She nodded, but she was avoiding his eyes. “Uh-huh.”
Jake tried to ignore how his worry and guilt nipped at him during the rest of supper. When the excruciating meal was finally over, Emily excused herself and fled upstairs while Jake hefted Claire’s giant tote bag and pointed to the door. “Let me walk you out,” he said.
“Oh. Okay.” Claire almost pranced out the front door.
He walked out to her SUV and set the tote bag down. “I’ve had enough. It’s time for you to stop.”
“Stop what?” She batted her long eyelashes at him.
“Stopeverything,” he began, his voice rising. “Stop bullying Emily.”
“But I... I’m not bullying Emily. What do you mean?”
“Oh, come on! I heard you make a noise when Em said she believed in me at supper. I see the dirty looks you shoot her way. She’s innocent in all this.” He rested against her car. “Stop pretending to help my mom. Stop chasing after me. You need to go home and stay away from my family and me. We’re done.Done.Do you understand?”
Claire’s lip began to tremble, and her green eyes filled with tears.
Jake rolled his eyes.Seriously? Not again.
“Please, just give me a chance to explain,” she whined.
“There’s nothing to explain. It’s time for you to go.” He opened the back door and set the tote bag on the seat. “Take care.”
“Wait.”
He turned just as she wrapped her arms around him.
“Claire, stop,” he said, and he tried to push her away, but she locked her arms around his neck. “Stop!”
“Jakey, I miss you,” she whimpered before lifting up on her toes and pressing her mouth to his.
Emily stared out the bedroom window, and her stomach bottomed out.
Claire and Jake were kissing in the driveway.
Kissing!
Bile rose in her throat, and tears built up in her eyes.
She flopped down on the corner of the bed as her sobs broke free and her heart shattered.
You’ll only ever be his friend.
The cruel words played on a loop in her mind.
Claire was right. Emily wasn’t good enough for him and never would be.
Why would Jake want her when he could have beautiful, gorgeous,perfectClaire?
Covering her hands with her face, Emily fell back on the bed as sobs continued to rack her body.
Jake clamped his hands down on Claire’s arms and pushed her away. “Stop!” He took several steps away from her and held uphis hands while his heart hammered in his chest. “I’ve told you a hundred times that I’m done.”
“But it can’t be over,” she exclaimed, tears rolling down her pink cheeks. “After all these years, how can you give up on us? What we had was special. I still love you!”
He shook his head and began walking backward away from her. “I don’t love you anymore.”
She gasped. “How can you say that after all we’ve been through together?” Her voice sounded strange, hysterical.
