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“Isn’t that the same thing?”
“I don’t know. Should I even be feeling any of this? I mean, I was set to marry Jeff and now…”
“Now?”
“Now, I’m having fantasies about the one man I swore I would never let hurt me again.”
“What if things have changed for him, now? What if hurting you isn’t even in his thoughts. He cares about you, Katie. It’d take a fool not to see that and honey, Jeff’s not here and maybe that’s a good thing.”
“Callie—”
“Hear me out. You’re worrying over so much that you’re forgetting the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That you’ve always had doubts. Don’t get me wrong. I love Jeff and I know he adores you, but how many times did you tell me that you were worried you would end up hurting Jeff because you couldn’t love him like he wanted—that you couldn’t love him like you loved Jake?”
“Callie, I’m not sure I want to talk about this right now. I’m worn out,” I admit, clutching the towel to my body.
“Then, how about we get you dressed and let you sleep? Which do you want?” she asks, holding up a white T-shirt and an old Longhorn’s jersey that I bought years ago at my first Longhorn game.
“We should go with the Longhorn one. The white one is Jeff’s shirt, and I don’t think Jake would appreciate it if he found out.Jake threatened to rip it off me if I tried to wear his brother’s shirt the first night he was here.”
“Ohhh, interesting,” Callie croons. “Maybe we should put the white one on you and see what happens.”
“How about you don’t do that,” Jake barks, opening the door.
Shock slams into me and I clutch my towel even tighter.
“Are you eavesdropping outside my door?” I gasp.
“I was actually coming in to see if you needed help and to tell Callie that Reed was ready to leave.”
“Then—”
“But I heard my name and my mother always taught me to wait to enter a room where you’re the topic of discussion,” he says, coming deeper inside the room, hands crossed at his chest. I can’t tell if he’s upset or not, but there’s a glint in his eyes that scares me.
And makes me tingle.
Shit, I should not be tingling when it comes to anything involving Jake Ryan.
“Jake, get out of here. Seriously, I have to get dressed,” I respond, trying not to screech because he’s scaring me. I need time to get my defenses back up against him.
“I’ve seen it all before, sweetheart.”
Callie giggles and if I didn’t need it to cover my body, I’d throw my towel at her.
“I think this is my cue to leave,” Callie says when she gets her giggles under control.
“Traitor,” I mutter when she walks over and drops both shirts in my lap.
“Don’t be stupid,” she whispers as she leans down and kisses my cheek.
I sigh. I’m trying not to be stupid. Life just isn’t cooperating. “Bye, Jake,” she says much louder as she walks by him.
“Bye, Callie.”
“Oh, and, Jake?”
