Dropout (The Good Guys Book 3) Read online

  “Am I hurting you?” I asked, concerned.

  “Baby, the last thing I’m thinking about right now is the pain.”

  This was a position we hadn’t done yet. Usually, I loved letting Jimmy take control. On top. Behind me. Against a wall. It was so freeing to surrender to him.

  But this.

  I felt a sense of power as I moved over him. I watched his face while he watched my body. His hands came up to cup my breasts and he pinched both nipples at the same time.

  I let out a shuddering moan as I rocked faster.

  His palms traveled down to my ass, and he grabbed handfuls of my flesh.

  Panting, I ground my clit against his pelvic bone and my eyes rolled back at the sensation of his cock hitting my G-spot.

  “Baby, you gotta slow down,” he rasped. A naughty smile spread over my lips when I did the exact opposite. His fingers flexed on my ass cheeks. “I’m serious, Mack. You’re gonna make me come already.”

  “I’m almost there,” I breathed out as I felt my inner walls flutter.

  With a rough grunt, Jimmy closed his eyes. Like maybe if he couldn’t see me, he would last longer. It didn’t matter, though, because I wasn’t kidding about being close.

  A keening sound ripped from my throat and my fingers curled into the back of the couch behind Jimmy’s shoulders. The feeling of coming on his cock was indescribable. For several seconds, my body reached levels of pleasure I didn’t know existed.

  Jimmy’s hands moved from my backside to my waist, and he lifted me up and down several times, pumping my body over his cock. His strength never ceased to amaze me, the way he was able to pick me up like I weighed nothing.

  Suddenly, I was flipped onto my back and he was thrusting hard.

  I gasped at how deep he went.

  He drove into me four more times before pulling out, and ropes of cum shot onto my heaving chest and stomach.

  Like always, the sight of Jimmy stroking his dick caused me to want him all over again.

  Resting his forehead against mine, he gave me a grin before kissing my lips. “So good, baby. Always so good.”

  When he reached to the floor to get my T-shirt, he winced and his hand went to his ribs. I took the shirt from him and cleaned myself off.

  “I’ll go get us some clean clothes,” I told him as he carefully reclined on the cushions. “And you need ibuprofen.”

  “And kisses.” He grinned.

  “And kisses,” I agreed before leaving the room.

  The rest of the day was spent with me spoiling Jimmy. I changed out his ice packs, brought him food on the couch, and kissed every hurt place on his body.

  And I fell even harder for him. He wasn’t just my boyfriend.

  He was my best friend.

  And now he was my hero, too.

  CHAPTER 40

  MACKENNA

  Taco Tuesday at Buck’s was insane. Apparently fifty-cent tacos drew a big crowd. I’d been warned about how popular it was, but I wasn’t prepared for half the town to be packed into the narrow tavern.

  The roar of laughter and voices made me flinch.

  I was definitely out of my comfort zone, but I reminded myself that this was for Jimmy.

  Just for this occasion, I’d traded out my leggings for skinny jeans, and my usual T-shirt for a white summery top with a lace trim around the low-cut neckline. And of course, my starfish necklace was right where it belonged—over my heart.

  Lacing my fingers with Jimmy’s, I led him to the back for his surprise. Three tables were pushed together, and the whole gang was there. The social anxiety I was suffering was totally worth it when I saw Jimmy’s face.

  Grinning from ear to ear, he looked to me. “What’s going on?”

  I made a sweeping motion to everyone. “Well, with the help of Angel, I sort of put together a send-off party.”

  Angel and I had been texting back and forth over the past few weeks since she got back from her honeymoon. We hadn’t hung out yet, but I had a feeling I would need her friendship in the coming months as I coped with Jimmy’s absence. I couldn’t even imagine what life was going to be like without him.

  Hank spread his arms. “Surprise!”

  Jimmy’s smile fell, and his eyes moved from Beverly and Ernie at one end of the table to his coworkers and friends at the other. He glanced back at me. “You didn’t have to do this.”

