Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
My eyes widened. For a good five seconds, I completely forgot how to form a coherent thought and just stared up at Nathan.
“Are you okay?” he asked, the corner of his mouth lifting.
“That’s…Sorry. He…” I waved my hands in front of myself. “I’ll talk to him. He knows my brother will take him if he’s still wanting to go.”
Nathan lost the smirk and tipped his head, gesturing for me to follow him down the hallway. We entered my bedroom.
He pushed the door closed behind us, then faced me, crossing his arms over his chest. “Those little shitheads are going to make fun of Oliver if he goes with your brother.”
I rubbed at my eyes, trying to ignore that very worry. It seemed impossible. “They might not.”
“He’s scared they will. He asked me to go instead. They’ll leave him alone if he’s with someone they don’t know.”
“I’m sorry he put you in that position, Nathan. I wish he would’ve said something to me first.”
“What position? I don’t mind going…”
I blinked up at him. “Did you tell him you’d go?”
“Yeah.”
Oh my God. “Really?”
He cocked his head. “Yeah, really. He should get to go, Jenna. He wants to…This way those kids can’t make fun of him.”
“They might ask who you are. I know they called out Brian the first time he went.”
“So? Let them call me out. That doesn’t mean I’m going to give them an answer. They can think what they want.”
My lips parted. “Nathan.” I stepped closer, forcing my arms to remain at my sides when the only thing I wanted to do was wrap them around him. I couldn’t believe what he was offering to do. “We just started seeing each other,” I reminded him. “Like, a minute ago. What you’re trying to do right now is so unbelievably sweet and I want to say okay—I do—but this is a big deal. Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I wouldn’t have said yes if I wasn’t sure,” he replied. “And a minute? Where are you getting that? I would say we’ve been together since the Fourth, at least.”
“But then we agreed to wait…and even if we hadn’t—”
“Jenna.” Nathan’s tone grew serious. “This isn’t a big deal to me. If Oliver wants to tell them I’m his mom’s boyfriend, he can. If he doesn’t want to give them an answer, I’m fine with that too. I don’t care. My entire reason for being there is to make sure he has a good time—I don’t give a fuck about any other kid or what they have to say. I only care about Oliver.”
Breath rushed past my lips. I knew Nathan had just said a lot right now, and I absolutely heard and felt everything he was telling me, but only one thing began circling inside my mind. I couldn’t let go of it.
“So you’re my boyfriend, then?” I asked shyly, placing my hands on his hips and stepping even closer. I couldn’t hold back from touching him anymore. And holy crap, when had I ever felt this happy? I couldn’t remember.
Nathan’s smile was warm and sweet. “We’re dating…What else would I be?”
“I guess that makes me your girlfriend, then.”
“That’s typically how it works.” He let his arms drop and fall around me, linking his hands behind my lower back. “I’m thirty years old,” he said. “Am I doing this wrong? Should I be asking you out, like, officially? Do you want me to? I feel like I was very official with you last night.”
“You were.”
“Several times.”
“You could still ask. I couldn’t tell you the last time I was asked.”
Nathan’s expression hardened. “What the fuck, Jenna? Who are the men you’ve been hanging around?”
“Um…like, lately? You. My brother. Travis…”
“Stop. Forget I asked that.” He sighed in frustration, then bent lower until our foreheads touched. “It’s been a while for me…I might word this wrong.”
“You could never word this wrong. I promise.” I fidgeted on my feet, shifting my weight around. “I’m so excited,” I whispered.
Nathan chuckled. “I can tell.” He stared deep into my eyes. “I want to be with you so fucking badly. Will you be my girlfriend, Jenna?”
“OhmyGodIwouldlovetoyes,” I answered in a one-breath rush, smiling so big, my cheeks ached. He grinned and we kissed.
“Thank you for telling Oliver you’d go with him,” I said. “That means a lot to him, and to me.”
“I’m happy to do it. Honestly, it’s not a big deal.” Nathan’s phone beeped twice from his pocket.
I let go of him so he could get to it. I yawned and rubbed at my face. “God, I’m so amped up and tired at the same time. I feel like I could run a marathon but also pass out at any second.”
“You and me both,” he said, looking at his phone. He immediately began to smile, reacting to whatever message he was reading.