I hand my bottle to Mitch. “See you later.”
Then I take off, not looking in Jessica’s direction.
Which works out, considering she’s not looking in mine.
Jessica
* * *
I’m sitting on the front steps of the farmhouse, staring up into the inky, starlit sky. There’s a pit in my stomach.
How did everything go so wrong?
The disparity between what I anticipated versus the reality is jarring.
Sure, the party was fun. I met a lot of people. Everyone was nice and welcoming. And yes, Cole Montgomery was hot and fun to flirt with, but he’s not Charlie.
Who’d left before I’d figured out how to act around him.
It’s hours later, and he hadn’t texted. Hasn’t called.
It’s been radio silence.
Like the flame between us was snuffed out.
The door opens, and Hailey comes to sit next to me, handing me a glass of wine.
“Thanks.”
She nudges my shoulder with hers. “You okay?”
I take a sip of the smooth red and stare up at the sky. “Sure.”
“Talk to me.”
“I’m just tired.”
“You don’t want to talk about how you’re disappointed about the sheriff?”
“I’m not disappointed.” I’m not going to admit that I built the party into this epic game of cat and mouse, full of lust and seduction, that culminated into one big nothing burger that’s left me feeling lonely and bereft.
It’s pathetic.
I shrug one shoulder. “I told you that you didn’t have anything to worry about.”
She sighs. “Jess, this guy is shaking you.”
“He is not. Didn’t you see how cool I was?” I was so damn cool I’d made everyone forget about the tailing incident. “Not one person suspected anything. Mission accomplished.”
She laughs. “You’re so delusional.”
“What do you mean? I didn’t cause the slightest bit of drama.”
“So you weren’t using the fire chief to make Charlie jealous?”
I wave my hands in the air. “Was he jealous? No. I was making new friends. I solved the Charlie problem. Everyone’s happy.”
“Since I’m not fumbling around trying to figure out how to act in front of the first boy I like, let me tell you that Charlie Radcliffe looks at you like he wants to devour you. I promise he was jealous.”
