AllFreeNovel
Share Us
You've gotto be fucking kidding me.
Six months. Six whole months I've managed to avoid him. I developed some killer leg muscles from taking the long way everywhere so I wouldn’t cross paths with him. I avoided my usual routines because they were his routines too. I stopped seeing my friends because they’re his friends too.
All that useless, wasted effort, just for him to casually stroll into my new place of work.
You havegotto befucking kidding me.
The universe is messing with me again. We're not anywhere near any of the usual campus bars or his place or the baseball stadium. There's no reason for him to be here. There’s not even a reason for me to be here; my shift ended half an hour ago. But an unexpected rush hour hit and I couldn't just leave.
If I wasn't in the middle of pouring a pint, I’d duck and crawl my way out of here. Instead, all I can do is angle myself accordingly and pray the big guy waiting for his beer hides me from view.
It doesn't work.
It's like Jackson walks in the door and his gaze immediately gravitates towards me. That shouldn't be such a surprise; it always used to be that way. I don't know why I thought that, despite everything, that would ever change.
He stops in his tracks, the person behind him bumping into his back. Ben, I realize. Oh God, all four of them are here, the whole fucking gang. And by the looks on their face, they're as shocked to see me as I am to see them. Cass leans forwards to whisper something in Jackson's ear, probably an offer to leave, but he's not listening.
He's looking right at me. Surprise flickers across his face, quickly followed by confusion. Then those dark eyes I got so used to seeing every day rake over me, long and slow, hot and oh-so-fucking familiar. Something flares in them as his jaw locks, his hands fisting at his sides so hard the veins in his arms pop.
I'm half convinced he's going to stalk over and... I don't know, do something.
But he doesn't. After the longest moment, his expression clears and he looks away like I'm not even here.
Despite myself, my shoulders slump. I deserve that, I guess. No, I don't guess; I know. I was a bitch to him. To everyone, really. To be honest, it's a miracle the girls even still attempt to be friends after the summer from hell.
The guys, I'm not so sure about. Ben, I talk to all the time because once you've got that kid in your orbit, you're never getting rid of him. But Cass and Nick... I haven't talked to, not since it all went to shit, through no fault of theirs. I was the one to pull away. I was the one who needed the space, so I took it.
And I have no idea how they feel about that.
Lucky for me, though, I have a feeling I’m about to find out.
I’m so focused on Nick’s surly approach, I don’t see the girls lurking behind him until they’re right in front of me.
“What the hell?” A tiny, ineffectual fist meets my bicep as Amelia leans across the counter and socks me. “Since when do you work here?”
I shrug, using the guy still waiting for his beer as an excuse not to answer.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Amelia deflate. I see the big, bronzed hands that curl around her shoulders and squeeze, and I see the bug-eyed look she shoots Kate.Your turn.
The other best friend I’ve gotten exceptionally adept at neglecting sighs. “I texted you.”
“My phone is off.” As it tends to be these days. Don’t have much use for it. “What can I get you?”
“Seriously?” Kate shakes her head and scoffs. “You can’t even talk to us for two seconds?”
“I’m working.”
“You can take a break,” Amelia coaxes gently, hiding her annoyance better than Kate does.
“Do you want something or not?”
Disappointment. Sadness. Anger. All palpable emotions leaking from my friends doing their very best to crack the cold front I’m trying so hard to maintain.
The latter is mostly Nick, pouring off the man in waves, all of it directed at me. Squeezing his girlfriend again, he gently pushes her towards the table the others have occupied. She doesn't protest, and that’s what gets me.
I spent a long,longtime willing Amelia to start using that flimsy backbone of hers.
And I hate that she doesn’t use it on me.
