wide eyes as a look of disgust crosses Jesse’s features. “Are you nuts?” Brooke demands. “I think you couldn’t possibly do anything stupider. The girl put the idea in Josh’s head to assault you.”