Every Summer: Book One In The Love Through The Seasons Series

Chapter 13

"Do you?" Again I imagine his brow raised.

"Yes! But, I wouldn't. He's so freaking arrogant and pompous and-" my voice lowers, "and vulnerable and confused and I just wanna help him."

"Then help him," he instructs me.

"But, I don't think I can, Chance. He's so broken and angry. And how do I help someone who doesn't want my help?" I ask, desperatley needing some advice.

"Don't let them know you're helping," he replies smartly. I open my mouth to respond, but am interrupted by the door opening.

"Davey, what the hell? I've been asking for a drink for like ten min- Who are you talking to?" Jeremiah says, totally nosing into my business. I take my phone from my ear and turn to him impatiently.

"I don't think that's any of your business." I can hear Chance say a sassy Oooh through my speaker. I guess Jem does too, because he turns his face to look in my hands and his structular face darkens tremendously. I look at it too, but all I see is Chance's caller ID picture. With his friendly, masculine face, dark hair, tan skin and big puppy brown eyes, I know my friend's attractive. Which apparently is a problem with J- seeing as what he says next.

"You're supposed to be helping me and you're out here speaking with your faggy boyfriend!" he growls at me. My eyes shoot up and I'm filled with anger, but still can't miss Chance asking He called me a what now? "You're unbelievable!" Jem turns away from me and stalks off to the porch doors and I follow briskly. I rush an 'I'll be back' to Chance before turning off my phone.

"And you're impossible!" I shout angrily, grabbing his forearm and swinging him around. "You don't even know him and just because he's talking to me, he's gay? Well he isn't because he's straight...ish! But you wouldn't know that because you don't know anything!"

"You're gonna have to stop calling me stupid!" Jeremiah advances, but I don't step back.

"No, you're gonna have to stop walking around like a big baby and hiding all your misplaced feelings and talk it out like a man!"

"Like a man? What would you know about being a man?" I feel as though he's slapped me, which only fuels my anger.

"Because I am one! Regardless of what you think defines one, I am a man! And I've been through way too much to let some hateful little boy," I poke him in the chest, "come and tell me I'm not a man because I'm not scared to admit what you've been denying since birth."

"What do you-"

"And," I continue, "if you accuse me of 'coming on' to you," I put up some air quotes up, "again, I'm gonna shove my foot so far up your ass you won't see it till next June!"

"Da-"

"Because, if I remember correctly, which I always do, you kissed me!"

"Quiet down!" Jeremiah hisses at me from the bottom stair of the platform.

"Oh, shut up!" I snap heartily. "Gran and Pa are at the revival! Who's gonna hear me? A bird? There's no one for miles out. It's just you," I point to him, "And me, buddy." I point to myself, I stop speaking and let me recover my breath, letting my cheeks cool.

Remy and I just stared eachother down, me deflating from my outburst, and him looking like he wants to punch me in the face, but still managing to look really hot. In a flash, he grips the front of my shirt, definitley leaving wrinkles, and tugs me on to the porch with him. I close my eyes and flinch, waiting to get hit.

But, the next thing I feel isn't his massive fist, but Jeremiah's unbelievably soft lips on my surprised ones.

I stand there, unmoving, with our mouths stiffly pressed together. But, as soon as he makes as if he's going to leave, I shift my lips and give him a deep kiss, inviting him for more, surprising us both.