Believe in Me (Jett #1) by Amy Sparling Page A

seeing him verbally bitch-slapped.
    “Wow, um. I’m sorry, Keanna. I was just messing with you.”
    “Your definition of messing is my definition bullying.”
    Jett runs a hand down his face, his brows pulling together in thought. “You’re right. I’m so sorry. I really meant no harm.”
    “I don’t care. Just go.”
    “But I don’t want to leave things between us like this,” he says, scratching the back of his neck. “Can I make it up to you?”
    “Yeah, you can leave and never come back,” I snap. “Go make out with girls in supply closets or whatever the hell you did before you met me and made me your charity case. I don’t need your help, Jett.”
    He swallows and his Adam’s apple bobs. His chest rises as he breathes in and it makes him look a foot taller. “Okay, then. Bye.”
    I close the door behind him and twist the lock. Becca had said she’d be back over here in an hour or so. But for now I’m alone, and all I want to do is sleep and pretend I am somewhere far away from here.

Chapter 14
     

     
    I am not all about this summer. This summer actually kind of sucks. I’ve spent my entire life at this track, all day every day, after school, every holiday. Only now that I’m working here, the place has become my nemesis.
    Maybe I’m still pissed off about Keanna choosing to cut me out of her life so quickly. Whatever the case, I am not in a good mood.
    I walk around the track, keeping to the areas between the jumps as I bend down and turn on each sprinkler I come across. The entire track is lined with them, massive sprinkler nozzles that shoot water onto the dirt. We have to water the track down a lot during the summer because the hot, dry air keeps turning the track into dust. No one rides well on dust.
    I kick at a hard clump of dirt as I make my way to the next sprinkler, holding onto my shirt as I bend down to turn it on. I’ve been getting somewhat of a “farmer’s tan” on my chest and arms from wearing a shirt at work so I took it off and have it draped over my shoulder. I’m not going to let this job turn me into a weirdly-tanned freak. I have somewhat of a hotness reputation to uphold.
    What was the word Becca used?
    Oh yeah, heartthrob .
    I am all about girls who are all about me, but ever since Keanna kicked me to the curb a week ago—yeah, it’s been a whole week—I haven’t quite bounced back.
    I glance over at the Park’s house as I turn around a jump and twist another sprinkler on. It’s so far away I can’t really see anything, but that doesn’t stop me from wishing I’d see her walking in the backyard, picking wildflowers.
    Damn.
    Here I am inventing cute little things for her to do, and she won’t even talk to me. How the hell would I know if she likes wildflowers? Maybe she doesn’t. Maybe she’s got a new boyfriend now. I wouldn’t know. She completely shut me out and I’ve been too embarrassed by the whole thing to ask my parents if she’s still staying over there.
    I really hadn’t meant to piss her off so much when I took her suitcase. I was just trying to be a gentleman.
    But maybe that right there is my problem. I’m a player. A no-strings-attached kind of guy. I’m not exactly the world’s leading expert on all things Mr. Darcy-esque, so it makes sense that when I tried to be gentlemanly, it blew up in my face.
    I breathe a sigh, long and slow, as all of the air in my lungs deflates until my chest is at the same sunken level as my heart. For the millionth time since the day Keanna kicked me out of her room at Park’s house, I tell myself to get the hell over it. Suck it up, Jett. Move on. Call up one of the billion girls in your contacts list and have one come over to hook up.
    But I can’t. And this last week might have been the longest I’ve gone without a girl’s lips on mine.
    I turn on another sprinkler and curse when the blast of cold water hits me right in the face. I’d been so caught up in daydreaming (i.e.- obsessing) over