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“Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?” I ask when I finally step back and take them in. They look good. Happy even. Of course they are. They’re finally together. After all this time, they made it.
“I told Lucas. Guess he forgot to tell you. You guys busy?” Wesley asks.
“I just have a short shift in a bit at the sandwich shop, but are you around for a while?” I ask, desperate to see my friend and catch up.
“Yeah, man. We are going to be around for a while. Maybe after your shift we can have dinner here and catch up?”
“Fuck yes,” I say and then pull him into another hug until Lucas pulls me away.
“Give him some space, man,” Lucas says and then claps Wesley on the shoulder. “Want to see the dresser I’m making?”
“Yeah,” Wesley says with a smile, grabbing onto Simon’s hand and pulling him to the garage. Ollie bounds after them, and I watch it all with a smile on my face.
Fuck, I’m glad they’re here.
It’s the perfect distraction from…everything else.
I can put it all aside for tonight, and then tomorrow I’ll figure out what the fuck to do.
CHAPTER 11
ALEC
He’s been ignoring me all goddamn day, and I feel like I’m crawling out of my skin. I’ve stared far too often at my phone throughout the day, crushing it between my fingers and trying like hell to keep my cool. But I’m going fucking crazy.
I finished all my work, did a casual walk around the block, practiced some scales on the saxophone, and then spent the rest of my time pacing. Back and forth, back and forth, trying like hell to keep myself in the house. I will not head over there like a crazy person.
I willnot.
But after wearing a hole in the carpet, I snap, sprinting out of the house and heading straight to his place. I’m doing this shit. He needs to grow the fuck up and face me if this is over.
Even as I say this, my mind chants that I’m the one who set out for revenge. That if anyone is immature, it’s me.
Me. I’m the problem, not him.
I’m the one who thought I could fuck around and not find out. Seems I was wrong.
But the words filtering through my mind don’t stop me from pulling up to his driveway a few minutes later, putting the car in park, and jogging up the steps, pounding on the door nearly breathless.
I look just as unhinged as I feel. I should have known Jude Martin would do this to me. He fucking did it all those years ago and he is doing it to me now. He wormed his way under my fucking skin, and I live with him there. It’s like an itch I can’t quite seem to scratch. A sexy itch.
Suddenly, the door opens and I see Lucas standing in front of me. He’s not wearing a shirt, showing off his hairy man chest. His hair is pulled into a bun on top of his head, and I think he has woodchips in his beard.
“Yo,” he says, and I shift back and forth on my feet, feeling like he can see the crazed look in my eyes, so I glance away, staring intently at the wooden porch beams.
“Is Jude here?” I ask my feet, feeling my cheeks heat.
Fuck, I hate blushing. I spent years getting that response under control and now with Jude back in my life, it was all for nothing. He has undone me. I’m unraveling.
“Sure is,” Lucas says, stepping out of the way, and as soon as he’s moved, I see Jude on the couch, pressed up against another man. Another handsome man. Much more handsome than me.
Suddenly, I’m the nerd from high school with a terrible sense of fashion. I’m not good enough for him. Never was and I’m still not.
My jaw grinds and my hands roll into fists from the wave of insecurity that rolls over me. I hate feeling like this, like I’m small, like I’m nothing.
Jude’s laugh filters over to me and my stomach flip-flops. Lucas says his name and Jude turns his head, his smile fallingfrom his face, his entire body stiffening as soon as his gaze meets mine.
Yeah, I fucking see you.
