AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Can I do anything to help?” he asked with concern.
Jazz shook her head, grateful for the friend she had in Butler. Their relationship was similar to what she’d thought her relationship with Jameson would be like. Well, if her brother hadn’t decided to join Doctors Without Borders and disappear for years on end.
Butler looked out for her, gave her dating advice, listened to her bitch, and was always honest. He was also sexy as fuck. With his short black silky hair and deep brown eyes, the man was delicious. She’d heard more than one story about house calls ending in him getting digits and didn’t doubt it happened.
When he walked to the meter to pay for parking, Winter sidled up next to her.
“Thank god we didn’t have to ride the bus,” she said, her eye on the huge wobbling vehicle pulling in across the street. “I don’t think my stomach would have made it.”
Jazz waved a hand in front of her face to clear the choking cloud of exhaust floating across the distance. “Same.”
Butler rejoined them with a sweep of his arm in the direction of Wheatfields. “Ladies, I believe our biscuits and gravy await.”
The trio walked around the corner and into the small café known for their fresh bread selection. It was small, with only a handful of tables, but the food was amazing.
“I’m hoping that it buys me some info,” Butler said, paying for everyone’s breakfast.
“What kind of info?” Winter blew on her coffee, the aroma filling the space around their small table.
“The kind that explains why Leo looked like someone ran over his dog when I saw him last night. You know anything about that, Jazz?” The question was asked without judgement as Butler looked at her.
“Don’t be silly. Leo doesn’t have a dog.” The words fell flat as they came out of her mouth.
“Hardy-har-har,” he deadpanned, pointing his fork at her. “Now tell me why one of my favorite girls is looking heartbroken.”
“I screwed things up.” The words came out in a raspy whisper and her eyes filled with tears. “Like, Ireallyscrewed things up.”
“What happened?” Butler asked, reaching for her hand on the table where she had started to tear her paper napkin to shreds.
“My mom—”
Butler held up his hands. “Stop right there, no need to say more.”
Jazz huffed out a sad laugh. She really didn’t need to say anything more than that. Butler had been on the receiving end of her parents’ judgmental words more than a few times himself. Even though there had never been anything romantic between the two of them, their friendship hadn’t gone unnoticed by her parents. Her mom had been particularly brutal at one dinner when she’d suggested that the reason that Butler was a paramedic was because he lacked the intelligence to go to med school.
“Did you finally stand up to them?”
“Yeah, but I don’t know what good it did me. What?” she asked, noticing his clenched jaw. “I can tell you have something to say. So spit it out.”
“It’s not my place—”
“Bullshit. You’re my friend and I want to know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry, I can take it.”
Butler swallowed the food that he had shoveled into his mouth and took a quick drink of his water. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” Jazz insisted with a firm nod.
“I don’t know if—” Winter tried to insert before being shut down by Jazz holding up her hand.
“I think that it’s about fucking time you stood up to them.” Butler sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his solid chest. “It’s about fucking time that someone has gotten you to open your eyes to those poisonous people you call Mom and Dad.”
“Pffft, she calls them Victoria and Reginald,” Winter interjected with a snort before wincing at the glare Jazz shot her way. “Sorry, not helping.”
“Keep going,” Jazz urged.
“Your parents are vipers,” Butler said plainly. “They’re the type of people that should neverhavehad kids because they didn’t want to actuallybeparents.”
Butler reached across the table and squeezed her hand.
