A Piece of Heaven (Allendale Four 1)

Now would be a nice time for Oliver to show up again.

As if a fairy godmother heard my plea, a sleek, black car drove up next to me. The passenger window rolled down and out popped the head of my Prince Charming. Jackson Hall.

“Hey, Heaven.”

I stopped and peered into the open window. Anderson was driving. His eyes were forward, fingers tapping impatiently on the steering wheel. “Hey.”

“You need a ride?”

I wanted to say no if Anderson was going to be a jerk, but there was a bigger plan, and my freezing hands and pinched toes begged otherwise. They wanted in that car badly. “If it’s not a bother.”

“Nah,” Jackson said, that delicious grin widening across his face. He opened the door and hopped out of the seat, pushing it forward so he could cram his long legs into the back. He was giving me the front seat. Maybe Garrett wasn’t the only one with manners around town.

“Thanks,” I said, climbing in. I looked to the left. “Hey, Anderson.”

“Hi.” His fingers tightened on the leather wheel—the whites of his knuckles showing.

“Okay. Well, my car is at the school.”

“Why’d you leave it there?” Jackson asked.

Our eyes met and I got the distinct feeling he already knew.

“If you must know, I had a date.”

“And what? He ditched you?”

Anderson’s knuckles turned white.

“No. Nothing like that. I was just ready to go.”

He exhaled. Jackson began rambling on about the party this weekend. It was at Peter’s house. Apparently, everyone was going. Everyone. Anderson said little, and I said less. In the past, no one discussed parties or weekend plans with me. Of course, in the past, no one thought I was an easy lay, either. Normally I was on my own or maybe with Justin. The entire topic made me uncomfortable.

Thankfully, the school was close, and Anderson slowed the car before he pulled into the parking lot. It was empty other than a couple teachers’ cars and my mom’s rusty truck. He swung into the space next to mine and I unlatched my seat belt.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.” I turned to smile before I got out of the car, but saw Anderson wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were on the rearview mirror, locked with Jackson’s.

These two. I seriously had no idea what was going on with them. “Yeah, well thanks again, and I’ll see you

later, I guess.” I got out, leaving the door open so Jackson could move to the front. I heard the door behind me close as I dug around in my bag, looking for my keys.

“Heaven?”

I spun; Jackson was standing behind me. “Um, yeah?”

“So, Saturday...can I pick you up?”

I frowned. “Saturday?”

He raised an eyebrow and smiled. “The party? At Peter’s. Can I pick you up?”

My heart almost lurched out of my chest. Jackson was asking me to go with him. I wavered. Was he for real asking? Not to make someone else jealous or because he was gay, (although he and Anderson...) but because he wanted me to? Or did Oliver put him up to it?

See? Things were super confusing.

“Can I call you later? And tell you then?”