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Sara puts onMy Best Friend’s Wedding—I needed something that didn’t end in a mushy happily ever after—then heads off to pick up her son, Benji, leaving me with her laptop.
I’ve just reached the part where they sing “I Say A Little Prayer,” when Ashley, of all people, wanders in without apology.
“You need to put that boy out of his misery and either tell him to leave, or invite him in to talk. It’s humiliating for him.”
That almost came across as genuine concern until she kept talking.
“Thank you for the unsolicited advice,” I say, holding back an eye roll. “I’ll be sure to take it under consideration.”
“Ugh, I can’t believe your attitude’s back. I was actually starting to like the pleasant Willow you’d become. Pity Pippa returned and ruined it all.”
Bitch! I wish it was Pippa.Speaking of Pippa though…
“You know you’re the one in the wrong, when it comes to your relationship with her. Right?Yourattitude toward Pippa isn’t warranted. At all.”
Okay, maybe that’s not the complete truth considering Pippa had been sleeping with Jonah. But that’s a different story.
Ashley smirks, not even flinching at my comments. “How does it feel knowing you did the same thing I did?” She folds her arms over her chest as she raises her perfectly shaped eyebrows. “I’m not stupid; it’s obvious that guy has feelings for you.”
My jaw drops. Surely Mom filled her in on the truth around Pippa’s fake relationship.
“You all know Pippa’s with Ryan. She was never with Jesse.”
“We know thatnow. Question is…did you know that when you went after him?”
I swallow a lump in my throat.Jesus. Am I just as bad as she is? True, I never did anything until I found out it was fake, but Ifeltthings.
“That’s what I thought,” Ashley says without letting me answer.
And it hits me.
“It’s guilt,” I say with a little too much enthusiasm.
“What?”
“Your vendetta against Pippaisn’tbecause of Pippa at all. You do it to make yourself feel better. Because every time she snaps back, it takes away some of your guilt. You get to tell yourself she’s a horrible person. That she deserved it.”
Ashley stares at me in shock and I know I’m right. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before. It also explains Jesse’s attitude toward me when he first arrived in town. It may have morphed into his need to push me away, but it started as guilt. I’m sure of it. He knew who I was the second he saw me. And God, I want to hate him for that.
“You know what? Maybe I will put Jesse out of his misery,” I say, pulling myself out of bed, motivated by my need to get away from Ashley.
Crutches in hand, I turn toward the door. “Where is he?”
Chapter Two
Jesse - Twelve Years Ago / Age Sixteen
Tatedoesn’tanswermeabout the drugs, but I don’t need him to. His grim expression says it all. And it makes me want to deck him. The only thing holding me back is knowing that he’s doing all this to avoid a beating in the first place. Something I now refuse to do. I’d rather take the pain.
“She looks younger than us,” I say, making sure he knows how disappointed I am.
“It’s her or me, Jesse. I’m just saving my own ass. And in a way, I’m saving yours too. I’m not forcing her into drugs.Shecontactedme.”
He may be right, but fuck, it feels wrong. She can’t be older than fifteen, and she’s already into drugs. Or getting into them.Jesus. “Come on, we have to stop them,” I say, picking up my pace again. “Lily looks angry, and the last thing we need is trouble at home if she spills.”
Chapter Three
Jesse
