"So." Jay's voice is carefully neutral. "She came."
"She came."
"Alone."
That surprises me enough that I look at him.
I process that, not sure what to do with the information.
"Doesn't change anything."
"Doesn't it?" Jay tilts his head.
I shake my head.
"It's been five years, Jay. We made eye contact at a funeral. That's not—it doesn't mean anything."
"Right. Because people who don't mean anything to each other regularly forget how to speak mid-eulogy."
"Shut up."
He grins. "Just saying."
He's quiet for a moment, then more serious.
"You gonna talk to her?"
"I don't know what I'd say."
"Well you could start with hello."
"She's engaged."
Jay snorts.
"What?"
He's quiet for a moment, studying me with that unnerving perceptiveness he's always had.
"You know what you two remind me of?"
"What?"
"Magnets.”
“Magnets?”
“Yeah. I mean I’m not a scientist but I don’t have to be to know that the two of you are like fucking magnets that keep pulling back together even when they're trying to stay apart." He pauses. "You've both built entire lives. And yet here you are, same town. Still looking at each other like no time has passed at all. At some point, something's gotta give."
I shake my head.
"Still doesn't change the fact that she's getting married."
"I know. Camilla told me." He pauses. "She also said the dude is an absolute wanker."
Despite everything, my mouth twitches.
"Camilla said that?"
