“You can come in.”
He nodded toward his cabin. “Soph’s in bed. Do you really have it?”
“Found it in my room at my dad’s house the other day.” I disappeared for a minute until I found the piece of evidence and presented it to him with a satisfied flourish.
Jake snorted as he looked over the document.
“Why do you need us to sign a contract?”
He looked almost offended at the thought. “So you don’t stiff me when it counts.”
“I won our bet, and Istillrescued you today out of the goodness of my heart. If that’s not a safety net, then I don’t know what is.”
He ignored me and stepped back outside to sit on my porch stairs. “Carry on. I’ll be back in a minute once I’ve added a few things.”
“I’m terrified,” I said, right before he leaned over to close the door in my face.
I didn’t do anything productive during the ten minutes Jake was outside with our contract. It felt much like I had a plumber in my house, and I just wandered aimlessly, pretending to be busy.
“Alright, Tuck,” he called, banging on the door. “Get out here.”
I made his bossy self wait another minute before I settled down beside him on the stairs. He had scribbled a new contract on the back of the old paper, and just the sight of it caused a grin to split across my face.
Jake N. Evans and Shelby May Tucker (hereafter known as Tuck) will do the following:
Jake will give Tuck lessons on flirting as well as school her on basic human interaction, and in return, Tuck will be a safety net, including but not limited to: an excuse, safe non-date date, hangout friend, etc. If Jake and his sexy bod are about to get set up, mauled, stripped down, or receive any unwanted female attention, Tuck will step in and save him by whatever means necessary. (Jake gives her permission to use her imagination. Actually, no… Jake wishes her to use HIS imagination instead. Hers sucks.)
For his part, Jake will employ various means of flirting and casual touch in order to teach Tuck enough confidence to one day win the man of her dreams. Bonus points will be awarded if Tuck also learns not to give her date a black eye on the basketball court. Jake will alsowork hard at convincing his very dense and naive friend that she’s a ten in any guy’s book.
The lessons/arrangement will take place as needed throughout the summer. Both parties agree to keep everything on a basic friendship level (i.e., no falling in love with Jake because Jake, although a handsome devil, is actually dead inside).
All lessons will take place after bedtime hours to respect the cute and bossy minor living on the premises.
The completion of this contract hereby fulfills the bull-crap contract written on the other side of this document.
I had read the contract, shaking my head slightly, my eyes repeatedly flitting back to one tiny sentence.
She’s a ten in any guy's book.
“A ten?” I mused as I took the pen from Jake.
“I was going to go higher, but you’d just think I was teasing.”
I looked over at him then, and his dark eyes were filled with gentle humor, but the teasing was absent.
All thoughts fled just then.
He bumped gently into my shoulder. “I’m not, by the way.”
I signed just below his name, ever cautious of the tiniest flutter in my stomach as I did so.
The Hot Housewives of Eugene
Kelsey: Cade’s out riding with Jake right now.
Tessa: Ohh, checking cows?!
Kelsey: Yes. I gave him strict orders to get us some updates.