Wipeout: A Sweet Teen Romance (Ryder Bay Book 4) Read online

  Griffin’s blushing too. Holy crap, this is fantastic.

  Leaning back into the couch cushions, I glance at the door. We’re sitting in Savannah’s family room, sipping our sodas and letting the afternoon cruise by. Harley and I finished an intense battle of Madden about ten minutes ago. She won. I couldn’t freaking believe it. Apparently, Aidan’s little brother Grayson is a total screen junkie and she plays with him sometimes. But still. Hayes would be so ashamed of me.

  I shift in my seat, not wanting to ruin my afternoon by thinking about Hayes.

  I texted him yesterday to check in and got a very short reply. He’s still not walking. There’s one more surgery to go, and they’re hopeful it’ll help him to be able to start his therapy. I think he’s pretty damn uncomfortable, like all the time, and the guilt eats away at me, festering in my gut and making it hard to breathe.

  It’s a struggle to know what to say to the guy.

  I should actually call and hear his voice. Maybe that would be better. I could tell him about Madden. About this Harley chick. He’d probably be interested in that kind of thing.

  Feeling my phone inside my pocket, I wonder if I should bounce and walk home. It’d take a while, but that would give me time to talk to Hayes. I glance at the door again and wonder when I should make my move. A small part of me was hoping to see Lettie. If I dig deep, that’s probably why I said yes to Savvy’s invitation.

  Which is so wrong.

  I shouldn’t want to see Lettie. I don’t even know why I do.

  She’s no Snap Dragon. And I don’t need to complicate my life with two females.

  I should just go now.

  I’m about to rise from the couch when I hear a door slam.

  We all jolt and look at one another. Savannah’s frown deepens as she rises from the couch.

  “Go get ’em, Savvy Sue.” Harley winks at her, no doubt trying to lighten the mood. I’ve noticed that about her. Surfer chick seems kind of allergic to deep, feely conversations.

  “Shut up,” Savvy murmurs at her friend. It’s obvious she hates the nickname Savvy Sue, which means I’m totally going to use it in the future. That’s just too much fun to pass up.

  Savannah slips through the door and I shift on the couch, not caring that I’m being so blatantly nosy, especially when I see Lettie storming for the stairs, her dark locks flying behind her. She’s clutching a camera to her chest and is out of breath.

  “Lettie.”

  Savannah’s voice makes her head snap up, and I catch a glimpse of her tear-stained face.

  And something inside of me shifts sideways.

  Her expression is kind of heartbroken.

  I want to fix it.

  But I have no idea how.

  And it’s not my place.

  Damn…I shouldn’t even want it to be my place, but as her anguished face flashes through my mind, I kind of wish it was.

  18

  And It Just Keeps Getting Worse

  LETTIE

  Great. So Savvy’s home.

  Dammit!

  Why couldn’t I come back to an empty house?

  I ignore my worried-looking sister and head up the stairs.

  “What happened?” she calls after me.

  “I don’t want to talk about it!”

  “Lettie, come on. What’s made you so upset?”

  I spin on the stairs, my voice feral as I scream at her. “I don’t want to talk about it!”

  A movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention and I freeze on the stairs, humiliation swamping me when I notice Jace in the doorway.

  Shit!

  As if my day wasn’t bad enough.

  With a little whimper, I spin and run up to the safety of my room.

  Jace is here?

  Jace just saw me screaming at my sister?

  Ugh! I thought this day couldn’t get worse. I guess I was wrong.

  Placing the camera on the bed, I gaze down at Mom’s precious gift and fresh tears start to roll all over again. I need to take it apart and inspect it, but I don’t want to screw it up and damage the camera permanently. I should have paid more attention during Mom’s maintenance lessons. At the time, I soaked it all in, but not everything has stuck.

  “I can’t fix it.” I whimper and cover my mouth with my hand. My insides are trembling, my knee still burning from hitting the stairs, my humiliation and shame running on overdrive.

  “Why can’t you just stay in your room?” Johanna’s voice taunts me.

