Kiss and Break Up (Magnolia Cove, #1)(78)

Lars raised a brow.

I set my car down, turning on the remote. “Call me crazy, but I think they might actually dig each other.”

Lars scoffed. “They are married.”

“Yeah, but Dad’s been home more, and I haven’t seen Emanuel since the start of school.”

Raven lit a cigarette. “Guess maybe they’re tired of messing around.”

I made my little Mazda RX-7 leap over the smaller jump, cringing as it hit the ground too hard and the bumper scraped over the concrete. Hitting the brake, I shook my head, baffled. “The world is changing. I don’t do well with too much change.” I’d do better if I had a certain curly haired blonde still at my beck and call, but I’d make it happen. No other alternative existed for us. We would be us again but even better. Dash and Peggy 2.0.

If she thought I could be friend zoned again, I’d kiss the stupid right out of her.

“Tell me about it,” Jackson said, jumping over the rail with a bottle of Jack.

“You fuck.” I leaned forward, pulling a squashed as hell pack of cigarettes from my back pocket. Sliding one between my teeth, I talked around it. “Bringing something to drink when I can’t fucking have any.”

He cracked the top as I lit my smoke with Raven’s lighter. “I’m not sharing anyway.”

Jackson sat over the lip, legs hanging. I frowned at his tense posture and the way his shoulders were curving inward as though he’d been battling something for too long and was now defeated.

“Why can’t you drink?” Rave asked, taking his lighter back.

“Daddy Dearest said not to, and I rather like my Xbox and phone.” I blew out a long stream of smoke, my eyes closing as the nicotine worked its magic. “Need them to stalk Peggy, or I wouldn’t care so much about their sudden attempts at parenting.”

“Enough about your shit.” Jackson downed a long chug of whiskey, then swiped a hand over his mouth. “Got actual problems here.”

We all looked at him, waiting. “Well?” I asked when he did nothing but stare down into the bowl.

He took another sip, not even wincing as he swallowed. “Our parents found out.”

“Fuck,” Lars spewed.

Raven’s mouth hung open.

I pursed my lips. “And?”

Jackson shook his head, glaring at me, then sighed. “And Willa’s moving to her dad’s.”

“They caught you?” Lars asked.

I laughed through a haze of smoke. “No shit, Sherlock.”

“No,” Jackson said, and my cigarette almost fell from my mouth. “Someone tipped them off.”





Peggy



I can feel you. So hot and wet …

Growing flustered, I removed myself from bed. From the memories tied to it and the temptation to touch myself as I let them blaze through my head.

After dressing, I scarfed down a banana while Mom made coffee. She’d been quiet yesterday after our talk on Saturday, which pretty much consisted of one question.

Did Dash and I have sex?

Mortified couldn’t even begin to cover how I’d felt as I’d stood before her with my hair still mussed from his rough hands. I’d said no and told her that he’d just stayed over. Her brows had lifted, and the twist to her lips stayed as she surveyed my face. Whatever she saw there must’ve been enough for her to leave it alone because she didn’t push. She’d merely said not to lock the door again.

“I’m missing a sock,” I said around a mouthful, sick of the silence.

“Oh? Why don’t you try looking for it?”

I snapped my eyes at her, swallowing the mush in my mouth. “What have I done now?”

Blowing on her coffee, she leaned back against the green counter. “Something’s not adding up.”

I waited for her to elaborate, tossing the banana peel into the trash.

“You and Dash. How did he end up coming over when you supposedly hate him?”

I forced my eyes to roll. “Because it’s Dash. He does whatever he wants.”

“Not always with you. He’s pushed, but he’s also respected your boundaries.” She paused, bobbing her head. “Well, sometimes.”

I then regretted telling her so much about what’d happened between us. Sighing, I walked over to the table, checking I had my chem book in my bag, and then zipped it shut after slipping my lunch inside. “I caved a little.” There, that was definitely true.

Mom hummed over the rim of her mug.

I took the opportunity to bail while I could and smacked a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

“Straight home,” she hollered as I shoved my feet into my boots at the door.

“Aye, aye, captain.” The screen door slapped shut behind me.

I parked beside Daphne, ignoring the black on black Range Rover that was stalking into the lot behind me and the fizzing exploding inside my stomach.

Blowing out a stuttering exhale, I checked my hastily applied mascara, fluffed my curls, and grabbed my bag.

“You look different.” Daphne sipped from a takeout cup against her car.

Slamming the door, I locked my car as a nervous laugh escaped. “What?”

Her eyes roamed my wrinkled blouse and skirt, and the socks peeking above the tops of my scuffed Docs. She shrugged, taking another sip. “You heard me.”