Better Be Sure Read online

  Cute. “Sure, but that goes double for you. My friends are bound to be worse.”

  “I noticed.” Another chuckle. “I turned yours off after the fifth text asking if you were going to be on time, where you were, and why aren’t you answering.”

  Jack snorted. “That’s so her. Sorry.”

  “No worries, it was entertaining. Meet you back at the Barnes and Noble parking lot?”

  “Sure.” Jack smiled. “I have a navy blue Jeep Wrangler. I shouldn’t be hard to find.”

  “Great. I have a red Ford pickup. Hey, I gotta go or I’m gonna be late. See ya later.”

  The phone went dead before Jack’s “See ya” left his mouth.

  Jack held back from kissing the dang phone as a coil of excitement burst inside of him. He’d be seeing Tall Hot Eddy again. “He’s still probably straight,” he murmured to himself to curb his enthusiasm. “Best to cool it.”

  His self pep talk did nothing to drain the smile from his face.

  Chapter Three

  THUMBING THROUGH the playlist on his old iPod, Jack remembered the new Rise Against poster he’d seen at the bookstore. If Ed didn’t have his phone, he’d have downloaded the new album already.

  If Ed didn’t have my phone I wouldn’t be seeing him again, either.

  No big deal, Appeal to Reason worked. Setting it in the player, he hit Shuffle and adjusted the volume loud enough to amp him up. He opened his closet. Now, what to wear? What looked good on him?

  Jeans and the right shirt in hand, he checked his clothes again to be sure he had the best option.

  Too much thinking!

  This wasn’t a date. He was just going to get his phone back.

  “Collapse” pulsed through the room. One of the few songs he and Marcus agreed on. The music drowned out his off-key rendition, but he sang along anyway. Damn, he was in a good mood.

  He dropped his towel in a heap just as the door slowly opened. He lunged for his pile of clothes. Crap, where were his boxers? Ah, there!

  “Shit, bro. Some warning next time.” Marcus dropped his book bag on the bed and flopped next to it, nodding in time with the music.

  Jack shook his head. “Whatever. You opened the door without knocking. So not my fault.”

  Marcus angled the framed photo of their dads on his side table, and Jack glanced at it too. Murphy and Reynolds. Aged twenty. Their whole lives before them…. Jack’s chest ached, and he grabbed his pants.

  “Where you off to on a Sunday night at eight thirty?” Marcus asked.

  “I told you, I need to get my phone back. We’re meeting at the bookstore.”

  “You showered for that?” Marcus stared at him, and Jack glanced toward the window. “And what are… whoa. Those are your favorite jeans, the ones you wear when you’re going out. What’s going on?”

  Busted.

  “Nothing, Marc, just going to get my phone back.”

  “Right.” Pushing his bag aside, Marcus leaned back against the wall, loosely hugging his knees. “Those are your, and I quote, ‘my ass looks good in these jeans’ jeans. Showered, hell, you shaved, and you’re wearing your ass jeans and you think I’m buying that crap. C’mon, Jackson, spill.”

  “Seriously, I’m going to get my phone back.” Slipping on the blue shirt, he found Marcus’s eyes glued to him. “Fine, the guy whose phone I picked up by accident is totally hot. Figure it can’t hurt to look good, right?”

  “So, this is a date?” Marcus’s smirk grew as Jack felt himself get more self-conscious under the inquisition.

  I wish. “No, just getting my phone back.”

  “And yet you spend an hour getting ready ‘just to get your phone back.’ Yeah, that’s so you.”

  He shrugged. “It wasn’t an hour.”

  “Ha!” Marcus nearly leaped off his bed. “I knew something’s going down.”

  Seeing how excited his brother was, Jack laughed. “Okay, I’ll tell you, just keep it quiet.”

  Marcus rolled his eyes. “That’s me, Gossip Girl. Just tell me what’s up. You know I’d tell you if it was me.”

  “Only because you’d want my advice.” Jack grabbed a pair of socks and sat on his bed, facing Marcus. “I don’t really know….”

  “Aw, c’mon—”

  He threw the clean socks at Marcus, hitting him squarely in the nose, then stifled a smirk at the startled look that passed over his brother’s face. “Shut up and let me finish. I gotta leave soon, so if you wanna find out, zip it.”