  She’s probably right. I probably should stay in my room. I could sit down and email Bass.

  But a part of me doesn’t even want to admit to him how embarrassed I feel.

  And Jace is here.

  Downstairs.

  He saw me scream at Savvy.

  And Savvy. Why did I scream at her like that?

  I shouldn’t have done that. She just wants to help. But I don’t want her help. She doesn’t understand. All she ever wants to do is fix, not listen and… how the hell do I tell her about Johanna? It’s so freaking humiliating.

  I glance over my shoulder at my door. Crap. She’ll no doubt be up here soon, knocking and wanting to come in. Not being able to rest until she’s made everything right and happy.

  I don’t want her help.

  I want to get out of here. I want to hide away.

  I gasp as an idea hits me. The treehouse. I used to crawl in there all the time when I really wanted to hide. I went there the day Mom told us she had cancer, and the day she told us the treatments were failing, and the day she was shifted to the hospital permanently.

  It’s my safe place to mourn.

  I need that dusty, dirty old treehouse right now. I need it.

  Whipping around to face my door, I gaze at the white wood and sag. I can’t go down the stairs; people will hear me. They’ll emerge from the den and want to know what’s wrong with me.

  Biting my lip, I turn to face the window.

  Second story, but not too high, is it? I’m sure there’s a spout I can shimmy down. That’s what Bass would do. He’s not afraid of anything. He climbs Ferris wheels. I can climb out a freaking window.

  With my breath on hold, I slide open the glass and gaze down at the sloping roof. If I hold the window frame, I can ease my body down to the gutters, and the spouting is just there.

  My heart starts to thrum erratically as my logical brain hassles me.

  Don’t be insane, Lettie!

  But logic can screw it.

  I’m upset.

  I want out.

  With trembling hands, I grip the window frame and ease my body out. The roof isn’t as slanted as I first thought and holds me easily while I carefully pull the rest of my body out of the house. It’s kind of awkward, and I’m glad nobody can see me. I probably look like a giraffe trying to squeeze into a cardboard box—long gangly limbs twisting at odd angles and getting in the way of each other.

  Holding tight to the frame, I spin over onto my stomach and start to slide down.

  I’m now stretched fully and can’t quite reach the gutter. Crap. I don’t want to let go of the window ledge. This isn’t working.

  I’m such a freaking loser.

  With a heavy sigh, I try to pull myself back up, but my chicken arms aren’t really strong enough. Shifting onto my knees, I figure I’ll climb, but when I rest my weight on my bruised knee, I let out a yelp and my hand slips.

  A scream rushes out of me when I start to slide, gravity working against me as my body is pulled to the edge of the roof. My hands scramble to grip something, and I catch a tile just as my legs are thrown over the side.

  Shit. Shit. Shit!

  My feet kick, looking for something to rest on, but there’s nothing but air. The gutter cuts into my stomach, painful and terrifying.

  “Help,” I rasp, my chest heaving as panic swamps me.

  My fingers are cramping, pain coursing down my arm as I hang on for dear life.

  I’m gonna fall. I’m gonna fal
l!

  “Lettie!” The voice below me is deep and urgent. I don’t know who’s talking, and I don’t want to look. I don’t want to move anything in case I drop. “It’s okay,” he calls up from the ground. “Just hang on. I’m coming.”

  Breaths punch out of me as I listen to a scuffle of movements, and then a hand is on my back. I look to my left and see Jace’s friendly smile.

  “Hey.” His beautiful eyes are soft and judgment free.

  It confuses me, and all I can do is frown.

  “It’s okay.” He climbs up onto the roof, his muscles flexing in this intoxicating kind of way. Spinning around, he crouches in front of me and puts his hands under my arms. With a grunt of effort, he hauls me up until I can hook my leg over the gutter. My knee crunches into the roof tiles, but I ignore the pain, clinging to his strong arms like they’re the only things keeping me alive.

  “It’s okay,” he says again, his voice soothing and kind as he shimmies backward up the roof, carefully dragging me with him.

