Jesse's Girl (Hundred Oaks #6) (12 page)

“Just act normal.”

“You’re asking me to do the impossible,” Dave complains. “I don’t see how you can act normal around him.”

That’s a fair statement. Jesse and I have been texting on and off for the past couple of days, but I haven’t caught my breath since he showed up at my window.

Tonight, I may get so nervous that I spill my Coke or drop popcorn down inside my top. Oh God, is my red leather halter cut too low? I look down to make sure I’m not wardrobe-malfunctioning.

Xander opens the door for Dave and me, and we walk inside the theater, which smells of popcorn and nachos. Gazing around, I anxiously adjust my bracelets. There he is.

Jesse is holding court by a cardboard display for an animated movie about a bicycle that wishes it were a car. If Jesse were any other guy, he’d be standing alone, probably checking his cell or deciding which candy to buy at the concession stand. But no. He’s surrounded by girls and signing shirts and napkins with a Sharpie. Some girl yanks the collar of her shirt down and motions for Jesse to sign her chest. With barely a glance, he turns away to sign a little girl’s popcorn bag.

One point for Jesse.

The hulking security guard from the booth outside Jesse’s house stands sentry over the group of girls. I never imagined I’d go to a movie with a guy and his security detail.
How
romantic.

Xander grabs my elbow. “Are we sure Jesse isn’t bi?”

“I told you, I’m much more his type than you are,” Dave tells him.

“Keep it in your pants, boys,” I say, pulling down on my white skirt that won’t stop riding up.

When Jesse looks up and sees me, a true smile breaks across his freckled face. The crowd around him parts like the Red Sea as he makes his way over and hugs me.

“Awww!” The younger girls gossip about how romantic we are.

“It’s so good to see you,” Jesse whispers in my ear, making me shiver.

“You too.” I gently pull away from him and turn to face my friends as Jesse places a warm hand on my lower back. “You remember Dave and Xander?”

“I do.” He reaches out to shake their hands.

Dave squeaks out a “Hi!”

“It’s nice seeing you again,” Jesse says, sounding as awkward as my preacher when he greets me after services. (My nose ring mixed with poor church attendance make for a sin cocktail.) At least I know Jesse doesn’t care that we’re doubling with two gay guys; he’s nervous because he doesn’t hang out with people his own age that often.

“You brought your security guard?” I whisper.

“I want you to have a good time and not worry about people bothering you.” With his hand still locked in place on my back, Jesse steers me to the concession stand. “Want something to eat?”

“I dunno. This all seems pretty unhealthy. Am I allowed?” I joke.

He grins. “You’re allowed.”

He buys me some Twizzlers and a cherry ICEE for himself, and we choose seats in the last row. Jesse’s security guard sits next to me, and Xander and Dave scramble to get the seat next to Jesse.

“I want to sit by him!” Dave whisper-yells and plops down in Xander’s lap, trying to get him to move.

“Your ass is bony as hell!” Xander exclaims, which makes Dave wiggle his butt more intensely. Xander pops up, launching Dave off his lap, and Dave steals the seat.

“Fine,” Xander says, straightening his polo. He takes the spot on the other side of Dave.

I burst out laughing, happy for the distraction. I’m not nearly as nervous as I was. At least until a bunch of girls rush to sit in our row, and while the previews fill the screen, people blatantly look back at us. Some even snap pictures.
Flash, flash, flash.
White spots dance in front of my eyes.

I sneak a glance at Jesse. His back is rigid, and he grips his ICEE tightly with both hands. Maybe coming here was a bad idea. He wanted a normal life, a life with friends. Going to the movies is as normal as it gets, but I’m scared he’s gonna realize he can’t handle this and get up and leave me.

He’s still holding his ICEE like he expects someone to steal it from him. I lean over and sip from the straw without asking.

“You’re welcome,” he says.

“Thank you.” I wipe a drop of ICEE off my lip. “Twizzler?” I hold one out to him, and he takes a bite.

Dave leans over to Jesse and grumbles, “I can’t believe we have to watch this crap. We should’ve seen Channing Tatum in
Hot
Wired
.”

