Believe in Love

  Believe in Love

  Amy Sparling

  ***

  Copyright © 2016 Amy Sparling

  All rights reserved.

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover art from BigStockPhoto.com

  Typography from FontSquirrel.com

  Cover design by Amy Sparling

  First edition November 4, 2016

  Also Available from Amy Sparling

  The Believe Series

  Believe in Me

  Believe in Us

  Believe in Forever

  The Summer Unplugged Series

  Ella’s Twisted Senior Year

  Deadbeat

  When Zoey Fell Too Far

  In Plain Sight

  In Every Way

  Chapter 1

  Keanna

  There’s only one sound worse than the high-pitched wail of my phone’s morning alarm when I don’t feel like waking up. It’s the high-pitched wail of my little brother.

  I roll over in bed and pull my pillow around my ears, trying to drown out the sound of his screaming. Elijah is six months old now, and Becca says he’s going through a colic phase, whatever the hell that is. I actually Googled colic and discovered it’s this weird phenomenon where babies will just cry and cry for no freaking reason. As if babies didn’t cry all the time for specific reasons, like they’re hungry or need a new diaper or they’re sleepy, let’s add some pointless crying!

  Ugh.

  My curtains are drawn, but when it’s time to wake up, I can usually tell because the sun will slip through and light up my room like a second unwanted morning alarm. This means I still have time to sleep before the worst day ever. My first semester of community college was not as great as I’d hoped it would be. All I’m taking are Gen Ed classes, the supposedly “easy” classes for a first year college student.

  They are so not easy. They were miserable.

  Becca says my mom is to blame for my education, or my lack of education, rather. She means my real mom—the biological one named Dawn, the woman who abandoned me at Becca’s house two years ago. I’ve stopped trying to care about the whys of my mother’s thinking, and now I just don’t care at all. She left me with a stranger and promised to come back and then she never did. Becca and her husband Park ended up adopting me even though I was nearly an adult. Now I have two loving parents and none of them have tried to abandon me at a stranger’s house.

  I also have a brand new little brother, and right now he’s driving me insane. The pillow-over-the-ears trick isn’t working. If I squeeze my fingers against my ears and then bury my head in my pillow, it helps a little. But there’s no way I can go to sleep like this, keeping pressure on my ears.

  With a sigh, I lower my hands and the sounds of Elijah’s colic crying fills the room again. Why hasn’t Becca gotten him yet? Normally she’s up and down the hall to the nursery just seconds after he wakes up.

  With the crying still loud as ever, I give up on the idea that I might fall back asleep soon, and check my phone. It’s half an hour until I need to be up to head to the college. It’s hard enough getting up at the normal time, and this baby waking me up is about a million times worse.

  As I stare at my phone screen, I try to take a deep breath and relax a little. I’m so stressed for my history and English final today, but staring at the picture of Jett and me on my phone’s home screen helps a little.

  I really do have the hottest boyfriend ever, even in pixel form.

  I smile and look down at my ring, a pink gold promise ring Jett gave me last New Year’s. It is so beautiful it usually always makes me feel better when I look at it, and right now is no exception.

  Elijah is still screaming. It’s seven thirty, so I guess Park is probably at work now. Still, this is so unlike Becca. She’s the world’s greatest mom. I’m surprised the Guinness Book of World Records hasn’t stopped by to give her a plaque for her excellent parenting.

  With a sigh, I throw my blanket to the side and get out of bed, yawning so hard it hurts my jaw. Even though Jett purposely ended our date night early last night so I could get sleep and be rested up for my finals this morning, I didn’t go to bed early.

  I’d stayed up all night studying for these stupid exams. I think I’ll be okay with English, but history is freaking hard. We have two hundred vocabulary words and fifty dates to memorize. The entire test is fill in the blank, not multiple choice. This is going to suck so bad. Even as I make my way down the hall and toward my parent’s room, I’m still filled with anxiety over this stupid test.

  I tap lightly on the door, but no one answers. Probably because Elijah is screaming his little baby head off in the room down the hall, so Becca can’t hear anything.

  I push open the door. “Becca?”

  Now I know why she’s not taking care of Elijah. She looks like shit. Her nose is all red and her eyes are puffy. She’s sleeping with her mouth wide open because I’m guessing she can’t breathe through her nose. There’s cold medicine on the nightstand and a box of tissues next to it.

  I walk in. “Becca,” I say louder. “Are you okay?”

  She startles, slowly opening her eyes. “Hey,” she says just before she starts coughing. Her brows pull together. “Is the baby crying?”

  “Yeah, but you look awful,” I say, taking a step back. “Are you contagious?”

  She shrugs and reaches for a tissue. “I think it’s just a cold, so I probably am. This sucks, getting sick three days before Christmas.”

  I really, really, want to go back to sleep and be as rested as possible for my exams today. But I can’t let Becca risk getting the baby sick, especially not on his first Christmas. “You stay in bed,” I say. “I’ll go take care of Elijah.”