  Once we’re close to my window, I flip onto my butt and dig my heels into the tiles. I’m still struggling to breathe right. Panic is coursing through me in nauseating waves. I should be scrambling through my window right now, but when Jace’s arm comes around me, holding on tight, I don’t want to move.

  “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

  I glance at him, wanting to offer a grateful smile, but I can’t tell what my lips are doing. It’s kind of weird that this virtual stranger is holding me, but it also feels right. I can’t explain it. I honestly believe that I’m safe now, and I adore the way his arm feels around me. His hand is lightly holding my hip.

  Jace snickers, his eyes lighting with a kind smile. “So, I’m thinking you do have a death wish.”

  This weird squeak comes out of my throat and I dip my head.

  He doesn’t say anything, just squeezes me against him. “Do you want to go inside?”

  I swallow and slowly look up at him. Why isn’t he telling me off or laughing in my face? I was both reckless and stupid. He should be taunting me, but he’s just sitting there, looking at me like I’m not dumb. Holding me like he wants to keep me safe.

  “I won’t let you fall, if you’d rather stay out here.”

  This makes me smile. I can’t help it. He won’t let me fall. Swoon City!

  He studies my face. I should really say something, but what? I don’t even have any words, just emotions.

  He tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. “I take it you’ve never tried to sneak out before.”

  I wrinkle my nose, my cheeks burning as I prep myself for whatever he’s going to say. Will it be a lecture or teasing?

  But neither comes out of his mouth. Instead he glances over his shoulder at my window and murmurs, “I’m surprised you didn’t just want to stay in your room. Where are you even going?”

  I sniff and finally find my voice. “Knowing Sav, she’ll be up to check on me soon. The perfect mother hen.” I can’t keep the bitterness from my tone. “I just wanted to get away from her. From everything. I hate that about being a teenager. You have no place, you know what I mean? Like I have my room, but it’s part of someone else’s house. I have to share it with other people. I’d just love to be in a place that was just mine where I could do whatever I wanted. Hell, walk around naked if I felt like it.”

  Jace snickers, and my words suddenly register.

  Oh crap, did I just say naked?

  This day can’t get any worse. Surely!

  “That’d be pretty cool.” Jace’s voice is soft, with this slight huskiness to it.

  It’s freaking delicious, curling into my senses and making my stomach tingle.

  “One day, Lettie. One day you’ll get that. A house that’s all yours, and you won’t have to sneak out any windows to get away.”

  He winks at me, and my heart does this weird jerk in my chest.

  It’s the same kind of jerk that happens when I read a sweet email from Bass.

  Oh crap, I’m in serious trouble now.

  19

  Real Talk on the Roof

  JACE

  Lettie’s gone really quiet, and I don’t know what to say to her.

  My brain’s scrambling for something intelligent while also trying not to picture her naked. As soon as she said that, an image popped into my head—her wandering through a light, airy cottage, her dark hair skimming her bare back. It’s pretty damn enticing and hard to ignore.

  But I have to.

  I’m not going to be a slimeball around this girl.

  She’s too sweet.

  I swear, when I heard her scream, my heart jerked straight into my lungs, making it impossible to breathe when I tore around the corner and saw her dangling there. Hayes falling and his scream crashed right into me. Like hell I was going to let Lettie face the same fate. I’ve never scrambled up a building so fast in my life. Thank God I could do it. Hauling her into my arms was the most satisfying feeling…ever.

  And now she’s tucked up beside me—a silent statue I can’t figure out.

  She sniffs and I wonder what she’s thinking about. Is she going to cry?

  Crap. I can’t let her cry.

  “So, the weather here is pretty great. We’ve had some good days.” The words pop out of my mouth—random and weird.

  Lettie lets out a soft giggle.

  “What?” I cringe.

  “You’re talking about the weather.”

  I fight my grin and look at her. She’s looking back, giving me a clear shot of those deep brown eyes. They’re kind of enchanting.

  Enchanting?

