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That sounded pretty damn nice to me.
I studied his face again, then looked up at his nice big house, with the perfect lawn and the clean windows and the nice, sturdy furniture that filled each room. Sometimes he let me watch football games with him, as long as I promised to pick up after myself.
“I could be a lone wolf too.” I gave Mr. Henry a shy look.
“You think so?”
Puffing my chest out with a deep breath, I nodded. “I don’t need anyone to make me happy.”
He hummed thoughtfully. “Hmm. You’re pretty young to know that for sure, kid.”
I finished soaping up the tires, standing back he sprayed off all the bubbles. His car was always perfectly clean and shiny, probably because he washed it a few times a week, no matter what the weather was like. Today was warm for February, the sun peeking out a little.
“I won’t change my mind,” I told him. “If all girls want is big shiny gifts, I don’t want anything to do with that.”
Under his breath, he laughed quietly. “Some do. Some don’t. But taking care of someone isn’t all that bad if it’s the right one.”
I twisted my lips to the side. “Did you ever find someone like that?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I was married to my work, Jax. Liked exploring when I was your age. Any time I felt that itch for a new adventure, I had the freedom to do it.”
“Yeah,” I whispered in awe. “That’s what I want.”
Instead of doing that stupid adult thing where he waved me off or told me I was being ridiculous, Mr. Henry gave me a long look, like he was studying something in my face. “You know, I think I believe you, kid.”
The way he said it had my chest feeling warm, and I tried to keep my face serious, instead of smiling like I wanted to.
He finished rinsing the last of the soap, then nudged my arm, gesturing toward a clean towel. We finished drying the car, and I liked the way it gleamed under the sun.
Mr. Henry tossed the damp towels onto the driveway, still crouching in front of the tires. “Come on, little pup, let’s order some pizza.”
“Really?”
Henry jerked his chin toward the house. “Yeah. Can’t let the wolf pack go hungry, can we?”
I ran into the house, allowing one small whoop of excitement that had Henry laughing.
Chapter 1
Jax
Four years ago
“I’m not sure the beer is worth this,” I yelled to my friend Cameron. The music was so loud in the bar, he couldn’t hear me, though.
He tilted his head, cupping a hand over his ear. “What?”
I managed a slight eye roll, shaking my head in anever mindgesture. Tipping my beer back, I grimaced when the last swallow was lukewarm. Holding it up, I tilted the bottle toward the bar. “Want another one?” I yelled.
When he furrowed his brow in confusion, I said it one more time, and his features lit with understanding. Cameron shook his head. “I’m good, thanks.”
“Why are we here again?” I asked.
“What?” he yelled.
I sighed. “Never mind.”
Under normal circumstances, my best friend and I stuck closer to home if we were going to go out for a drink or two. In our hometown of Sisters, Oregon, we had a handful of options if a couple of beers sounded good on a Friday or Saturday night, but he’d dragged me to the neighboring town of Redmond. The list of options was slightly longer, and thepresent faces were slightly less familiar, which was always my preference for a night out anyway.
