Broken Hill Havoc (Broken Hill High Series 5)

An hour later, Nate is helping me out from his Camaro and walking with me, hand in hand down to our front door.

We walk through to find our whole group of friends here, even Brylee made the trip to come and check on little old me. Though, it doesn’t go unnoticed how she sits beside Tyson with a love struck, goofy grin on her face. No matter how much they deny it, there’s definitely chemistry between the two. I don’t know how we never saw it before.

Everyone gets up and Brooke goes as far as to shoo Maxen off my favorite spot on the couch, making sure to bring me a pillow and a blanket to snuggle up to. But she should know better by now. If Nate is here, I’m always going to take snuggling up to him over snuggling some silly blanket.

I force everyone to get their ‘How are you feeling’ questions out of the way, telling them that this is the last I want to hear about it. From now on, we move on. It’s behind us. I don’t even want to see the bruised knuckles marring their skin, which I notice, each and every one of them possess. Naturally, they put up an argument, but I put my foot down.

Light conversation starts flowing and Nate drops down beside me before pulling me into his arms, just where I want to be.

Drinks are passed around but I opt for a glass of water. I’ve had enough foreign shit going through my body lately. I think I’ll be sticking to water for a while.

A knock sounds at the door and Jesse jumps up with a huge grin, threatening to tear his face apart. He pulls the door wide and ushers Kaylah in, making sure to give her a big sloppy kiss on the way.

She walks forward and says hi to everyone before looking to me with a cringe. I narrow my eyes on her, unsure why she’s looking at me like that. She walks around the front of the couch which is when I notice a massive gift box in her hands, one that I couldn’t see over the back of the couch.

I look at the gift box then back up at her, letting out a groan. “Tell me you didn’t buy me a present so I can remember this momentous occasion for the rest of my life?”

She sends a panicked glance towards Jesse before focusing back on me. “Shit,” she sighs. “I really shouldn’t have done this. It’s a bad idea.”

She goes to walk away when I notice little holes in the top of the box. “Wait,” I say. “Why does the box have breathing holes?”

She scrunches her face up before letting out a breath. “Fuck it,” she says, placing the box down on the coffee table. I watch as she pulls the ribbon, undoing the massive red bow sitting atop the box and holding it together.

“I kind of bought you something,” she says, raising the lid of the box.

I squeal out and jump to my feet as a tiny little golden puppy head appears at the top of the box with his little tongue lolling out the side. “You bought me a puppy?” I screech, launching forward and scooping up the beautiful little Labrador puppy.

“Yeah,” Kaylah laugh as Brooke barges her way in beside me to get a good look at the little guy. “I did. I hope that’s ok? I just… I thought you could use something to keep your mind off… well, you know. And thought this little guy would do the trick. I mean, you have a big yard and if you’re not a dog person, I can take him back, but-”

“No,” Brooke gasps. “Don’t you dare take him back. I want him.” Brooke turns on me. “Don’t send him away. Please. Let’s keep him.” Next up, she turns on Maxen. “Why didn’t you ever buy me a puppy?”

Maxen’s eyes widen. “Um… do you want me to buy you a puppy?”

“No,” she snaps. “I want this little guy. What do you say?” she asks me. “Can we keep him? Pleeeeeease?”

I look down at the furry little bundle in my arms and smile as his little puppy face stares back up at me. Already I can tell that this little guy is going to change my life for the better. He’s going to be my new best friend. Mine and Nate’s first little fur baby, but the second his little puppy bark sounds out like a tiny little screech, I know I could never give him up.

I turn to Nate. “What do you think?” I ask him with a beaming proud smile as I just became a mommy for the first time. “He looks like a ‘Jesse’ to me.”

Jesse’s face drops as Brooke squeals out her celebrations. Nate just shakes his head, unsure what I’ve just got us into.