Why does he do this to me? My knees wobble when he says shit like this.
“You’re my best friend,” he continues, swinging his arm around my shoulders while still holding my hand with his other.
Fuck my life.
His touch sets my skin on fire when he idly strokes my shoulder.
“At least have a drink with me.”
He reaches into a bucket on one of the nearby tables and hands me a bottle of beer, clinking it with his.
“Locke! Get in here!” Troy, our other friend, yells from the pool.
Troy splashes Bella, and she squeals in delight, pretending to be pissed. Mila hasn’t taken her eyes away from Devon.
“Go,” I beg Devon, sipping my beer. “Please. They’re staring at me.”
I flush deeper, wishing I’d never come.
But then Devon leans over to me, tilting my chin so I’m looking up at him.
My heart hammers in my chest as he moves his gaze to my mouth and then says, “They’re staring at you because you’re the most beautiful girl here.”
My vision swims, and my breath leaves my body.
Mission aborted,my breath says.I can’t do this under these conditions.
And then he kisses me.
Chapter Two
DEVON: NOW
I remember the first time I kissed Jade Anderson. It was at my eighteenth birthday party, and I was a little buzzed and feeling brave. She was trying to blend into the background—as if a girl like her ever could.
Jade was everything to me.
Now look at us. Look what I’ve gone and done.
Mila fucking Harris is what happened. I could blame her for everything—of course I could, but in reality, it’s me.
I did this to us.
I’m the one who broke the vows I’d chosen and agonized over to make sure they were perfect to describe my promise to be with her forever.
No one else.
Me.
But…I fucked everything up. Starting with thatfuckingtrip to New York. I hadn’t seen Mila in years, and I didn’t expect her to be in the same industry as me, let alone at the same conference.
But she was.
Chapter Three
JADE: THEN
“Imagine howcuteour baby will be.” I stroke Devon’s hand, and he smiles faintly. We’re cuddled on the couch, scrolling on our phones.
