Loving You (The Jade Series #3) (34 page)

Mr. Kensington puts his hand on my shoulder. “I can’t thank you enough for finding my daughter. It’s a shame you took such a bad fall.”

“I should’ve been more careful. When I heard her calling for me, I just ran. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Katherine and I really appreciate what you did. We got you a little something as a thank you.”

“Oh, that’s okay. I don’t need anything.”

He ignores my insistence and opens the front door. “It’s right out here. Can you make it back outside?”
 

I turn and go back out the door, embarrassed by how slow I am with the crutches.

“I know you can’t use it yet, but you’ll be able to soon.” Mr. Kensington points to a white BMW convertible sitting behind Garret’s black BMW.
 

He’s giving me a car? An actual car? A brand new car? I feel like I’ve won a game show. I just want to run up to it and get inside, then get out again and jump up and down like the people on those shows do.
 

But then reality hits.

“I can’t take it, Mr. Kensington. It’s too much.”

“Nonsense. You need a way to get around. Every other student at Moorhurst has a car. You should have one, too.”

I gaze at the shiny white car. “Well, I guess I could borrow it for the rest of the semester.”

“It’s yours, Jade. It’s registered in your name. We’ll take care of the insurance and maintenance.”

“Jade!” Lilly comes racing outside, waving a piece of paper in her hand. She runs up to me and hugs me, nearly knocking me over.
 

Garret places his hand on my back. “Be careful, Lilly. She’s not used to the crutches yet.”

“I made you this!” She hands me a drawing that shows me lying in a pink bed with dolls lined up beside me.
Get well soon!
is written on top in her dad’s handwriting.

“Thanks, Lilly.”

“So what do you think?” Garret asks, nodding toward the car.

“I love it, but it’s way too much.”

Katherine comes out, dressed in a white suit, her dark red lips struggling to form a smile. “Jade, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

There’s not even a hint of sincerity in her tone. It sounds like Garret’s dad gave her a script to follow.
 

“We were all so worried about you.” She steps right in front of me, her eyes full of anger and resentment as they look directly at mine, barely blinking. “Thank you for finding my daughter. Words can’t express my gratitude.” She puts her hands on my shoulders and loosely hugs me, making my whole body tense up.

“Can Jade have dinner with us?” Lilly asks her mom.

“No, Lilly. She needs to get back to school.”

“Okay.” Lilly hugs me again, not as tight this time. “Bye, Jade. I hope you get better.”

“Thanks, Lilly.”
 

She goes inside with Katherine.

I turn to Garret’s dad. “Thank you for the car, but you really didn’t need to do that.”

“We’ll keep it in the garage until you’re able to drive. And if you need anything, please let us know. Garret, you have the physician’s number?”

“Yeah, he gave it to me before we left.”

“Good. Well, I’ll let you two get back to campus.” Mr. Kensington goes inside.
 

I stand there in the driveway, staring at the car, still not believing it’s mine.

“You want to take a look inside?” Garret asks.

“Are you kidding? Of course I do.” I slowly make my way over there. “I’m guessing you picked it out?”

“Hey, I tried to get you to tell me what kind of car you wanted and you gave me nothing. Not even an idea.”

“A BMW, Garret? You couldn’t have picked something cheaper?”

“They’re good cars. And I know you like mine.”

“Yeah, but it’s too much. Why did they do this?”
 

“To thank you for finding Lilly. My dad would’ve done even more, but I told him the car was enough. I knew you’d get mad if he did more than that.”

“What else did he want to do?”

“Write you a check. He knows you never have spending money.”

“How much was he going to write it for?”

“Ten thousand.”

I almost trip on my crutches. “He was going to give me ten thousand dollars? In addition to the car?”

He shrugs. “It’s not that much, Jade. You did save his daughter.”

“That’s like a million dollars to me! I’m glad you told him no. I couldn’t accept that. The car is more than enough. How much did this cost, anyway?”

“I’m not telling you. If I did, you’d never drive it.”

He opens the door and helps me inside. I breathe in the new car smell as I feel the buttery soft leather seats. I wrap my hands around the steering wheel, imagining myself driving it.
 

“Good choice, Garret. I really love this car. But when Ryan finds out about this, he’ll kill me.”
 

“Why? He should be happy you have a safe, reliable car.”

‘“I know. And he will be, but he’ll still be totally jealous.”
 

“We should get going.” Garret holds his hand out for me, but I remain in my seat running my hand along the soft leather.
 

“Say goodbye to the car now,” Garret says, laughing at me. “You can come visit it later.”

“Why can’t I drive? My right leg isn’t hurt.”

“Because you might pass out behind the wheel. You have to wait for your head to heal. Now come on.” He pulls me out, helping me back on my crutches.

On the drive back, I check my phone and find a few messages from Harper and one from Carson.
 

“I forgot about Carson. I’m supposed to be reviewing our paper for chem lab. He’s probably wondering what happened to me.”

“I called him and let him know. I called Harper, too. I told both of them the same story I told Frank. That’s the story you have to go with. You can’t mention Lilly.”

“I know. So what did they say?”

“Harper was really worried about you, but I told her you’re okay. And Carson said he’ll finish the paper and if you’re able to review it before class you can, but if not, he’ll take care of it.”

“I should call them quick and let them know I’m back.”

Garret puts his hand over my phone. “Why don’t you wait until tomorrow? It’s Saturday night. Harper’s over at Sean’s and Carson’s probably out with Kerry.”

“That’s true.” I put the phone away. “So you never asked me why I was out with Carson the other night.”

“I didn’t need to ask. You were working on your paper.”