  Seriously, dude. You gotta stop reading books.

  I swallow and focus on the feeling of her slight body. Her hip is pressed against mine, and her narrow waist fits perfectly within my hold.

  “What would you rather talk about?” I keep my voice soft and easy. I’m kind of desperate to find out what made her try to escape this place, but I figure asking her will make her curl right in on herself. She doesn’t seem that open about talking in general, let alone the big feels kind of talking.

  “I don’t know.” She shrugs and looks away, catching a stray hair on her cheek and tucking it behind her ear. “How’s school?”

  I give her an incredulous look. “You’d rather talk about school than the weather?”

  This makes her laugh, and I’m feeling pretty triumphant until she suddenly sucks in a breath and her eyes fill with tears. “School sucks.”

  I’m taken aback by the bizarre changeup, and it takes me a minute to react. She gives me a pained look, then dips her head. I capture her chin and turn her to face me before she can hide away again. A couple of tears have broken free, and I brush them away with my thumb, wishing I had the perfect words.

  Snap Dragon would know what to say. She’d have something sweet and kind to give to Lettie. Something perfect.

  I’m lost right now.

  I squeeze her waist, hoping that silent encouragement is enough.

  She sniffles and starts talking. “Last year I loved it. Johanna and I did everything together, and that’s all I needed. She was my best friend and now…now she’s moved on with different people. She doesn’t want to hang out with me anymore, and I just feel so isolated and alone.” Her expression crumples.

  “Is there no one else you can hang out with?”

  “I’ve met one guy at school. He’s nice enough, but it’s not the same as having a girly best friend. I just miss her. Why do all the people in my life leave me?”

  The wispy way she says it makes me wonder if she’s thinking about her mom. She looks so sad right now, it’s actually making my chest hurt.

  “Why has your friend suddenly gone cold on you?”

  Her chin trembles, her breath hitching once before the words tumble free. “Apparently I’m too boring. I used to be enough, but she doesn’t want to waste her high school days with some nerdy bookworm. She’s made friends with Jessica and Hazel, and I think she’s dating
Tanner now and I’m just… I don’t belong in that uber-cool world. I thought she didn’t either, but she’s obviously trying. I just saw her down at the beach and I was so…humiliated,” she squeaks, fresh tears escaping. “And to make it worse, I fell over when I was running away, and they all just started laughing at me and yelling that I even run like a nerd.”

  The tears start in big after that, and I lean my head against hers, wishing I could find those idiots and smash them. Man, if I’d been down there with her, they would have regretted every breath of laughter.

  “I hate bullies.” I mutter the words, my voice black and hard. I don’t want to take away from her by sharing my sad story about a dad who bullied my mom out of child support. What a complete dick. Ever since then I haven’t been able to tolerate anyone who picks on the small guy, or the geek or whatever. Just because you’re better-looking or richer or smarter than someone else doesn’t make you superior. I swear this shit makes me see red.

  Lettie’s quiet voice pulls me away from my anger. “Do you miss your friends?”

  I move my head so I can look at her face.

  Her brown eyes are made darker by her tears. She wipes her cheek with her knuckles and tries to smile at me. “I bet you do. Moving to a new town must be really hard.”

  “Yeah.” I sigh, not really wanting to go into why I moved here. I hope Savannah hasn’t told her. Griffin no doubt told his girlfriend all about the reckless bad boy who’s moved in.

  I study Lettie’s face, looking for some kind of clue, but don’t see any judgment there.

  My smile feels sad as my lips pull up. “Yeah. I miss ’em a lot.” I suddenly wish I could explain it all. Tell her about Hayes and everything, but that story is for Snap Dragon. I’m not pulling this girl into my nightmare.

  Brushing the last of her tears away, she sniffs and looks at me again. “Did you leave a girlfriend behind?”

  My head jolts at the question, and her lips part as if she’s only just realized what she’s said. Her cheeks flare red and she lets out a breathy laugh. “That’s not a flirty question, by the way. I’m just curious. I…” She shrugs. “Just wondering.”