  She puts a hand on her heart. “You’re the best, sweetheart.”

  “I know, I know,” I say as I step back into the hallway, closing the door behind me to keep all of her sick germs inside. I peek out the window and see that Park’s truck is over at the Track next door.

  My adopted parents own a motocross track with their best friends, who happen to be my boyfriend’s parents. They’re all big into dirt bike racing and so owning the business was a way to turn their passion into a career. The Track, with its very simplistic name, is situated right between our two houses.

  Back when my real mom dropped me off at Becca’s house for the night, she’d promised to come get me the next day. But she never came back, and I didn’t care because by then I’d met the boy next door. Jett Adams is a dirt bike racer just like his dad was back in the day. He’s hot, sweet, and talented on a dirt bike. And now he’s all mine.

  I smile as I head to Elijah’s nursery. The room is decked out in a jungle theme, with little monkeys and bears all over the place. Elijah’s chubby face is red from crying, and he doesn’t even care when I enter the room. That’s the thing about colic—he just wants to cry when he’s having a colic episode. On normal days, he brightens when someone comes to get him.

  “Hey there, butt face,” I say, whispering the last part. I don’t know how much babies pick up on w
hen they’re this young. I change his diaper and get him dressed in a really cute outfit of tiny little baby jeans and a blue button up shirt. He looks like a miniature version of his dad.

  He finally stops crying after a while, and although I’m tired as hell, I make my way to the kitchen and heat up a bottle for him. I sit on a barstool and hold him in my lap while he drinks his bottle. When he’s almost finished, I glance at the clock on the wall.

  Shit.

  It was time for me to get ready for school five minutes ago. Now I’m late. “Oh my god,” I groan, as I toss the bottle in the sink.

  “Come on, baby, we gotta go.” I hoist Elijah up and pat his back to get him to burp. Since Becca is sick, I plan on taking him next door so Jett’s mom can watch him today. Luckily, the Track is closed this week since it’s the week of Christmas so none of us have to work. If only the college had that same courtesy, but no, they schedule finals three days before the freaking birth of Christ.

  Finally, Elijah burps. Warm goo rolls down my fingers and I cringe as I hold the baby up to my eye level. It wasn’t just a burp; it was one of those throw up burps. Now white gunk is spilling all over his new outfit and all through my fingers.

  I groan. I’m late enough as it is. Now I have to clean up both of us.

  In a rush, I jog back to Elijah’s room and change him into a new outfit, shoving supplies into his baby bag while he wriggles around on the changing table. Then I go back to my room and grab my backpack, cell phone, and car keys.

  “Taking the baby to Bayleigh!” I call out to my mom as I run by. I’m not sure if she heard me, but she’s probably too sick to care.

  Outside, the cool December air chills my bones as I run the distance between the Adams’ house and mine. Elijah is all warm in his jacket as I clutch him to my chest, but I forgot to grab one for myself so I’m kind of freezing.

  Bayleigh, Jett’s mom, is hanging out in the kitchen when I get to their back door. She smiles and opens it for me since my hands are full.

  “Good morning,” she says, sipping her coffee. “What’s up?”

  “Becca is sick,” I say, holding out Elijah. “Can you watch him while I go take my finals?”

  She sets her coffee mug on the counter and reaches for the baby. “It’d be my pleasure,” she says, grinning and making baby faces at him.

  “Thanks,” I say, as I heave a sigh. “I’ll be gone about four hours and then I’ll come get him, unless Park gets back sooner.”

  “I wouldn’t count on it,” Bayleigh says as she holds Elijah on her hip. “The guys are planning for some race thing next door. It’ll take all day, knowing them.” She coos at Elijah.

  “Are you sure you want that thing in your stomach?” I say with a laugh. Bayleigh is four months pregnant herself. “Babies suck.”

  She laughs. “They can sometimes suck, but the good parts are worth the sucky parts.”

  “Hey there,” Jett calls out as he enters the room. “I didn’t know you were coming over.”

  He’s shirtless, wearing only a pair of flannel pajama bottoms. My boyfriend is so very hot, and it takes all my willpower to pull my gaze away from his six-pack abs. “I’m not here,” I say, turning away. “Pretend you didn’t me. I’m in a huge hurry.”

  The smell of Jett’s cologne fills the air as he wraps his arms around me. “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.”

  Chapter 2

  Jett

  I bury my face into Keanna’s hair, inhaling the scent of her green apple shampoo. I can’t ever get enough of this girl, and now she’s pulling away from me. So not fair.

  “Babe, I have to go.” She meets my gaze with a serious look in her eyes.

  Mom takes Keanna’s little brother into the other room, cooing at him and telling him how cute he is. I swear it’s like Elijah is the only important one when he’s around.

  “What’s wrong?” I say, sliding my hands around Keanna’s back and tugging her close while I kiss her neck. “You want some coffee?”

  “No, Jett. Dammit.” She pushes me away, an action that makes my chest hurt. With a huff, she tucks a strand of brown hair behind her ear. “I have to go. I have finals today!”

