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Tyler shrugged into my kneading, churning hands. “I throw pizzas.”
I chuckled, kneading even deeper to elicit more sexy groans. Throwing pizzas was only a fraction of what Tyler actually did. From what Jay told me he was working all day, every day, dawn to dusk. Carrying the weight of the entire family business on his tense, knotted shoulders.
Luckily those shoulders were big and broad, his arms strong and capable. I was extremely saddened to learn that his foster parents were gone. That he was still trying to keep Aegean afloat didn’t surprise me, however. Tyler never was one to quit, even when things got hard.
“So after four years you graduated from Texas A&M,” Tyler went on. “Then what?”
I stiffened. “Well… not exactly.”
“Hmm?”
“I didn’t graduate,” I admitted. “I lost credits switching majors, and eventually my financial aid ran out.”
Tyler tilted his head a little. “What about your parents?”
“They were off doing their own things,” I shrugged. “My father gave me some speech about responsibility, being ‘flighty’, and a whole bunch of other stuff that ticked me off. And to be honest, I was just sick of school. Tired of studying and books and writing papers only the fledgling assistants to the professors ever really cared to read.”
Tyler sank back against me, sighing happily as my fingers plunged even deeper. I knew he’d never judge me for not graduating, the way my parents and siblings did. It was a refreshing change.
“Okay, and then what happened?”
My mind began abruptly racing, trying to figure out how much to say.
“I stuck around for a little while, promising myself I’d go back when I was ready. When that didn’t happen I ended up near Dallas. Took on a few odd jobs, then sorta… well…”
“You found a guy.”
My entire expression changed. But with Tyler sitting on the floor, and me on the couch, he really couldn’t see.
“I dated for a bit,” I shrugged. “Eventually, I even moved in with someone. In the end it didn’t work out. Before I knew it I found myself back in Northhold.”
“So you were homesick?”
No. Yes. Sort of.
But not exactly.
“Maybe a little.”
“You’ve been here a year, Jenna. Your parents are divorced, and scattered in opposite directions. Tara and Owen are gone too. Yet you still came back.”
“So?”
Tyler twisted in my grasp, turning his head to look me in the eye. “So it took you a whole year to call me?”
I couldn’t tell if he was wounded, hurt, or just testing the validity of my story. I blew it off by smiling playfully.
“I felt like I’d already gone back in time by coming home,” I told him. “How much further into my past did I need to go?”
Tyler considered my words for a moment. Eventually his expression softened.
“As far as it took to get your rocks off,” he grinned and winked.
My ex turned and went back to enjoying his massage, and I went back to rubbing him. There was a single, solitary reason I was in Northhold again. But there were a thousand reasons why I didn’t want to talk about it.
I looked around, taking in the tiny, makeshift apartment that was as old as the dying mall. I wondered what kinds of things went on here. As cozy as it was, I wondered what Tyler’s exit plan for this place might be.
This is the strangest night ever.