  Marcus tossed the socks back. Jack caught them with a grin and slipped one on each foot as he spoke. “I don’t really know what’s up, but I thought there was something there. He was a bit too friendly for a straight guy. Which means, given how well I spot my own kind, he is totally straight and was just being nice.”

  “Too friendly? What’d he do? Grab your junk?” Marcus grabbed his crotch for emphasis.

  Jack retrieved his sneakers. “Bro, you’re too much. I just meant he…. I don’t know. I’m probably being fuckin’ stupid, but he smiled at me more than once, bought me a mocha, and didn’t seem upset when I sat down with him.” On the other hand, Ed didn’t try to make him stay, either.

  “From that you determined he’s into you?”

  “Dude, I already said he’s probably not, but….” Jack stared at his black Adidas Sambas, refusing to look up. Before he put them on, Marcus joined him on the bed. A nudge came to Jack’s shoulder.

  “Sorry. This is just out of left field. I’m just checking that you’re not… I dunno, grasping because he doesn’t go to school at Harrison.”

  Jack could feel Marcus staring at him. “Look, if—and I know it’s a big if—if he’s gay and he’s interested, I just want to look good. If he’s not, I wore my so-called ‘ass jeans’ for nothing and I’ll be home by ten.”

  Smiling, he turned and shrugged. What was bad about trying? Nothing, that’s what. Not to mention he seriously needed to get himself more out there. No more freaking out. No more not getting his damn number.

  Marcus rested back on his elbows. “Okay, Jackie Boy, just making sure.”

  “Thanks, Marcusy.” He reached over for a pillow and swatted his brother in the head.

  Marcus grabbed him before he could get away, throwing him back onto the bed.

  “Hey!” Jack said, shoving Marcus away. “I didn’t spend an hour getting ready for Tall Hot Guy for you to ruin my look.”

  “Thought it wasn’t an hour?”

  “Whatever.” He stuffed Ed’s phone in his pocket and adjusted his shirt.

  Marcus rolled off the bed before Jack could get to the door. “Are you sure this is okay? I mean, you don’t know this guy at all, and you’re going to a parking lot to meet him?”

  “Yeah, it’s cool. The shopping center is open till ten. I’ll be fine.” Jack held up his hand, and the two slapped hands and ended with a shoulder bump. “And do not follow me, Marcus. I swear I’ll never forgive you if I see you show up.”

  Avoiding Jack’s eyes, Marcus moved to his bed. “I won’t.”

  Unconvinced, Jack moved around, putting both hands on his brother’s shoulders. “I’m serious. I better not see you there. I’ll be fine.”

  “Okay. I won’t follow you. Besides, I’ve gotta write my speech, and then I’d better study for phil—that Vanessa is going to tear through my arguments like Play-Doh if I don’t.” Jack let go of Marcus. “But if you two do more than just exchange phones, shoot me a text letting me know you’ll be late.”

  “Are you serious?”

  Marcus shrugged. “The world’s full of crazies. I just need to be sure my brother’s okay. We’re family, right?”

  A scrabble came from behind him, and Jack turned to see Seth Williams and Billy Dorgan clearing the doorway.

  “You guys talking formal stuff?” Billy said just before he and Seth tackled Jack onto the bed.

  Jack fell back hard, making the mattress spring. Billy still had his hand against his stomach.

  “Holy shit.” Billy pushed against Jack’s abs. “What the hell do you have under your shirt?”

  Jack smacked the hand that tried to lift up his shirt. He didn’t want it crinkled for his… phone exchange. “Fuck off, Billy. Only guys who play on my team get to feel me up. And no. We are not talking formal stuff.”

  Billy laughed and jumped off the bed. Eighteen and still a freshman, he’d been Jack’s little brother when he pledged in the fall. “Well I can’t wait for it.”

  Jack could. Formals bugged him. Guys rushing around campus to find a date, any date. Everyone dressing up like it was important, when all they really wanted was to lure some girl into bed. Then there was the slow music and dancing he only ever participated in from a distance.

  Participated as in watched.

  “I mean,” Billy said, “I had a real blast at the last one.”

