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“Unfortunately for you, I need to get a job. So that’s what I’ll be doing this weekend until I can find one.”

“You’re going to be looking all day?” John questioned her.

“Sure am.”

“Well then, I’ll get you on Sunday.”

Alyssa paused. She wasn’t ready for that response.

“Can’t.”

A sly smile curved John’s lips. “Be ready Sunday.”

John glanced over his shoulder as he walked away with Ford and Jace. He locked eyes with Alyssa and with a devious smirk added, “Wear some dirty, old clothes.”

She flipped him off.

Fucking hell. John had one goal right now, and that was to get Alyssa on the back of his four wheeler and some mud on her jeans, just to irritate her for the fun of it. She seemed uptight and needed to let loose. She’d probably try to kill him while doing it, but it would be worth it. Normally, girls tried to get his attention left and right considering who his brother is, but Alyssa was different and did the complete opposite. It was a nice change of pace for once.

John had a feeling about her, and he was going to run with it.

Sharing a car with her mother meant some days she had to drive her to work before school, which was usually before the sun rose, then pick her up at the end of her shift.

At first it wasn’t so bad, but a couple of weeks later she was feeling the after effects of getting up earlier than needed and picking her mother up close to midnight. Back in California, she’d had her own car, but they needed the money when they moved so she was forced to sell it. Normally, that would have bothered Alyssa, but seeing as they were now living in some bumpkin town with nothing to do but watch the grass grow, she couldn’t care less. The money helped with college fees and moving expenses.

Unfortunately for her, some reason the car wouldn’t start this afternoon, and by the look of the dark clouds rolling in, it was about to rain any minute. The only plus was that the college was on the edge of her new small town, so the walk wouldn’t be too bad. She pulled out her phone and popped the earphones in. She’d gotten no more than about one mile when the clouds parted and it started pouring rain on her. Alyssa quickly wrapped the wire around the phone and shoved both into her purse, zipping it up.

There was no use walking faster or running, she was still a bit away, and at the rate the rain was coming down, it wouldn’t help anyway. She didn’t want to ruin her sandals, so Alyssa unbuckled her shoes and placed them under her arm and continued walking.

The murky red water covered her ankles with each step, and Alyssa thanked her lucky stars that she wore shorts to school and not her designer jeans. Looking over her shoulder at the sound of a car, Alyssa spotted a navy blue truck with dark tinted windows coming her way. Water flared up and spattered the undersides of the truck and onto the grass. She prayed that whoever it was would slow down as they passed by, otherwise she would be sprayed too.

“I’ll be goddamned.” Slowing down, John idled up next to her. He rolled down the window and leaned on the console.

“Alyssa—jump in. I’ll give you a ride home.”

“It’s okay, I’m good. Thanks anyways.”

“Get in. Let me drive you home,” John repeated.

Alyssa said nothing, just continued walking. Why was she being stubborn? It was just a ride home.

Pressing on the accelerator, John made a wide turn and parked on the grass.

“Alyssa,” he yelled over the pouring rain walking toward her. “Get in the truck!”

“I can’t. I’m all wet and,” she looked down, “all dirty. I’ll ruin your seats.”

He reached out for her. “You really think that bothers me? Come on.”

“It’s not too far to walk.” The last thing she wanted to do was walk home, but she didn’t want to ruin his truck either. She was drenched.

John blocked her step. “Hey, what’s the problem? Is it because you don’t know me?”

Alyssa shook her head. “Partially? I told you, I’m soaking wet and I’ll ruin your truck with all this red mud stuff.”

“I like my girls wet.” John winked.

Alyssa teasingly smacked him. “See. This is why I don’t want a ride. You’ve been making pervy comments since I met you.”