All In (Cedar Mountain University #2) by Ann Garner Read Free Book Online

then come
blasting at me the minute it even looks like I might be doing the same.
    Another part of me wants to run back to him, throw my arms around
him, and tell that if he’s that worried about my reputation then he must still
love me, there must still be some part of him that wants me. And I’ll take
whatever I can get.
    Pathetic isn’t even the word to describe myself.
    “Where are you parked?”
    I blink, trying to see past the fog currently clouding my brain.
“What?”
    Jacob’s hand has slid from my waist to my elbow as we walk. “We
can’t go back to my place to get my car, Grace, that isn’t going to help the
rumors. Tell me where you’re parked.”
    “Lot C, behind the library.”
    He turns us just slightly, moving steadily across campus, and I let
myself be led along like a child. As we approach the commuter parking lot he
says, “Give me your keys.” When I hesitate he adds, “You’re in no shape to
drive, Grace. Give me your keys.”
    “I can drive,” I mutter, but I dig in my bag and pull out the keys,
handing them over to him. When we enter the parking lot he pushes the key fob
and follows the flash of lights indicating my doors are unlocked.
    “This is becoming a habit.”
    We stop next to my car, and he studies me quietly for a moment
before asking, “What’s that?”
    I open the passenger side door before he can do it for me, tilting
my head to meet his gaze. “You rescuing me.”
    Chuckling he dumps both our book bags into the back seat. “I didn’t
rescue you. I rescued Grant.” He clarifies. “You were seconds from punching
him.”
    “You picked up on that?”
    “Grace, your hand was balled into a fist at your side. It didn’t
take a genius to figure it out.”
    I pull the door closed and watch him as he walks around the front
of the car. This gorgeous guy who keeps rescuing me. He probably thinks I’m
looney tunes. Hell, I think I’m looney tunes. As he settles into the driver’s
seat next to me I can’t help but point out, “You know it doesn’t matter that we
didn’t go back to your place to get your car. They saw us together. They’re
going to assume we are together. Especially since I’ve already been labeled as
your slut.”
    Wincing he says, “Okay, let’s not say it quite like that. It
doesn’t matter what they think or what they say, Grace. It’s what you know that
counts.”
    “Ha! Not to my brothers.”
    Throwing the car in reverse, he palms the back of my seat with one
hand while he pulls out of the parking spot. I’m not sure where he’s going. I
don’t care enough to ask. As long as it’s far away from Grant.
    “You’re brothers sound like real princes.”
    “They’re great.” I sigh. “Just ridiculously overprotective. Grant
is Holden’s best friend. It’s all very complicated at the moment.”
    Watching the scenery going by I’m pretty sure he’s heading to the
Grease Spoon, and I’m reminded of the conversation we had during my drive of
almost shame the previous weekend. My go-to in situations like this is ice
cream, but blueberry pancakes don’t sound too bad.
    “What’s so complicated about it? He broke up with you, right? For
no real reason?” It sounds so logical when he says it like that, but I know
there is so much more to it that he doesn’t understand and I can’t explain.
    “Oh, he had reasons.” Incredibly stupid, horrible reasons.
    Jacob glances over at me quickly before turning back to the road. “Doesn’t
matter. Holden is your brother. You win in situations like this.”
    I think of the lone picture on his dresser. “You have a sister?”
    His hands tighten on the steering wheel. I almost don’t notice, but
the way they pull on the wheel causes a weird squeaking sound to slip through
the car, and his knuckles whiten with the strain. The silence that stretches
between us is telling. And when he finally says, “I did,” I feel tears spring
to my eyes at the deep rooted pain I hear in his voice. I wish I