A Wild Ride (Jessica Brodie Diaries #3)(9)

Then I heard a loud gasp. I turned to Lump.

In her shaking hands was the necklace she admired from the jewelry store. She shook her head and looked up at Adam with tears in her eyes. “Adam, I can’t. It’s too much.”

He crossed the room slowly and took the necklace from her hands. He kneeled behind her and secured it.

“It was made for you, Betz. It wouldn’t look as good on anyone else.”

“It’s too much, Adam. I’ve been so horrible to yo--”

“Hush, now,” Adam said softly.

She gingerly laid a hand to her neck, lightly touching her rare treasure.

“Please accept it, Betz. I want you to have it. As a gift, as something that was made for you, and as an apology for causing you harm.”

Her tears overflowed. She stood up, lips quivering. She bent to him, hauling him up by his hand. When they were both standing, facing each other, she looped her arms around his neck and gave him a tight, lingering hug.

William watched the scene with fascination and a knowing smile. I pushed him to get him to look away. He mouthed to me- He’ll be single in a week!

I opened my last package. It was a picture of a BMW torn in half.

“That knucklehead,” Adam said into my confused staring, pointing at William, “was supposed to give you the other half at the same time.”

“I didn’t know we were doing all this right now!” William said in defense.

“Wait. You guys got me a car?”

“Yeah. He wouldn’t let me get you the whole thing. He didn’t want my gift to be better than his.” Adam grinned.

“Oh-my-god-shut-up! Seriously? You got me the car? Yay!” I hugged William first, then hugged Adam. Then I hugged Lump just because. Best present ever! And so needed! Now I could afford that danged bull without feeling so pinched!

“Way over the top, you guys!” I said without any idea of refusing it. I was pampered—I would live with it.

“Alright, we better head. Jessica takes forever to get ready,” William said with a smirk.

“You just wanna tell yer dad about your new toy.” Adam laughed.

It must’ve been true, because the second William got outside he excused himself to quickly go get a snap shot of his bull with his phone.

Lump was saying good-bye to Adam on the porch while I waited in the car.

“I don’t know how to thank you, Adam,” she said softly, looking at him through her lashes.

“Stop hating me.” He gently grabbed her hand.

“I don’t hate you.”

“Then stop fearing me. I won’t never hurt you, Betz. Not ever.”

“But...how can I know that?”

“Because I am giving you my word. How could you know with anyone? We only got our words and our promises. And our trust. You can trust me, Betsy. You could always trust me. I didn’t understand you, but I always respected you.”

“But your past--”

“Is the same as yours. If anyone knows how important it is to be good to one another, it’s us.”

They held eyes for a long moment, he holding her hand softly. With a small shake of her head, she turned away, eyes downcast. She made her way to her seat in the car lost in thought.

Adam watched her without expression, then turned and walked into the house without another word.

“Okay, let’s do this!” William exclaimed, eyes bright, lip bleeding. He’d completely missed the scene on the porch.

After we’d dropped a quiet Lump at Gladis’s, William asked that I drive my car, yay!, over to his house so we could use the extra trunk space, and let Lump drive it home from the Christmas thing.

William walked me over to my car touching me inappropriately for public eyes. I was laughing, trying to shake him off, when I opened the car door and saw the pink slip. William leaned in close and whispered, "Merry Christmas, my love."

I tried to stop squealing enough to kiss him. I might be closer in age to adulthood than adolescent teen, but I still had my hang-ups.

As I opened the door to climb in, William said, "Wait, Jess. Um..." He looked at me with embarrassment.

“A lady never says ‘um.’”

William smiled, still looking uncomfortable. "So...being the ass that I am, I was thinking I would be a lonely loser about now."

"Yeah, we still need to talk about that." I gave him a firm look, allowing no arguments.

"Welllll, ah... you know how I like to spoil you, because, you know, I like to see you excited and you are so easily excited--"

"—and because you can, uh huh?"

"Right. Okay, well, I couldn't be outdone by Adam so I wanted to get you a little something else."

"You got me plenty! A new freaking car, William!”

"Still. So I wanted to get you a little something else. And I was... worried that it was the last time I could make you happy..."

"Okay, you are starting to sound ridiculous."

"I'll explain someday--"

"Today."

"—but...well, I might have gone a little overboard."

William’s normal gifts were overboard. I was nervous to see what he thought was too much. And a little excited.

At his urging, I climbed into the driver’s seat. Immediately I saw sparkle taped to the ignition. It was two beautiful diamond earrings. I put them on immediately, only to spy a large box through the rear view mirror.