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“The fuck did you do?” I murmured, eyes on Jase.
He dragged a hand through his light hair, then shook it out with a sigh. “It’s a long story. But yeah… I fucked it up.”
I scratched at the scruff coating my jaw. “She home this summer?”
“Not likely,” he muttered, turning his attention back to the burger. He planted his elbows down on the table, his food suspended in front of his mouth as his unfocused eyes locked out the window. Then he gave himself a shake and took a bite.
Didn’t look like he was even a little bit over it.
“Mack away all summer, too?” I leaned forward, grabbing the soda, and taking a swig.
“Yeah, he got an internship. Said he’s gonna try to get back for a weekend, but he met some girl and he’s fifty shades of whipped, so we’ll probably never see his ass again.”
“Missing Mack’s ass, Jase?” Danny joked.
Jase turned to him with a frown. “Why the fuck couldn’t you intern all summer? Sick of the fucking sight of you.”
Danny shot a wink and blew a kiss, rising to his feet. “Gotta take a leak.”
Pushing up, I stood. “And I gotta take off.”
“Hey.” Jase stopped me as I rounded the table, eyes narrowed as he looked up at me. “Did you talk to my uncle?”
“Yeah, he’s been a huge help.” I nodded and slid my hands into the pockets of my grey sweatpants. Jase was one of the few people who knew about my college plans. His uncle worked for a big industrial architecture company, and he’d given me his details to hit him up for some advice a few months back when I’d decided what I wanted to do.
“Gonna be an architect when you grow up, huh? You can build me a massive fucking house as a thank you for the intel.” Jase grinned, and I smirked down at him. “Seriously, though, good for you, man.” He reached up and clasped my hand in a quick shake. “Danny’s folks are away for two weeks. One last blowout before we grow the fuck up and start taking life seriously?”
I was quiet for a few seconds, then tilted my head. “Was she the one?”
It was a total fucking non-dude question, and by rights, I should have been checking between my legs for the vagina I’d obviously grown, but for some reason, I really wanted to hear his answer.
There was no confusion in his eyes or delay in his response. He knew exactly what and who I was talking about. He dipped his head in a curt nod, then muttered, “But there’ll be others.” Then he glanced down to avoid my gaze. Even he didn’t believe it.
Patting his back, I murmured, “Yeah,” then turned and strolled through the door.
The truck beeped, lights flashing twice when I paced toward it and pressed the remote unlock. Wrapping my hand around the handle, I swung the door open then paused. My brows drew down when I saw Lissa’s mom walking up and down the sidewalk, retracing her steps with jerky, agitated movements, her blue eyes wide in her pale face. Smoothing the door closed, I approached her.
“Mrs. Bedford?”
She swivelled on the spot, the blunt edges of her shoulder length hair fanning out around her and the grocery bag clutched tight in her right-hand bumping against her calf.
Her gaze met mine with no words of greeting, no spark of recognition. She stared at me with a blank expression on her face.
“Everything ok?” I ventured, eyes volleying between both of hers.
Her lips opened, but a good thirty seconds passed before she answered with a quick shake of her head. “I can’t remember where I parked the car.”
My head immediately wheeled on my shoulders. I didn’t even know what the fuck Lissa’s mom drove, but I looked for it, anyway. “Uh, what car do you drive these days, Mrs. B?”
I turned back, and she frowned, her eyes zipping around as she rubbed two fingers over her forehead.
“I can’t remember the model. I’m not good with cars, um…” she trailed off, a question in her voice, her wide eyes searching my face as if she was waiting for me to fill in the blanks.
I said nothing for a second, confused, then offered, “Leon.”
She couldn’t remember my name? We’d lived in the same town for the last nineteen years. I’d gone to school with Lissa since kindergarten. Endured never ending parties and fucking playdates under this woman’s supervision. I hadn’t fucking changed that much.
“Leon. Yes,” she mumbled, but a deep crease lined her brow.