  “Dude.” Jack put his hand on the copper head and pushed forward. “Of course you had fun. You got laid.”

  “Sure did, thanks to you talking me up. Say, wanna do that again for me sometime?” Billy grabbed Jackson’s hand and pulled hard.

  “Give it up,” Jack said with a grin. “You still can’t take me.”

  Billy yelped at Seth to help, and Seth, with his tousled hair and dirty green eyes, heaved his gangly form forward and tugged on Jack’s other arm. With a particularly well-timed yank, the pair almost had him on the floor.

  Marcus sprung to his aid. He flexed like a pro wrestler. “You two don’t really want a tag team match against us, do you?”

  Seth dropped Jack’s hand immediately, and Jack swallowed the bubbling urge to snort.

  Seth eyed Marcus up. “Rather not get my head shoved in the toilet.”

  Jack laughed. Marcus was a softie. He’d never dunk Seth in
the toilet.

  “C’mon, Jackson,” Billy said, with just the right stress to annoy his big brother. “This time the formal will be fun.”

  “Really? Watching sharks circle and girls pointing and giggling? Nope, not fun.” He shook his head.

  “You can bring a date.” Billy flicked a ginger bang out of his eye and turned toward Seth, who shrugged. “It’s not like we all don’t know you’re gay.”

  Jack rolled his eyes. So there would be two of them for everyone to point to and talk about? “Just… no thanks.”

  Flopping back against his pillows, he looked up at the ceiling, and then across the room to Marcus’s desk. Even if he thought it was a good idea, it still left the tiny issue of having no one to take.

  “Seriously, Jack.” This time Billy’s blue gaze held Jack’s firmly. It was his “no more bullshit” look. He liked that about Billy, the way the sprightly guy could be as playful as a puppy and then switch to full-on terrier. Made things interesting. “Seth and I will hang with you.”

  Jack shook his head. “You say that, but we both know hanging with me and my date won’t help you get laid.”

  “By that point you should be trying to get laid too.” Billy raised his eyebrows suggestively, drawing a laugh from Seth. Even Marcus snickered.

  “Not in our room, he can’t,” Marcus said, grabbing a textbook and settling onto his bed.

  “What?” Jack stared at his roommate. Sure, the topic hadn’t come up recently, but he’d had to leave for the night a couple times. He expected that to work both ways.

  “Yeah, not here. Don’t you remember our bet? First to get laid has dibs on the room for the rest of the school year?” Marcus looked over his shoulder at him. “I’m quite certain I won, and this dance I’m feeling lucky.”

  “How do I know you won? There was no proof.” Jack always teased him about that. Not that he had any desire to see a picture of Marcus fucking anyone.

  Marcus’s cheeks reddened. Worked every time. He loved Marcus like the brother he’d become, but he could be such a prude sometimes.

  “I… you know I won.”

  When Jack couldn’t hold back the laugh, Marcus buried his face into his book, muttering, “Fucker.”

  “Why don’t you make a new bet?” Billy said with the snap of his fingers. “First to get proof wins.”

  “Just ask everyone else on the floor. She was a real screamer.” He saw the look on Marcus’s face and went for the kill. Doing his best girl voice, he said, “Oh Marcus! Yes!”

  The book came faster than expected. As usual, Marcus had good aim. “Fucker.” He made eyes at Seth and Billy. “You two up for a handicap match? I bet the three of us can dunk Jack in the toilet.”

  “No way.” Billy moved closer to Jack’s bed like a loyal pup. “Me and Jackson are tight. We can take you and Seth any day.”

  “Careful what you wish for, Billy.” Marcus glared at them both. “He thinks it’s fine to walk around the room naked, and he snores like you won’t believe.”

  Billy cast him a sideward glance. Keeping as straight a face as he could, Jack shrugged. “The snoring part is a lie, but I don’t feel pressed to cover up when I’m changing.”

  “Um….” Billy inched away. “I said tag team, not roommates. But back to the formal. Why won’t you bring a date?”

  “Did it ever occur to you I might not want to subject someone I like to a night of being the freak show?” Last dance, four girls came over to tell him they could make him straight.

  “Don’t let him fool you, Billy-boy. He won’t bring anyone because he can’t get a date.”