“I know, but we left campus. I rode with him in his car. He bought me a coffee.”

“What are you doing here, Jade? I’m trying to be cool about this. Are you trying to make me jealous?”

“No. I’m just surprised you’re not mad. That’s all.”

“I still don’t like Carson, but you seem to think he’s okay so I’m not going to say anything about it. It’s not worth fighting about.”

I feel like I should tell Garret some of the things Carson has said to me, specifically his interest in Garret’s dad and Kensington Chemical. But I keep quiet. If Garret’s finally accepting the guy, there’s no need to stir up trouble.

“We should get some food,” Garret says. “You want to stop and eat somewhere? Or get takeout?”

“Can we get Chinese and watch movies in your room?”
 

Garret glances over at me and smiles. “You’re the sick one, so we’ll do whatever you want.”

“I’m not sick.”

“You’re injured. Same thing. And sick people get special treatment.”

“They do?” Growing up I never got special treatment when I was sick. I didn’t get any treatment. I had to take care of myself.
 

“Yes, you get whatever you want, so this is your opportunity to ask for stuff. I’ll even watch that cartoon dog movie you like so well.”

We stop for Chinese food and arrive back on campus around 8. I dig through Garret’s box of movies and pick out a comedy to watch.
 

I change into my pajamas because I usually fall asleep watching movies in Garret’s room. But an hour into the movie I’m still wide awake, probably because I just slept for two days.

“Do you want to watch another one?” I ask after the first movie ends.
 

Garret doesn’t answer because tonight
he’s
the one who’s asleep.

“Garret,” I nudge him.
 

He sits up, rubbing his eyes. “Was I sleeping?”

“Yeah. You look tired.” I lean over and kiss his cheek. “Did you stay awake the past two days while I was sleeping?”

“Well, yeah. I had to make sure you were okay.”

“Garret, you didn’t need to do that.” I smile. “But I love you for it. Now let’s go to bed.”

“But I’m supposed to be watching you.” He scoots closer to me and looks directly into my eyes. “Do you know where you are?”

I laugh. “Yes. I’m in your room at Moorhurst College.”

“Do you know what day it is?”

“I’m not sure. February something?”

“You don’t know what day it is? That’s not good, Jade,” he kids. “How’s your vision? Are you seeing double?”

It makes me laugh even more. “No. Now stop with the questions.”

“It’s my job. And you have to answer me. Do you know who I am?” he asks seriously.

“Hmm. I’m not sure. You look familiar. I could probably tell from a kiss.”

He kisses me quick but it’s been days since we kissed and I need more than a quick one. I return the kiss, but make it a long, deep, I-want-you-right-now kiss.

“Yeah, I think I remember you,” I say, sneaking my hand under his shirt.

“Hey, don’t start. You’re not ready for that.”

“How do you know? Did the doctor say we couldn’t do it?” His abs tighten under my hand as I undo his belt.
 

“He didn’t exactly come out and say it, but he said to hold off on any physical activity. And I’d say that’s physical activity.”

“Not if you do all the work.” I kiss him again, lingering at his lips. “Didn’t you miss me?”

“Yeah. Too much. So you’re killing me right now. I’ll have to go take a cold shower.”
 

“Or we could just do it.” I rub my hand along the front of his jeans.

“Not yet,” he says, smiling as he gently moves my hand away. “I need to make sure you’re okay first. Then we’ll do it as much as you want.”

I sigh. “Then let’s go to sleep so I can get better faster and you won’t turn me down.”

He scoops me up from his bean bag chair and lays me in his bed, pulling the covers up around me. He leaves a kiss on my lips, then looks at me with those piercing blue eyes. “It’s taking every ounce of strength I have to turn you down right now, so don’t give me shit about it.”

“Just making sure you still want me that way.” I turn my back to him and adjust my pillow as he changes into his pajamas.

Moments later he slides in behind me. “You know I want you that way.”
 

The words and the way he says it in a deep, sexy tone turns me on even more. I reach my hand back and notice that he’s only wearing boxer briefs. “No pajamas tonight? Are you trying to torture me here?”

“Nope. I was just too tired to get them out.”

I scoot my back against his bare chest, rubbing my butt against his boxers in a last ditch attempt to seduce him.

“Jade,” he scolds.

“What? I’m just getting comfortable.”

“Go to sleep.” He gives me a quick kiss goodnight.
 

Despite Garret nagging me to take it easy, I spend all of Sunday doing homework, emailing Friday’s assignments to my professors, and working on the new stuff that was assigned.
 

Garret stays with me in my room, asking me silly questions every hour to make sure I’m not having memory loss or confusion. Some of the questions are so funny I consider writing them down.
 

Harper stops by around noon to see how I’m doing. She’s smiling like crazy seeing Garret and me back together again. I don’t tell her about my new car because I’m not quite sure how to explain it to her, or anyone else. I can’t tell people the real reason why I got it. So do I just say that my boyfriend’s dad gave me a super expensive car? Will they believe that? Mr. Kensington’s a billionaire so maybe nobody would think it’s odd. But just in case people question it I’ll have to come up with a story. But I can do that later. I don’t need to tell anyone about the car until I actually have it at school.

After dinner, someone knocks on my door and Garret answers. I hear Carson’s voice from the hall.

“Hey, I was just stopping by to see how Jade’s doing and to talk about our paper.”
 

“I read the paper,” I say as he walks in. “It looks really good. I didn’t have any changes. Sorry I couldn’t help more, but I’ll do the next one.”

“I didn’t mind writing it. My weekend was pretty open.”