  She says it like I’m an idiot for not remembering. But of course, I remember. She’s been freaking out about them all week. “I’m sorry,” I say, not because I forgot but because I didn’t realize she’d be so mad at me. “I’ll walk you out.”

  “You don’t have to,” she says, rushing to the back door. “It’s cold outside and you’re half naked.”

  “You like it when I’m half naked,” I say, wiggling my eyebrows.

  She’s not having any of my joking around today. She rolls her eyes. “Bye.”

  “I love you!” I call after her as she slips through the back door.

  “Love you too,” she says back, but there’s no heart in it.

  I know she’s just stressed, so I try not to let it hurt my feelings. Also, there’s this part of me that’s saying I should suck it up and be manly and stop longing after my girlfriend when she’s busy. But I’d be lying if I said I’m not considering running after her just to get a kiss.

  I look out the glass door and watch her sprint across the parking lot of the Track next door, all the way back to her house. I keep watching, leaning on the glass, wishing there was a way I could make her feel better.

  We’d gone out on a date last night, but she barely touched her food. Afterwards, instead of making out on my bed like we usually do, she’d insisted that I help her study for her finals today. It was a buzzkill to say the least. Maybe that’s why I want so desperately to get a kiss this morning. I miss her normally happy and affectionate demeanor. Now these stupid exams have taken over her life. I know she’s stressed, but she’ll be okay. She knew all of her flash cards. The only time she messes up on a test is when she lets the stress get to her head.

  I watch her pick up her backpack from the concrete near her car, a sporty Mustang. She tosses it in the backseat and then disappears inside the car.

  I decide I’ll rush back to my room, find my phone and send her a sweet text, telling her she’ll ace her exam. That’ll cheer her up. Smiling, I watch as she puts the car in reverse, going entirely too fast.

  Her Mustang slides off the concrete driveway and into the grass. Only it’s been raining like crazy lately, and the grassy area next to the driveway is all mud. The rear tire sinks and the car jolts to a stop. It’s tilted at an angle, half of the car on the driveway and half stuck in the mud. Even from here, I can tell her back tire is spinning out as she anxiously tries to reverse, but all she’s doing is getting stuck deeper.

  I don’t even stop think that it’s cold as hell outside as I slip on a pair of flip flops my dad left by the back door and rush out to save her.

  Chapter 3

  Keanna

  This is so not happening. No, no, no. I slam on the gas again, but my car just revs up and doesn’t go anywhere. Only two tires are off the concrete at this point, so why isn’t it working? Fighting back tears, I open my door and look out. There’s mud everywhere.

  The whole grassy section of the yard is now a muddy swamp that’s swallowing my car’s back tire whole.

  Ugh.

  My whole body shakes. I am freaking out to epic proportions and I can’t even find a way to breathe normally. I’ll have to take Becca’s car, and she won’t mind because she’s sick. Park might be pissed about the muddy ruts in the grass, but he’ll get over it. Right now, the only thing that matters is getting to class on time. If I’m even five minutes late, I’ll be kicked out of class and won’t get to take the final. There’s no way I’ll pass the class without that grade.

  I squeeze over the center console and flop myself into the passenger seat so I can get out of the car on the side that’s not muddy. On the way over, I bang my elbow, knees, and head in this stupidly small car. Why was I so stupid when I bought this thing? I should have gotten something that could tear through mud with no problem, like a Jeep or a big
truck, instead of this showoff sports car.

  I really do hate everything today.

  Climbing out of the passenger side, I reach in the backseat for my stuff. That’s when I hear someone approaching.

  My boyfriend, the dumbass who must want to get sick. He’s wearing flip flops, his pajama bottoms, and still no shirt. He might as well go hang out with Becca and they can both be sick in there together.

  “You trying to get phenomena?” I say as sarcastically as I can manage as I wrangle my backpack from the tiny backseat. Seriously, screw this car. Screw this driveway, and this college and everything. I hate it all.

  “I came to help,” Jett says, leaning over the safety of the concrete to see the damage done. “I’ll grab a piece of wood from the garage and we can wedge you out of there.”

  He doesn’t even seem to notice the cold as he rubs his chin, assessing the situation. “Shouldn’t take more than ten minutes.”

  “I don’t have ten minutes!” I say, throwing my hands in the air. “I have to go now.”

  “Then I’ll drive you,” Jett says, smiling at me with this little eager grin of his. Normally I think his grin is cute. Right now, I kind of hate it.

  “If you had your truck right now, that would be great, but you don’t, so go back home.”

  He frowns, stepping in front of me as I try to push past him. “My truck is thirty seconds away. I’ll go get it.”

  “I don’t have thirty seconds,” I snap, moving to the right. He takes one stride over, blocking me.

  “Babe, calm down. It’s going to be okay. I’m not even sure you should be driving right now since you’re so upset.”

  I sigh. “Get out of my way. I need to get Becca’s car keys.”