  Everyone turned toward the voice. In the middle of the doorway, Harper McLain smirked, flanked by his stooges, Greg and Darren.

  “Fuck off, Harper.” Jack was in no mood for him. Smug, arrogant, and a self-professed ladies’ man. He’d also cheated on Jack’s best friend, Brittany, when the two had been dating last year.

  He hated Jack for telling Brittany the truth.

  “Think I’ll stay right here.”

  “If you just came to fuck with me, don’t.”

  “Admit it, Murphy. It’s not that you don’t want to bring a date, you can’t get one. When was the last time you had a boyfriend?”

  Jack’s jaw tightened. “I think it was the around the time you showed you were a lying sack of shit.”

  Harper’s eyes narrowed, and a muscle in his face twitched before he drew a deep breath. “You know, I hear there are old queens out there who’ll date any twenty-year-old no matter how ugly.”

  “Really?” He tried to act surprised, but this was how he and Harper interacted after Brittany found out the truth. “Guess you’d know.”

  Harper balled up his fists. Jack knew Harper wouldn’t start anything. One swing and Jack would pummel him and claim self-defense. He might be a snake, but Harper wasn’t stupid. Quite the opposite. He unclenched his fingers and seemed strangely calm. “How about you prove it?”

  Something prowled in Harper’s gaze, cold and calculating. Jack wouldn’t let a shiver roll down his spine. He laughed. “Prove what? That you like to fuck creepy old men?” He screwed up his face like he smelled something rancid. Holding up his hands, he leaned back. “No thanks, that’d mean I have to watch.”

  Darren snickered, drawing a glare from Harper. “No, asswipe.” Harper sneered at Jack. “Prove you can get a date.”

  “I’ve had dates, Harper. There’s nothing to prove.”

  “Not since Kieran broke up with you. Think anyone on campus would go out with you after that?”

  Jack stared daggers at his ex-friend. His ex, Kieran, had told people that Jack was messed up and needy. That his panic attacks were that of a petulant child who needed to get over himself. After that slander, Jack vowed not to date on campus again.

  “Why would I want to date anyone from campus if they’re going to end up being like you and Kieran? Even if I did, do you blame me for not wanting to bring them here?”

  “Not like you got anyone else to bring a date home to.”

  It came like a blow to the heart, wringing him with hurt and anger. He sprang off the bed, picturing that smug face as a punching bag.

  Marcus lurched forward before Jack reached Harper and bear-hugged him. “Low blow, fucktard.”

  Curling his fists, Jack spat over Marcus’s shoulder. “I could find a date that would make any girl you find wish she was me.”

  “Great, I accept.” Harper’s expression changed. Gone was the pissed off, angry face, replaced by a smile of victory. “What are we betting?”

  “Your fucking head down a toilet,” Jack said.

  Harper laughed. “Your head in the toilet. I like it but it’s a bit… fleeting. How about you give up your room. No, better: leave the fraternity house entirely.”

  “Fuck you. I’m not leaving.” Jack’s and Marcus’s dads had been in this frat. They’d dormed in this very room. Their initials were on the wall behind his bed. They’d become best friends here.

  “Think you’re going to lose?”

  “To a cheating bully like you? Never.”

  “Then it’s a bet.”

  Jack looked at Marcus and found only support there. His brother had his back. Believed in him.

  “Someone needs to teach him a lesson,” Billy said.

  Harper had become the frat fuckface. His parents were the biggest house supporters, and Harper used it as license to own everyone. He could be decent when he wanted. If you were on his side.

  Jack had seen the decency, the generosity. Until he’d chosen Brittany. Now Jack and his friends suffered for it.

  Not for much longer.

  Jack looked him square in the eye. “It’s a bet.”

  Chapter Four

  BY PARKING at the far end of the lot, Jack figured it would be easier for Ed to spot him. Dark blue Jeep Wranglers might be hard to miss during the day, but at night they were almost invisible.

  He rubbed his hands against the cold—and the nerves. It didn’t help that his stomach was already knotted from his moment with Harper, his hurtful words and that bet. He took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders. He’d win all right.

  He had to.

  He shoved his frustration with Harper to the back of his mind and took Ed’s phone out of his pocket.