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“No, it doesn’t.”
“But also…his mom’s cancer is back.”
“Oh God, Annie, I had no idea.”
“No, she hasn’t told anyone else, and he’s hurting. It’s not an excuse, but he was on the end of his rope before it all went down.”
“Well, I guess you have to decide if you want to make it work or start over in Seattle.”
I crumpled in on myself at those words.
“What?” he asked.
“I…I changed my rank choice to Tech, so I could stay in town after I found out about his mom.”
“And he was still an asshole?” he asked with wide eyes.
“Well, I hadn’t told him.”
“Annie…”
“It was supposed to be a surprise. A happy surprise. Then he blew up on me, thinking I was going to choose Seattle over him and…fuck. I kind of spilled the beans in the heat of the moment, and now, we’re both just mad and sad and everything is terrible.”
“Are you going to talk him?”
“Well, I really don’t want to.”
“I think you should talk to him.”
I sighed. “It’s too fresh. I can’t imagine we’d do anything but yell at each other again.”
“Maybe, but eventually, you will have to discuss this.” I nodded at him. Then his eyes tracked his daughter. “Aly!” he yelled. “Don’t climb up the slide, honey.”
Peyton waved him away and directed Aly to climb up the stairs instead.
Isaac turned his attention back to me. “Look, I went through the worst shit possible. I lost Abby.” Aly’s mom had died in childbirth. “I never thought I’d find love again. Then Peyton came back into my life. So, even if it doesn’t work out with Jordan after you two talk, there’s someone out there for you. Whatever you decide, it’s going to be okay.”
I smiled wanly at my brother. “Thanks, Isaac.”
I wasn’t sure I believed him, but I appreciated him being here. Right now, I didn’t know what I wanted besides being left alone. Everything felt too bright, too close, too much. And I didn’t want to have to make a decision about Jordan while I still felt like I’d been run over.
And I didn’t have to make that decision yet.
After Isaac, Peyton, and Aly left, Jennifer came back. She forced me to pet Avocado and Bacon, claiming that pets help with oxytocin. Then we vegged, watched Schitt’s Creek, and ate pizza until she had to leave again for a senior shoot. I moved on to ice cream straight from the container and was happily into season two, rewatching David and Moira attempt to fold in the cheese, when I heard another knock at the front door.
I tilted my head up and groaned, “What now?” Then I called out loudly, “Come in!”
And in walked Ashleigh Sinclair.
I nearly groaned again. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to check on you,” Ashleigh said.
She was in a sparkly pink sequined dress that came to her knees with matte black heels. Her gorgeous blonde hair was expertly coiffed and her makeup flawless. She didn’t go anywhere without her hair and makeup done, but this was a lot, even for her.
“Why did you really come?”
Ashleigh sighed. “Can’t I just check on you?”
“In that?”
“Fine. I did want to check on you, but I also want you to come to Chase’s welcome-home party.”
“No,” I said and turned back to the TV.
“Annie, come on. It’s important.”
“Nope. Not going. Sorry, Ashleigh, but Chase and I are not on speaking terms. He crossed a line.”
“Is this about him inviting you over to his place when he broke up with Kennedy?”
“He told you about that?” I asked in surprise.
“Yes, well, he was freaking out. He was worried that he’d ruined your almost three decade friendship over a mistake. He loves you, and he would never risk losing you, Annie.”
“That’s the problem. He wants more than I can offer.”
Ashleigh sauntered farther into my house, grabbed the remote, and turned off the TV. “He’s sorry. I know that he came to the party last night to apologize.” She arched an eyebrow. “And look where that got him—a black eye.”
“What do you want me to say? That I just forgive him for expecting me to roll over when he was ready. I don’t owe him anything.”
Ashleigh crossed her arms. “I’m not saying you owe him. I’m saying that you’re friends. You don’t just suddenly stop being his best friend.”
“You do when the other person crosses the line.”
She huffed. “You’ve both had feelings for each other for years. Years, Annie. If you hadn’t been with Jordan would you have been as mad as you are?”
I frowned. No. Of course, I wouldn’t have. I’d always thought Chase was endgame. Then I’d blown up on him when he’d confessed feelings that I’d always wanted from him.
“Exactly,” she snapped.
“Look, if he couldn’t even come here on his own and had to send someone else to convince me to come, then maybe he isn’t really sorry,” I said with a shrug.
