The Nerd Who Loved Me
Fast Fiction Romantic - short stories with a Happy Ever AfterTen years ago, Howard Donald Long II was run out of Bonnet Creek by vicious lies, his practice, family and life nearly destroyed by the dirty allegations of one family—the Rodrigues. Now, Howard Long III, known as Tripp, is back to clear his father's name, and he's got the money and the muscles to do it.Then he runs into Mary Belle Prudhomme. She'd been his closest friend as a kid, until they grew up, developed hormones and she rejected him. For Bear Rodrigue. She's still every fantasy he ever had come to life, yet now she seems vulnerable, alone. Tripp reaches out to her, and they find the easy connection they had when they were kids, as well as something more—forgiveness.
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Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Mary Belle Prudhomme let her forehead hit the steering wheel before cracking open an eye. Yep. Smoke was pouring from beneath the blue hood of her old truck.
Craptastic.
Five miles from home, and her stupid cell phone as dead as the grass bordering the seldom-used back road. And to make matters worse, sheâd left the car charger for her phone in Bear Rodrigueâs truck over a month ago. Now she wished sheâd spent thirty bucks on a new one instead of that pair of boots sheâd decided she deserved for putting up with Bearâs crap for years. They were cute rain boots patterned with little duckies. But, of course, cute boots did not fix smoking engines.
âThanks a lot, Beast,â she muttered to her car, climbing from the cab and giving the front tire a half-hearted kick. âYou just had to die miles away from civilization.â
She popped the hood and fanned the smoke that poured out.
As if on cue, a sleek convertible pulled up beside her.
Wariness prickled at the nape of her neck, but then she caught sight of the driverâbroad shoulders, dark hair, tan skin and a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses.
A knight in a white Beamer.
Sweet.
âNeed some help?â the knight called, his reliable car taunting her dented beast of a truck.
âUh, maybe,â she said, knowing very well she did, but not wanting to admit it in case the knight was really a deranged mental-hospital escapee. But would a mental-hospital escapee drive a BMW and look like an ad for Yachting World?
Her knight, aka mental-hospital escapee, maneuvered his car to the shoulder, hopped out and headed toward her.
Hmmmâ¦khakis, polo shirt and Top-Siders.
Maybe he was a banker on vacationâ¦
In Evangeline parish? Not a hope.
âLet me see what I can do.â He stopped beside her and peered at the hissing metal parts beneath her hood, giving her a whiff of his cologne. The smell reminded her of champagne and other rich people stuff.
Then he extended a hand toward some part of the engine and she noticed how nice his forearms wereâbrown and strong-lookingâand that his hands were drool-worthy. If, you know, a girl were into those kinds of things.
âIâm no expert, but Iâm pretty sure itâs your radiator,â he said, taking off his sunglasses.
âThe radiator?â she repeated stupidly as she turned and met his gaze.
And thatâs when she recognized him.
Oh, no. Way worse than an escaped mental patient. In fact sheâd have thrown a party with balloons and confetti if it had been a deranged madman with a hook for a hand rather than him.
Yep, bring on a knife-wielding psycho. Or a flesh-eating zombie.
Anyone except Tripp Long, the nerd whoâd loved her. Until sheâd humiliated him in front of the entire senior class of Bonnet Creek High School twelve years ago.
Howard Donald Long III, aka Tripp, narrowed his eyes when he realized who stood beside him. He should have recognized that tight round butt. After all, it belonged to the girl who still popped up in his dreams on a regular basis.
âMary B.â
âWhatâre you doing out hereâ¦and driving that?â She pointed at his new car.
Tripp knew he should have resisted the urge to prove something to the people of Bonnet Creek by buying the BMW, but he had to admit it drove like a dream. âWhatâs wrong with my car?â
She studied it in the fading sunlight. âItâs a bit much, donât you think?â
âIâm not seeking anyoneâs approval.â The anymore was implied.
Mary Belle closed her mouth, stuck her hands in the back pockets of her cutoffsâthe motion doing amazing things for her breastsâand looked guilty.
He shifted his gaze away from the Bonnet Creek Owls T-shirt that fit her like a second skin. He didnât relish standing knee deep on pitted blacktop with a hard-on over a woman heâd spent nearly five years hating.
Okay, not hating. Just resenting.
Besides, heâd outgrown his crush on Mary Belle. Sort of. But he couldnât stop the pleasure he took watching her squirm. Sheâd treated him no better than the mud on the bottom of her boot. She deserved the discomfort.
âYou look different. More like your daddy.â She dug the rim of her flip-flop into the gravel.
He smiled the smile he reserved for pretty women and stubborn patients. âDid you think Iâd have acne, knock knees and oily hair forever? Everyone grows up, Mary B.â
She raked him up and down with a bold gaze. âSure, but you turned out pretty hot.â
And with those words, Tripp Long felt a little piece of redemption click into his soul. âI work out.â
