Avoiding Decisions (Avoiding #1.5)(9)

Lexi terrified him. How did she have such control over him? He’d never cheated on anyone before. That wasn’t the kind of person he was! But when those big brown eyes stared up at him, begging and pleading, and she smiled up at him with her pouty lips coated in pink lip gloss…he f**king forgot who he was.

But he hadn’t kissed her. And he wouldn’t.

She was coming over later, and he was going to end it. He was going to tell her everything. That was the way it had to be.

Jack sighed and picked up his phone to call Danielle. Maybe if he heard her voice, it would remind him that he was making the right decision.

“Oh my God, is Jack Howard calling me?” Danielle asked snootily into the phone.

“Yeah.” Jack scrunched up his eyebrows. What the f**k was her deal?

“Well, that’s new. I thought I was the only one who called anymore,” she snapped.

“Apparently not,” he said, gritting his teeth. He didn’t know how much of this conversation he could handle if she was going to act like a bitch.

“Are you going to come see me this weekend? Or do I have to drive to Athens again?”

The way she said the word again was like he had never driven down to see her, but he had just been there two weeks ago.

And suddenly, he realized…he didn’t even want to see her this weekend. “Actually, I’m working all weekend. I can’t come down to Savannah, and you’d just be stuck here all alone.”

“So, now, you don’t even want me in Athens!” she snapped.

“Danielle, do you have something you want to say? Because I’m tired of this passive-aggressive shit,” he barked, surprised by his anger bubbling up.

“I’m fine. Fine!”

“You’re clearly not fine, so just spit it out.”

“Fine! You know what? I’m tired of being the one putting all the effort into this relationship. I’m tried of traveling and calling and messaging and trying to spend every ounce of time with you when you only want to f**k me. I’m tired of you not acting like you used to. I’m still your girlfriend, and I don’t even feel second-best…I feel last!” she said, her voice cracking. He heard the tears in her voice.

God, he hated crying.

“Stop crying, Jesus. You’re not last in my life.” Was she?

“Yes…yes, I am! You don’t even know how you treat me!”

“How do I treat you?” he asked in frustration.

“Like I’m last! Work, school, the guys, parties…everything comes before me. How can we have a relationship if that’s how you treat me, Jack?”

“I don’t know.” And he really didn’t. Maybe…they couldn’t.

“Well, if you don’t know, then I certainly don’t. So, maybe…maybe we should just take a break!” she chirped

“Fine,” he responded immediately. “Whatever.”

“Fine!”

The line went dead in his hand. She had hung up on him. They were on a break.

Whoa. What the hell had just happened? And how had it spiraled out of control so fast?

He flung his phone onto the couch and stormed into his bedroom. He needed to take a shower or do something to get his mind off of this. He couldn’t believe she had just done that.

CHAPTER 6

THAT MOMENT

Jack heard a knock at the door. He grabbed a blue T-shirt from off the clean clothes pile and threw it over his head. His hair was still damp from the shower, but it had calmed him down and made him think more clearly. Whatever had just happened with Danielle…whatever break they were on was probably for the better.

When he opened the door, he saw Lexi standing on his front porch. She was the whole reason that this was for the better. She looked amazing in tight pants and a bright silky shirt. Her hair was down, her eyes lined, making them look even bigger than normal, and she was wearing that pink lip gloss. He was going to try that today and see if it tasted as good as he had thought for the past month.

“Hey,” Lexi said with a smile, walking into his house.

“Hey, it’s good to see you.” And it was.

He reached and drew her into a hug. She folded into him like she had been anticipating it as he slid his hands around her small frame. He didn’t want to let her go, but he did.

“What are we doing tonight? Is Luke going to try to beat me at Mario Kart again? Or would you prefer to study?” She continued without waiting for him to answer. “I’ve already had such a long week. I could seriously use a drink.”

“Do you want me to make you one?” he asked.

“Oh, you don’t have to!” She threw her hand up like she didn’t care one way or another, and then she dropped her purse at the foot of the couch. Lexi kicked off her flip-flops and turned back to face him. “So, what are we doing?”

“Let’s just relax. Maybe a movie?”

“Sure,” she said, bending down and sorting through his collection.

She popped in Pirates of the Caribbean, and then she sat next to him. When he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, Lexi rested back against him.

He had seen the movie a hundred times, but he couldn’t have told anyone a thing about it this time. All he could think about was the feel of Lexi in his arms, the touch of her breast against him as she adjusted in her seat, the feel of her fingers caressing his hand. His mind was set solely on the woman lying next to him, and it all felt right. He didn’t feel rushed or unsure about what to do next or where to go from here. It just felt right.