Heartburn by M. C. Cerny

Author:M. C. Cerny [Cerny, M. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-10-28T18:30:00+00:00

16

Whit

My phone buzzed inside my pocket and between juggling my gear and getting into the jeep, I was having a hell of a time getting to it. A glance at the phone advised me that Jeff wanted me to pick up some dinner before our shift change letting me know he called it in.

The Burrito Barn was clear across town and out of my way. It didn’t matter if I could have lived off tacos for the rest of my natural life. I was annoyed that he couldn’t have picked the diner where I was already headed to see my girl. My stomach growled ready to dismiss the idea and pretend I never saw the message. I was already here and now my time with Lia would be cut short. It wasn’t the way I wanted to start my evening, no bueno.

We planned to meet before her next class and the start of my night shift appeasing my appetite to see her. She had exams to study for and a paper to write for a philosophy class she said she hates. I know she secretly loves it and that’s what kept her busy this week reading all night and chatting with me via text. It’s bad enough that I’m running late because of an accident on the way into town, I cursed Evan out driving by while he directed traffic, and now I have to pick up dinner somewhere else.

So who do I see sniffing around my girl’s deuce table with her books and papers spread out covering every inch available of the Formica surface, but the esteemed dickwad Ryder West. My temper raged and I reminded myself I’m not like Damien, I’m not going to pound a kid who has no clue what the real world has in store for his privileged pro-sport playing ass. He leaned over her table and my hackles rose imagining whatever pervy thing he’s saying to her. Lia isn’t smiling, but she isn’t frowning, or chasing him away. I’m not sure how I feel about that. In a perfect world she’d be screeching something fierce and I’d have no doubt this was nothing for me to worry about.

Irrational jealously clouded my mind. I’d like to throw the punk out on his ass, but he’s got a good fifty pounds on me from playing football. I work out, but I’m not built like a brick house in my early twenties anymore. As a forest ranger for the park service, I can’t exactly go around beating the shit out of college students because I felt like it. That whole upstanding citizen bullshit I’ve got to maintain. I definitely felt like punching him, laying him out cold and stepping over his inert body while tossing Lia over my shoulder. Sometimes I hated being a responsible adult when tapping into my inner Damien seemed like a much more fulfilling option.

Observing them made me simmer so I went for surprise instead clearing my throat, “Hi there.” I lingered at

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.