  I gave his hand a squeeze. “I wanted to. We’re all so happy for you.”

  Forcing out those words was difficult. Keeping the smile on my face was even harder as I told the bold-faced lie. The last thing I wanted to do was celebrate Jimmy leaving, but he deserved to have this last gathering with people who were important to him.

  We took our seats and Colton told us he already put in an order for one hundred tacos. Leaning forward, he flipped the lid on a rectangular box in front of us.

  It was a cake. A hilarious cake. The white icing had black lettering that said ‘We wish you the best… Just kidding. You’re dead to us now.’ Then there was a drawing of a guy in auto shop coveralls getting hit by a car.

  Jimmy laughed. “Wow. That’s pretty morbid.”

  “It was a custom order,” Angel supplied with a giggle. “We got it from the same place we got our wedding cake.” She nudged Travis, and he handed Jimmy a blue envelope.

  Jimmy ripped it open and took out the card. The front said ‘Good luck!’ and he guffawed at the inside. Scrawled with a blue pen, someone had written ‘Seriously, though. You’re dead to us now.’

  “Ah, shit guys.” Snickering, he held up the satirical card. “Very funny.”

  Our dinner arrived on three different trays full of tacos, various toppings, and dips. Plates were passed around and we dug in.

  In between scarfing down tacos, I silently observed the conversations happening around me.

  Jimmy was exchanging playful jabs with Colton about his terrible boxing skills. Everyone laughed when Travis relayed the latest auto shop story about when they found a cat hiding in Loretta Davey’s car—and the best part was, the animal wasn’t even hers. Angel chattered on about Brielle’s upcoming wedding in the fall, while Beverly and Ernie seemed lost in their own world, canoodling in the corner.

  Everything was fine until questions about Jimmy’s school year came up.

  “Where are you going to live?” Brielle asked. “The dorms?”

  Jimmy nodded slowly. “That’s the plan.”

  “What class are you looking forward to the most?”

  “Well.” He paused to take a sip of his Pepsi. “I thought speech 101 sounded pretty cool when I signed up for it.”

  As Brielle started talking about her nursing classes, I felt an unwelcome pressure behind my eyes, a tightness in my throat, and a burning in my chest.

  This was supposed to be a happy occasion, so it was a bad time for me to get emotional.

  Needing a break from thoughts of Jimmy’s departure, I excused myself to the bathroom. The heavy door swung shut, blocking out some of the noise.

  Blowing out a breath, I gripped the edge of the sink and stared at my reflection. I didn’t recognize the desperate, lonely look in my eyes. I wasn’t this girl, dependent and needy. I was Mackenna Connelly, reclusive songwriter extraordinaire.

  Jimmy didn’t need to see me like this. We had a deal. I’d offered him a summer of no-strings-attached fun in exchange for intimacy, and we both got what we wanted.

  A second later, the door opened and Angel slipped inside.

  “Hey, are you okay?” Her blue eyes held so much empathy, it made me want to spill everything. Instead, I went with the short answer.

  “Honestly, no.”

  “I know what you’re going through right now. Travis and I almost had to do the long-distance thing. I’m glad it didn’t come to that, but it wouldn’t have been t
he end of the world. When you’re in love with someone, you stick it out,” she said optimistically.

  I didn’t know what to say, so I just nodded. When her arms wrapped around me, I had no choice but to hug her back. Even if I didn’t know Angel that well yet, it was nice to get comfort from someone who understood my pain.

  But what she didn’t realize was that Jimmy and I weren’t supposed to last forever.

  Angel pulled back to give me a kind smile.

  “Take as long as you need in here. If anyone asks where you are, I’ll just tell them you’re having taco-induced diarrhea,” she said brightly.

  I laughed, unsure of whether she was joking or serious, and she walked out, leaving me alone with my turmoil once again.

  After allowing myself a minute to wallow, I went back out to the table with a smile plastered on my face. I ate tacos, contributed to some conversations, and I laughed at the appropriate times.

