Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115590 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115590 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Part of me wanted to stay and go to the party—even though I hated parties. Maybe even date Brandon. I knew I needed to move on with my life, but I couldn’t. The thought had a sick feeling settling in my gut. I’d tried to forget about Zepp, but it wasn’t easy. It was like there were parts of me that were missing, and he was holding them hostage. The constant ache had faded over time, but still, it would flare up and catch me off guard when I least expected it.
A brief knock sounded on the door before it flew open, and Jonathan burst in, dragging a Louis Vuitton suitcase behind him. “I am so ready for some redneck luvin’.”
My gaze swept over him in his designer jeans and crisp, white, button-down shirt. The first day of my English class, I would have never pegged him as someone I would become friends with. He was from Upper Manhattan, and his family had more money than anyone at Barrington could have dreamed of. But, he grew on me. And I was pretty certain if I took him to Dayton, he might get himself killed. One catty remark to some redneck in Velma’s would be all it would take.
“Jonathan,” I said, giving him a once over. “Tell me again why you’d want to come to Dayton.”
“Girl.” He propped a hand on his hip before making some zig-zag snapping motion with his hands. “Having some real country boy to have a tumble in the hay bales with has always been my fantasy. I want me one of those down and dirty whorebags.”
“Trust me, you don’t,” Jade mumbled.
He was about to get the shock of his life.
“Oh, trust me. I do.” He waved a sassy finger in the air. “I waxed for this.”
“I…don’t even know what to say.” I pushed to my feet and tugged my shirt over my head. “You know this is going to be a bitter disappointment.”
He scowled, then took my bra strap and popped it. “No more of a disappointment than that brazier of yours. What kind of statement is this, anyway? It’s cotton for Christ’s sake.”
Jade snorted. “That she isn’t getting any action.”
Jonathan turned to Jade. “I got her one of those King Dong dildos for her birthday. She’s getting plenty of action.” He patted my back. “Isn’t that right, Moe Bear?”
I ignored him and pulled on a shirt. Then I shoved some clothes in a bag and my toothbrush. “Right. I’m ready.”
Jonathan touched a hand to his chest, pointing at my bag. “What’s that?” With a shake of his head, he opened my closet and rummaged through my belongings, criticizing everything I owned.”
I sank to the bed on a sigh. Once he started, there was no stopping him.
Jonathan repacked my bag three times before he let us leave. Forty minutes later, Jonathan turned his brand-new Mercedes into the trailer park. Most people would be ashamed of being seen in a shit car, but in Dayton, a shiny Mercedes just screamed Barrington, and that was never good. I wanted to crawl into the back seat.
Jonathan emerged from the car with a flare, swatting at the gnats buzzing around. He pulled his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose to look around. “This is way more redneck than you let on, honey. I feel like a man with a banjo is going to come out any minute.”
“This is as redneck as it gets.”
The second I breathed in the filthy Dayton air, I remembered why I avoided coming back here. I couldn’t help but glance at Wolf’s roof, like I expected to see Zepp up there, just hanging out on one of the ratty deck chairs. Of course, he wasn’t. I told myself I had come back here to check up on my mom, but if I was honest with myself, I chose this weekend because I knew Zepp got out last week.
I knocked on the trailer door before tugging it open. Inside was clean, though the furniture was still ratty.
“That you, baby?” My mom poked her head out from the kitchen doorway. She looked good or as good as she could. She had a job at the local Waffle Hut and a spot at the methadone clinic. From what I could remember, it was the longest she had ever kept her shit together.
“Yeah.”
Jonathan sashayed past the beat-up sofa to my mom. “Hey there, Miss James.” He took her hand and kissed it. “It’s so lovely to meet you. I love the way you’ve gone with the quaint, floral decor. It really brings out the Alabama in the place.”
I snorted. “Mom, this is Jonathan.”
Her eyes lit up. “This your boyfriend, baby?”
Jonathan wrinkled his nose. “Oh, no, honey. No, no, no.”
“He’s gay, mom,” I laughed.
She looked disappointed. “Knew he was too pretty.”