Forgetting Jack Cooper_The First Love Edition by Jennifer Bernard

Author:Jennifer Bernard [Bernard, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-10-18T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

Peyton rushed to Jack’s side, instantly sober. All personal feelings aside, she was a doctor and he was a potential emergency patient. She dropped to her knees next to him and felt his pulse. “Jesus, Nick. You knocked him out cold.”

Nick was staring at Jack in shock. “Oh shit. I…I didn’t mean—shit, is he going to be okay?”

“Pulse is fine. I need a towel or something.”

“Here.” Nick stripped off his jacket, then unbuttoned his dress shirt and thrust it at her. “Take this. It’s softer than a towel.”

She glanced up at him, suddenly very aware that he wore only an undershirt, which showed off the well-cut muscles of his arms and shoulders. “I can take it from here, Nick. He’ll be fine.”

Nick hesitated, lingering, then plunged a hand through his thick hair. “Damn, Peyton, I just—I lost it there. That’s not how I like to do things—”

“Forget it,” Jack croaked. Peyton swung her attention back to him. He was conscious again, that was a relief. She held Nick’s shirt against his nose, careful not to press too hard, as he kept talking past the fabric. “Long time coming. I deserved it.”

Peyton looked from one to the other of them, utterly exasperated. “Seriously? Violence is supposed to solve this? Weren’t you guys supposed to ask me what I wanted?”

“Yes,” Nick said quickly. “We were, before I temporarily lost my mind. What do you want, Peyton? Name it. Want me to call 9-1-1? I can take care of Jack, I have basic first-aid training for the team. You can get back to the party if you want.”

Peyton chewed on her lower lip. Really what she wanted was another bottle of Riunite. Or maybe a way-back machine to rewind the past ten minutes. But that wasn’t possible, and maybe it was for the best anyway. “Can you get me an ice pack, Nick? And then go. I need to talk to Jack.”

Nick dropped his head, then nodded slowly. “Be right back.” He wheeled around and disappeared in the direction of the teachers’ lounge.

“I’m sorry, Peyton,” Jack murmured. “Did I fuck everything up?”

“No. I don’t know. Maybe. What’s everything? The fact that the peak of my high school experience turned out to be a big fat lie?” She blotted the blood still trickling from his nose. Swelling had set in, but if she could get some ice on it quickly enough, he could probably escape without any real damage.

Which was, come to think of it, the story of Jack’s life. Always skating over the rough spots. Like when he’d broken up with her. He’d taken the easiest possible way out, short of disappearing without saying goodbye at all. He wasn’t cruel; just lazy.

Nick reappeared at a jog with a sealed, refreeze-able ice pack in hand. “I got some ibuprofen, too,” he murmured, digging a small pill bottle from his pocket. “And a water bottle.” He grabbed a bottle from another pocket. “Anything else?” He reluctantly dragged his gaze to Jack. “I’m really sorry, man.

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