  But all the while, I thought about what Angel said. She wasn’t wrong about sticking it out for someone you love.

  The problem was, I didn’t know how Jimmy felt about me.

  And I hadn’t exactly been open about my feelings either.

  Later that night, I tried to show him. As soon as we got home, I led Jimmy up to bed and made love to him like it was the last time.

  No words were spoken, but I used my body to communicate all the things I was too afraid to say.

  Thank you.

  I wish you didn’t have to go.

  I love you.

  Goodbye.

  CHAPTER 41

  JIMMY

  Over these past couple months, my priorities and goals had changed. I’d come to Tolson on a mission to prove I could stay out of trouble and earn a second chance at college.

  But I’d gained so much more than that.

  This morning when I woke up with Mackenna starfished to me from head to toe, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

  I couldn’t leave her.

  I couldn’t leave the job I’d come to love.

  I was supposed to move back to Ohio on Saturday, so it was a little last-minute to be making life-altering decisions. But at my going-away party last night, everything felt wrong. Talking about my classes and my future away from Tolson—it was all so wrong.

  I wanted to stay.

  But before I went shouting it from the rooftops, I needed to get my ducks in a row.

  I paced the floor outside Hank’s office. I’d gotten done with my work over an hour ago, but I was stalling so I could get a chance to talk to my boss alone. Colton had just left for the day and Travis was gone on a haul, so it was just us now.

  During my time here at the shop, I had worked hard. I’d tried my best to learn the skills they’d taught me and keep up with the workload.

  And in the process, I found my passion. A career I was excited about. Mechanics. Motor oil. Trucking.

  I wanted all of it.

  Hank’s jovial voice carried out into the garage. “You’re gonna wear a hole in the concrete if you keep walking back and forth like that.”

  I smiled at Hank’s no-bullshit attitude.

  It was now or never.

  Walking into the office, I gestured to a small chair against the wall. “Can I sit? I have something I want to talk to you about.”

  His computer chair creaked as he leaned back. “Of course.”

  I squared my shoulders as I took a seat. “I’ve really liked working here. Loved it, actually. I know when I started it was meant to be temporary but, the thing is, I’d like to stay in Tolson. Become a certified mechanic. Get my CDL. I know my last day is supposed to be Friday, but would you consider keeping me at the shop permanently?”

  Hank’s face remained passive during my rambling. My future depended on what his next words would be, and I held my breath as I waited for his answer.

  Suddenly, he threw his head back and laughed. In an instant he was out of his chair, hugging me and slapping my back a few times.

  Letting out an uncomfortable chuckle, I returned the action.

  He was still smiling when he sat back down. “Well, I’ll be damned. I owe Colton fifty bucks.”

  “What?”

  “We had a bet going on whether you were gonna go back to Ohio or not. He won.”

  Placing a hand over my chest, I pretended to be wounded. “Nice to know I’m just a bet to you guys.”

  Hank smiled. “We got ourselves another Tolson resident. I guess we’re almost up to a population of 325 now.”

  I grinned, but he still hadn’t given me the answer I needed. “So… That’s a yes?”

  “Hell yes, that’s a yes! Welcome aboard, son.” He grappled with some papers from his desk. Pointing at various numbers on the spreadsheet, he started talking about the trucking company. “Now, I think we’re going to change some things. Travis and Colton don’t need to be away from their families on long hauls, and you can’t take deliveries across state lines until you’re twenty-one. We’ve got enough local business to keep it going. Hank and Sons Midwest Transport.” His hand glided through the air as he told me the new company name. “What do you think?”

  “I think that sounds great,” I told him, happy that he valued my opinion enough to ask.

  He went back to excitedly shuffling papers and punching numbers into his calculator. While we discussed the details of my future as a mechanic/truck driver, a sense of rightness came over me.

  I had finally found my path.

  CHAPTER 42

  JIMMY

  I couldn’t wait to tell Grandma the news. My usual stroll home from the shop turned into a jog. I passed Mackenna’s house, figuring I would head over there after I made the announcement to Grandma.

