Off the Rails

Chapter Twelve

Dakota
As Liam drove me to the diner the next morning, he placed one hand on my upper thigh.

"Aren't you supposed to drive with both hands on the wheel?" I teased.

"You make it too hard. Whoever tells you to drive with two hands has clearly never had a beautiful lady at his side."

I chuckled and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

He somehow looked especially good that morning, with his blue jeans and older Abercrombie hoodie, rolled up to his elbows. Maybe it was the messy hair. It was perfectly placed to give him an adorable look. Only his chiseled features made him hot— so I had no idea what I was attracted to.

He also smelled really nice. Like some really good cologne I had no idea how to describe.

Wow, I really did have the whole package.

Liam didn't bring up the job Mrs. Clarke offered me, so I figured he didn't know. I thought I could just talk to him and Drake together at breakfast and explain what happened.

I thought that maybe I should bring it up to Liam privately first, but I didn't think it was a big deal. Drake was like family anyway. I respected both their opinions equally, and I wanted to talk to them together.

Five minutes later, I was sitting with both the boys at the diner. We sat in a booth, with me and Liam across from Drake. We put in our orders, and Mrs. Sommers brought us all coffee, before I began talking.

"So, I need both your input on something,"

They both looked at me, raising their eyebrows in a similar way. God, they could be so alike sometimes.

"Go ahead, Brooks," Drake said.

"Yesterday, Liam's mom came to my house," I said all in one breath, because I was nervous how he would take the news.

Liam's jaw dropped. "She did?"

Drake looked surprised too. "Did she come to apologize?"

"Originally, yes. But then she had a suggestion."

"What?" Liam asked, literally on the edge of his seat. He was leaning towards me so much I just about felt claustrophobic.

"She said she wanted to offer me a job with her. She liked how I stood up to Liam's dad. So, she said she wanted to teach me some stuff about the business, show me the ropes, just have me work for her in general." I said. "I told her I'd think about it. But, like I said, I wanted to hear your thought." I looked back and forth between the two best friends.

They spoke at the exact same time and had very different reactions.

"That's great!" Liam smiled.

"Sounds like bullshit," Drake said.

Then, both realizing that they were on opposite sides of the debate, they both wildly looked at each other. Liam's smile went away, and Drake's unreadable expression turned into a frown.

Suddenly, it was like I wasn't even in the diner.

It was clear the Liam was trying to stay calm, but was irritated. He asked Drake, "What do you mean bullshit?"

"Dude, you know how your parents are with that company. It's corrupt. It's harsh. Why would you want your girlfriend involved in that?" Drake replied, his last sentence coming out bitterly.

"I don't need Liam to worry about me. I can take care of myself." I intervened.

Liam didn't look away from his friend. Drake was the only one who acknowledged me. "We know you can, Brooks. It's just—"