“There’s still time to sneak into it,” Jesse replies.

I elbow him hard. “Excuse me?”

“ICEE?” He tries to placate me by sharing his yummy drink, and yeah, it works. I wrap my lips around the straw and stare into his eyes, but he looks away to focus on the screen. He smells delicious, like soap and leather and boy, and all I can think about is how much I want to feel his lips against mine again. Our elbows touch on the armrest, and it makes me gasp with excitement, but he moves his arm so our skin isn’t touching.

Then I remember he’s not sure what he wants yet. What does it say that I’m willing to wait to see what he decides? Is it going to be like with Nate again, six months of waiting, waiting, and waiting for something more while continuing to fool around physically?

But that doesn’t seem to be a problem: even though I’m resting my hand on my thigh, palm facing up, he never once reaches for it.

• • •

The four of us head back to Dave’s house because he has a rec room in his basement, and his parents are out for the night at some party. Sure, Jesse has a mansion, but none of us suggest going there.

After raiding the kitchen for candy and chips, we sprawl out on the couches and flick on the TV. Xander thumbs through the channels.

I decide to cause some trouble. “Let’s watch that movie
My
Mother
Married
a
Gigolo
.”

“God, yes,” Xander says.

“No!” Jesse and Dave say at the same time.

“We already watched that terrible
Commander
in
Chief
Who
Loved
Me
movie for you,” Dave says. “God only knows why you wanted to see it.”

“I’m considering a career in politics,” I lie.

“You are not,” Dave drones.

“The sex scenes were steamy.”

“That was the least sexy sex scene I’ve ever seen,” Xander complains.

“Right?” Dave laughs. “I find it hard to believe the president would have sex with the lady he’s running against.”

“And that they’d do it on the White House lawn,” Xander says.

“For real,” Jesse replies. “My manager always says, whatever you do, don’t have sex outside, because somebody will see and take pictures.”

Dave and Xander gape at him. Then at me. Then back at Jesse.

Dave licks his lips. “Are you sure you’re not bi—”

“How about we play a game?” I ask loudly.

Jesse then proceeds to kick our asses at Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, which totally sucks, because I always win these games. I get that he does this for a living, but I’ve always been the best at DDR!

He sits down next to my pouting self and whispers, “You’re cute when you’re in a bad mood.”

“Hmph.”

“This is really fun.”

“Really?” I raise an eyebrow at him. “We’re just hanging out in a basement. I figured you’d think this was boring.”

Jesse looks at Xander and Dave battling on DDR. “I haven’t done anything like this in a long time.”

Dave screams “Nooo!” when he loses to Xander, then perches on the armrest and speaks low to me, “Do you care if I go up to my room with Xander?”

I don’t mind if they want to make out. “Have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

“Yell if you hear my parents’ car, okay?” he says, and they disappear up the stairs.

“So, are they serious?” Jesse asks.

“They just started seeing each other a few weeks ago, but it seems to be going well, even though Xander’s a freshman at MTSU, and that makes Dave kind of nervous because they don’t see each other at school every day,” I ramble.

We sit in silence, picking at the M&Ms until he speaks up again. “I’m glad we went out tonight. I was worried you’d say no.”

“I nearly did.” I lean my head against his shoulder, but he stands and leaves me sitting alone on the couch.

Which doesn’t make any sense. The first thing he said to me on shadow day was “Wanna have sex?” and now he doesn’t want to hold my hand?

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

He leans against the staircase railing, crossing his arms. “I haven’t dated anybody in a while, you know?”

“I haven’t either. Not for real, anyway.”

“I need time,” he says quietly. “Just to make sure.”

“Sure of what?”

He points back and forth between us. What does that mean? He wants to be sure of me? Of dating in general? What if he leaves me standing alone in the dark night again?

“Jess, why did you come back?”

A tiny smile starts on his face. “Everywhere I went, I kept thinking of you. I’d put on my spurs for a show and remember how you said they’re ugly. I’d drive past a playground and want to swing with you. I went to the listening room at the Underground to write, and when I closed my eyes and tried to think of words, all I could see was your face.”