  Excited, I bounded up the cracked porch steps.

  But as soon as I stepped into the house, something felt different. It wasn’t unusual for Grandma’s house to be quiet, especially if she wasn’t home, but some indescribable weight in the air made my hair stand on end.

  “Grandma? You home?”

  As I passed the dining room, I noticed the door to Sweet Pea’s cage was open. He was huddled in the corner, which wasn’t like him when he had free time.

  A bad feeling settled over me.

  I went from room to room, terrified of what I might find. The Pepto-Bismol bathroom was empty. Grandma’s bed was made, neat and tidy, and so was mine.

  My last stop was the kitchen.

  When I looked down to the floor, I saw a glimpse of Grandma’s fluffy pink housecoat and her curly dark hair.

  “Grandma!” Grief consumed me as I rushed toward her limp body. “No. No, no, no. Grandma, wake up. Please, wake up.”

  I wasn’t ready for her to be gone.

  As I picked up her lifeless hand, I thought about Twinkies, whiskey, and the countless twenty-dollar bills she’d slipped to me. Over the years, she’d given me endless laughter and priceless words of wisdom. She was the one who taught me how to tie my shoes. The first time I ever heard the f-word, it was from her mouth.

  There was no one else in the world like Beverly Louise Johnson.

  Her papery skin was pale and her forehead felt cool to the touch. I did a quick assessment for injuries, but found no cuts or bruises. Pressing my fingers to the side of her neck, I felt a pulse and noticed the rise and fall of her chest.

  That was a great sign.

  The next minute felt like a lifetime.

  Whipping out my cell phone, I punched in the number for 9-1-1.

  When the operator answered, I barked out Grandma’s address along with the fact that she was unconscious but breathing. She asked about Grandma’s age, her medical history, and general health—most of which I didn’t have a great answer for.

  “Uhh, she’s pretty fucking old. I think she’ll be eighty this year. She
drinks like a fish and eats mostly snack cakes. I know that sounds bad, but this woman is hell on wheels. Nothing gets her down. She’s sharp as a tack and swears like a sailor.” I cringed at the next piece of information. “Oh, and I know for a fact that she and her boyfriend have an active sex-life. That’s healthy, right?” My eyes stung as I added, “I love her and I can’t lose her.”

  I barely heard the voice telling me an ambulance was on the way because Grandma moved. With a painful moan, she lifted a hand to her forehead. I dropped the phone and it clattered to the floor.

  “Hey, hey. Easy now.” Grabbing a dishtowel off the side of the sink, I folded it up and gently put it under her head.

  “Jimmy?”

  “Yeah, I’m here.”

  Making an incoherent sound, her eyes drifted closed again and I started to panic. “Grandma, stay with me. Help is on the way, okay?”

  “I feel kinda shitty,” she mumbled.

  Squeezing her hand, I tried to see through the tears filling my eyes.

  “I’ll bet you do. But you know what? You can’t leave me. I’m staying in Tolson,” I told her, hoping the exciting news would keep her awake. “I’m moving here for good, so I’m gonna need you around. Just hang on, okay?”

  “Oh, for crying out loud, I’m not dying,” she grumped. “Good golly, have you always been this dramatic?”

  Laughing, I wiped at the wetness running down my face. “Yeah, I guess so. I think I got it from you.”

  She let out a ‘hmff’ but gave me a small smile. “Did you mean all those things you said about me?”

  “What things?”

  “What you said—” She waved her finger in the air before her arm fell limply to her side. “—on the phone just now.”

  “Yeah. Well, they wanted to know your medical history and I didn’t know what else to say.”

  “I’ve never been so flattered in all my life,” she said with a loving smile, and I chuckled. Only my grandma could make such a serious situation so fucking funny. “And are you really staying in Tolson for good?” Her eyes gleamed with happiness and I nodded. “Oh, this is just the best day ever. I knew it. I knew I could get you to stay.”