Accidental Bibliophiles

Chapter 9

Everett

"You ready to go?" I ask Jack as I pull up in front of his house. He climbs into my car with his book under one arm. 

A freaking miracle. 

"Yeah, let's go." he responds. 

"Where's Bri?" I ask, looking towards his house, but it's dark. He seems awfully protective of her, I'd be surprised if he left her alone like this. 

"She's at school. She started doing tutoring a couple of nights a week. She said she was scared to be home alone." he says, his jaw ticking. 

"You gonna explain that whole mess to me?" I ask. He just shrugs and fidgets with the vents like he does when he's thinking. 

"Her ex was a jerk. Threatened her. I couldn't just leave her, Ev. She's all alone." he mumbles. My heart aches at his morose tone and I think for a moment how I would feel if someone did the same to Harper. 

It makes me nauseous. 

"You're a good guy, Jack." I say back. He just shrugs.  

"According to you I'm a jerk." he says, grinning over at me. 

"Yeah. You're that too." I say, making him chuckle. 

"Where are we going anyway?" He asks. 

"Miranda's." I answer just as his stomach makes a noise like a mating whale in the ocean. "The fuck?" I ask, looking over at him reproachfully. 

"What? I'm hungry. I've been starving myself all day to prepare for the feast we are about to descend upon." he says with a proud grin that makes me laugh. 

"Well, maybe if you're gonna eat all of the food you could bring some next time?" I ask, giving him a stern look and I swear he almost goes sheepish. 

"Yeah. I'll handle it next week. No worries." he says firmly. 

"It's our turn to host next time. You wanna do it at my place?" I ask. Both of our houses are the same size, but mine has a bigger living room. 

"Sure." he agrees easily. "What'd you bring this week?" he asks, looking into my backseat. 

"Brownies and fresh lemonade." I say, refocusing on the directions to Miranda's house. 

I can tell Jack has nervous energy with all of his fidgeting, but I leave him alone about it. I can tell he's worried about Brielle and that having her in his house is throwing him off. He hasn't said that he doesn't like it, but going from living alone to living with a woman you're attracted to would tilt anyone of their axis. We arrive at Miranda's actually on time and I knock timidly on the door, worried we'll get the same welcome as at Julie's. But it's Gwen that answers the door and ushers us inside. 

"Fuck that smells good." she says, her eyes going wide as she grabs the pan of brownies from me. 

"What is that smell?" Jack asks, lifting his nose in the air like Basil does when he's sniffing something out. 

"Homemade chili, boys. Go get some." Miranda says warmly. Jack doesn't wait for another word, barreling into the kitchen.  

"Jack!" I shout and he looks back at me quizzically. 

"What?" he snaps, clearly annoyed I derailed his quest for sustenance. 

"You're gonna eat chili? You know what that shit does to you." I say, giving him a firm look and watch as his shoulders deflate. 

Jack loves chili. 

His stomach does not. 

"You're right. I probably shouldn't shit my brains out all night." he says with a morose tone before grabbing a few other snacks. The women laugh at him a little and we all circle around to talk about the book.