I suck in a breath. “Those are the most beautiful lyrics I’ve ever heard.”

He laughs. “They’re nowhere near as good as ‘I’m a swatch of quilt and I want to be sewn into your heart.”

I scowl, then pause for a long moment to think. “You aren’t going to get my hopes up and leave again, right?”

He chews on his lower lip, his eyes never leaving mine. “I don’t want to. That’s why I need to take things slow.” He drags a hand through his hair. “I’m goin’ out of town for ten days. I’m on
Saturday
Night
Live
, and then I’ve got some appearances on the talk shows and photo shoots to do before I start my last tour. Can we go out again when I get back?”

I nod, pulling a couch pillow to my chest. The situation doesn’t make me feel comfortable, but if this is what he needs, then I should support him. But it’s a lot of trust to place in him. I trusted Nate, and he let me down. I survived it.

But I don’t think my heart will survive being broken by Jesse.

He finally breaks the silence. “Want to play another game of Guitar Hero?”

I hop to my feet. “You’re so going down this time, Jesse Scott.”

• • •

On Halloween, Dave follows me home from school because he says he needs girl talk.

“I’m just not sure what to do about him,” Dave says, letting the screen door slam behind us. We go to the kitchen in search of snacks.

“You like him, right?” I pull a box of crackers out of the cabinet.

“I like Xander more than anybody I’ve ever met.”

“And he likes you too. He can’t keep his hands off you, bud.”

“I’ve never felt like this before…and he wants more. Like, he wants to have sex.”

I squeal and get excited. “And?”

Dave’s face heats from pink to a dark maroon. “He doesn’t think it’s a big deal. To him, it’s something that just happens when people are dating. And I kind of get that, but I don’t know whether it will be a big deal for me or not. It feels like a big deal…like, I hate to bring it up, but it sucks what happened with you and Nate.”

My heart begins to pound at the memory, and not in a good way. “Only do it if you want to, Dave.”

My friend reaches into the cracker box and pulls out a handful. “Would you do it with Jesse?”

Considering we didn’t even kiss after the movie, I don’t know if sex will ever be on the table. “If we were in a relationship and I was certain we were solid, then yeah, I’d do it with Jesse. But…”

Dave pops a cracker in his mouth. “Hmm?”

“We’ve only texted a couple of times this week. I guess he’s been busy on his trip.”

“My, he’s always going to be busy. Until he retires, anyway.”

“I’m afraid…it’s not that I think he’ll forget about me…” Reporters have been speculating as to what’s going on with us. Some magazines say we’re dating; others say that I’m not Jesse’s type and I’m just a flavor of the month.
Us
Weekly
wrote that a source very close to Jesse Scott said I’m his
good
friend
. Who is this source? Could it be true that he only considers me a friend?

“I worry he’ll find somebody better,” I say softly. “Like Nate did with Hannah.”

“Everybody worries about being let down. Even famous people.”

Dave and I smile at each other and dig into the crackers until Mom comes home and drops a stack of mail on the table. I sort through it, tossing coupons and credit card offers to the side, and come across a crisp, white envelope with my name on it. I check the return address and my heart stops.
So
You
Wanna
Be
a
Rocker?

My pulse thumps wildly. I rip open the envelope and scan the letter.

Rêve
Records
and
NBC
studios
are
pleased
to
invite
you
to
the
semifinal
auditions
of
Wannabe Rocker
! You are one of a select group of five hundred contestants who have been chosen…New York City…December 1–4… Our producers love your country accent and eighties vibe…

I scream and dance around the kitchen. I made it to the top five hundred on the show!

Dave rips the letter out of my hand and reads it, then starts to dance and scream with me. “Holy shit! Holy shit!”

“Holy shit! Holy shit!” I yell back.

“What’s going on?” Mom asks when she comes back in the kitchen, folding her Cedar Hill cleaning uniform. “I heard all that foul language and figured Sam and Jordan were here.”

“Look at this, Mrs. Henry!” Dave shows her the paper, and Mom freaks out. She hugs me and says she’s so proud.