Nothing Like Paris: Bend or Break, Book 2 by Amy Jo Cousins

Author:Amy Jo Cousins [Cousins, Amy Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: m/m;new adult;friends to lovers;reunion romance;alcoholism;anger management;music;banjo;guitar;farms;organic food;college;small town
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2015-03-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Pulling open the giant steel doors of the high school was like coming home to Jack, in that he immediately felt like he was in danger of being busted by a teacher for getting back late from lunch.

He remembered the joy that came along with making it to junior year, when he got open campus lunch privileges. Most juniors and seniors drove to school—the parking lot was still full of pickup trucks and beat-up Ford and Chevy sedans, because even in the 21st century, buying American was the way to go in Iowa—and the lure of the McDonalds and Burger King out on the highway was nigh irresistible. But getting back to campus in time for that one o’clock class was always hit or miss.

Damn, it even smells the same. The glass cabinets to either side of the main office were as full of shiny trophies as ever. He’d always figured Texas was the only state in the nation more passionate about its football than Iowa and it looked like the high school team had been having some pretty great seasons lately.

“Need a hall pass, Mr. Tarkington?” a laughing voice called out to him.

He turned to find Jenny Jacobs, the only person for whom he would have voluntarily set foot on campus again, walking toward him through the dust-mote-filled sunlight streaming through the high windows. He’d always thought she would have made a good hippie, with her radical, progressive ideas on education and society, but she was inevitably dressed in a nice pantsuit and low heels, like any other professional Iowa mom. The dissonance never disappeared.

“Just the mindless zombie I was looking for,” he teased back. She’d sworn him to secrecy after letting loose with a rant against the school administration one particularly frustrating day his senior year.

A balled-up fist to the biceps was her reply. “Bet you really missed the football mania out East, huh?” Mrs. Jacobs knew exactly how little he’d given a damn about organized sports and their fans in high school.

He leaned down toward her—had she always been this tiny? He remembered her as such a towering figure from his high school years, sweet and stern by turn, depending on whether he was in her office for help with college applications or because he’d been kicked out of class for arguing politics with his history teacher—and whispered conspiratorially, “You know what the biggest college sport is in Massachusetts?”

“What?”

“Crew.” At her blank look, he nodded. “That’s what I said. It’s those long, skinny rowing boats. Eight hot rowing guys, or girls, and a cox. Oh, don’t look at me like that. That’s what it’s called!” Although he’d used the shorter version of the word coxswain on purpose, of course. And was inventing the “most popular” thing, although it sure felt that way during the Head of the Charles, when every college student in New England descended on Boston for the world’s largest two-day rowing event.

Taking him by the arm, laughing at his risqué word play, Mrs.

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.