Chapter Twenty – Jeff

“So are we a go?” I asked into my cell phone.

Jack responded, “We are for sure a go. I’ve got you on my calendar, so don’t worry. I’ll make sure your sister has some good tunes spinning at her graduation party.”

“Perfect. Thanks, Jack.”

“No problem. I’ll see you soon.”

Hitting End, I couldn’t help but smile. Ellie was finally getting out of high school and into college.

I pulled up to my mother’s house and let out a deep sigh. I only prayed she’d stay sober long enough to make it to Ellie’s graduation. The likeliness of that happening was pretty slim to none.

My phone rang.

Ellie.

“Hey, I just pulled up to Mom’s. You ready for dinner?”

“I’m at Ari’s. Can you pick me up there?”

Closing my eyes, I counted to five. The last place I wanted to go was Ari’s.

“Sure. I’ll be right there.”

“Great! Thanks!”

The drive to Ari’s house only took a few minutes. When I pulled down the driveway, I saw Ellie and Ari standing out front. They were talking to two guys. Ryan was one, and I didn’t know the other guy.

I shifted my truck into park and got out, shooting a look at Ryan first and then swinging my eyes over to the other guy.

“Interrupting something?” I asked.

Ellie laughed. “No. Ryan stopped by to introduce his cousin, Thomas.”

“Trying to see if we can talk the girls into a double date tonight,” Ryan said with a shit-eating grin.

My icy stare darted over to Ari. She was dressed in shorts and a black tank top. Her hair was pulled up, and a touch of makeup covered her eyes.

She was beautiful.

And that little bastard Thomas was eye fucking the hell out of her.

Not tonight, buddy. Not tonight.

“Sorry, Ryan, I’ve already claimed them both for the evening.”

Ryan stared at me like I was insane. I could see Ari stand up a little straighter too, like this was news to her. And it was, considering I’d just invited her along without even asking.

“You’ve claimed them?” He laughed.

I took a step closer to him. “Yeah. I’ve claimed them. It’s my fucking sister and her friend, and I’m taking them both to dinner. You got a problem with that?”

Like the little pussy he was, Ryan took a few steps away from me.

Ellie stepped between us. “I already told Ryan I had plans tonight.” She turned and gave Ryan a look of warning.

“After dinner?” Ryan asked.

“We’re going to a movie,” I quickly said.

Shit. I was going to have to remember to text Brad and let him know I wasn’t coming over for poker night.

“We are?” Ellie asked, excitement in her voice. I loved hanging out with her, and I knew she felt the same way. We didn’t do it nearly enough, so I wasn’t too bothered about missing poker night.

Ryan looked beyond pissed, and so did his cousin.

“Ari, can I give you a call tomorrow?” he asked.

“I thought you were leaving town tomorrow,” she said.

“Well, I am, but we can still talk on the phone. Get to know each other so when I come back into town we can go out.”

“Get to know each other?” Ari asked, her eyebrows arched.

“Yeah, you know.” His brows wiggled, and Ari nearly choked on her own spit.

The anger building inside of me was insane. I knew exactly what he was hinting around to.

Who hints around for phone sex with a girl he just met?

Dick.

I wanted to walk over to Ari, pull her into my arms, and kiss the living shit out of her right in front of this little prick. Tell him there was so fucking way he’d ever hear her moaning or even have his hands on her.

I didn’t have to, though, because this was Ari. She was capable of handling herself.

When she let out a chuckle, I knew what was coming next.

“Yeah, I don’t think so, champ. I’m not interested in a relationship with anyone, especially a telephone one. Not my kind of kinky fun, but hey, if that’s the only way you can get a girl to come is over the phone, then more power to you.”

When she gave him a wink, I nearly lost it laughing. The guy was standing there staring at her like he couldn’t believe what she had just said. I had to admit, he was okay-looking. Older than Ryan by a few years.

“That’s not what I meant,” he replied, backtracking his words.

“Really? Are you sure about that?” Ari asked.

Ryan cleared his throat. He knew Ari well enough to know he needed to get his cousin out of harm’s way before she lost her shit.

“Listen, we’re going to take off. Enjoy dinner and a movie with your brother. I’ll call you later tonight.”

Ryan walked up to Ellie and thought twice about kissing her in front of me. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Bye, Ellie.”

“See ya later,” Ellie replied.

Ryan and Thomas didn’t say goodbye to me or Ari.

I turned and watched them walk to a car I was guessing was Ryan’s. I knew it was intimidating for me to be staring them down, but I didn’t give a shit.

They pulled out, and I faced Ellie. “I don’t like him, Ellie.”

“So you’ve told me, Jefferson. A million and one times.”

“For once, I agree with dickhead here,” Ari said.

“Why thanks, Squirt.”

She trembled in anger. “Do. Not. Call. Me. That!”

“I thought you liked it,” I replied with an innocent shrug.

“Fuck you, Jeff. You’re an ass.”

Spinning on her heels, she headed to her front door.

“Wait! I thought you were going to dinner with us,” I shouted.

Ari turned and narrowed her eyes at me. “I thought you just said that to make them leave. I didn’t know you were being serious.”

My stomach did a weird dip. Did she really honestly think I didn’t want her going? Damn, I’ve been acting like such a dick to her. I hated doing it, but it was the only way to keep her pissed off at me and at arm’s length.

“Of course he was, Ari!” Ellie said.

I smiled. A real genuine smile. “Yes, I was being serious. Let’s all go grab something to eat and then hit up a movie.”

The smile that spread across Ari’s face nearly brought me to my knees. She deserved a guy so much better than me.

“Let me go change my shirt, and then I’ll be ready!”

“Hurry! I’m starving!” Ellie cried out to Ari, who had retreated back into her house.

“That was nice of you to invite her. Are you calling a truce finally?” Ellie asked.

I chuckled. “Hell no. I love seeing her get all mad. It’s the highlight of my day.”

The corner of Ellie’s mouth rose into a smirk. “Seeing her is the highlight of your day, or making her hate you is the highlight of your day?”

There was no way I could admit it was the first one, so I didn’t. I acted like the dick I was.

“Ha. The second option, please.”

“Right,” Ellie stated, not believing me for one second.

It was time to steer this in another direction. “Where do y’all want to go eat?”

Ellie looked up in thought for a few minutes. “How about Shady Grove? They’ll have live music there tonight.”

“Sounds good to me. I could go for one of their hamburgers.”

Ari came bouncing back down the stairs of her front porch. “Ready! Where are we going?”

“Shady Grove,” I said, opening the front and back door of my truck for them to both get in.

“Oh, mother of Mary, I want a hamburger with cheese and their fries!”

I couldn’t help but smile. Ari wasn’t like other girls. She didn’t pick at a salad and pass on dessert. She was the type of girl who ate what she wanted. I knew she ran and worked out a lot, and her body showed it. She wasn’t stick-thin and had sexy curves. It was enough to drive any man insane. It certainly drove me mad.

“A girl after my own heart.”

Ari paused for a second and looked back at me. For one brief second, I swore she smiled. Then with her lip snarled up in disgust, she shot me a yeah, right look.

“You wish, dickwad.”

Shutting the door, I smiled and mumbled under my breath, “Yeah, I wish.”