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It felt like my pajamas were burning a hole in my purse.

“This is really great,” Axel said. “The four of us together. Just like old times. Jacob, you need a drink.” He grabbed an empty cup to fill it up.

This didn’t feel like old times. Not even a little.

“Okay, let’s get you home, Axel,” Sophie said.

“Seriously, Sophie, if you want to hook up just say so. I’d rather you just be honest with me. And I don’t mind spanking you with a ruler...”

“Would you please stop talking before you say something you’re going to regret?” Jacob said.

I think it was a little too late for that.

Axel laughed. “And what do you know about regret? Everything is just handed to you on a silver platter.”

That wasn’t true. And Axel knew it.

“What do you say, Soph?” Axel said. “Those two are fucking. Why don’t we give it a go too? And then we can all double date and live happily ever after. Or whatever make believe shit you said earlier. Doesn’t that sound perfect?” He stared at me when he said it.

The thought of Axel sleeping with Sophie made my stomach churn.

Sophie shook her head and pulled out her phone. “I’m going to get him an Uber.”

“I’m just going to take him home,” Jacob said. He lightly touched my arm. “Meet me downstairs in half an hour and we can get out of here?”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “You still want to go? You’re not upset?”

“It’s a long drive. We’ll have plenty of time to talk.”

“Jacob, I’m really sorry,” I said. “I know I should have told you about...”

“It’s okay,” he said. “It didn’t mean anything.”

I nodded. “It didn’t.”

I would have been worried, but then he kissed my cheek like he always did.

“I love you,” he whispered. And then he grabbed Axel’s arm and pulled him out of the kitchen.

Sophie sighed like that was the most draining thing in the world. “I don’t know what Axel’s problem is, but he’s exhausting.” She laughed and shook her head.

I wanted to laugh too. But nothing about what had just happened was very funny. “I really should have told Jacob about all that earlier. Did he seem upset to you?”

Sophie shook her head. “He seemed more annoyed by Axel than upset. What did he whisper to you?”

“To meet him downstairs in half an hour.”

“Well, that’s great. He still wants the night to go as planned. He’s obviously not mad.”

“But he also said it would be a long drive so we could talk.”

She made a face.

“But then he said it was okay and that he loved me.”

Sophie smiled. “You two are fine. He’s so smitten with you, I can’t even. It’s probably good that all of this came out. It’ll just make you guys stronger.”

“Then why did you tell me not to tell him?”