Page 46 of When We Are Complete

There’s a pause. “Jake…” Her tone shifts, a subtle hardening of her voice. She’s bracing herself, lining up her thoughts neatly as she does with everything else in her life. “I’m sorry to say this, but I should go. I don’t want to be late to work.”

“Right,” I say, squeezing my eyes shut. “Work. Me too.”

“Talk later?” There's a vulnerability behind her words.

“Absolutely.”

“Bye, Jake.”

“Later, beautiful.” I end the call, still grinning like a goddamn fool.

Part of me is still tangled up in her words, in the imaginary lines of her body I can trace by memory alone. But then the email alert on my phone pings and reality hits me across the face—work isn’t going to wait for my horny ass.

“Get your shit together, Tanner,” I say to myself, cleaning myself quickly before heading for the door. I grab my keys and wallet, giving one last fleeting thought to Kelly and those black lace panties.

It’s still raining hard outside, and the cold morning air slaps into me. I jog toward my truck, head down against the deluge, and even though there’s a shit ton to do today, I can’t help the happiness that spreads across my face.

Chapter 26

Kelly

By the weekend,the rain finally lets up—just in time for Adele’s birthday party. I’m a bundle of nerves but can’t ignore my excitement at the thought of seeing Jake. Standing in front of my closet, I rifle through hangers, frowning at shirts and skirts that all screamjust friends.

“This is hopeless. None of this is right.” I finally yank out a little black dress that screams something else entirely and pull it on.

“Sweet mercy.” Nora appears in my bedroom doorway, an amused look on her face. “Are you going to a teenager’s birthday party or a bachelorette bash?”

“Ha ha.” I roll my eyes. “I’m just trying to find the perfect outfit that sends the right message.”

“Does this have anything to do with the fact Jenny Cowell is going to be there?”

“Well, maybe.”

“Babe, you look hot. But remember, there will be impressionable teenage girls there.” Nora’s standing behind me now, meeting my gaze in the reflection, trying to suppress a laugh.

“I know, I know,” I say, smoothing the fabric down my hips. “I’m not actually going to wear this. It’s just, after everything, I want to look good. It’s going to be hard being in the same room as Jenny. She’s the one he left me for.”

“From what he said the other day, it was only because of the pregnancy, and to be honest, we all knew that anyway. You weren’t here to see them together when they first got married. It was pretty clear they were never really in love.” She walks over to my wardrobe, picking out a sheer floral shirt, a white tank top to wear underneath, and a pair of Levi’s that fit me just right. “Here, try this. Have you wrapped Adele’s present yet?”

The mention of Adele has my stomach doing somersaults. “Yeah, I wrapped it.”

Nora sees something on my face. “Hey, it’s really going to be okay.”

“I hope so. Adele is just an innocent kid, but she’s pretty much the whole reason we broke up,” I say, my voice dropping. “I won’t lie. This whole thing seems like a mistake and too soon. What if Adele hates me? What if it’s super awkward with Jenny?”

“Kel,” Nora says, stepping closer and squeezing my shoulder. “Don’t worry about things so much. All of Jake’s friends know Adele. I’ve met her a bunch of times. Don’t think of it as a big deal. I’m sure Jake just wants to see you, include you in his life. And as for Jenny, everything is cool between them. You’ll see for yourself soon enough.”

“Right.” I’m trying to convince myself more than her. “This is just a party. I’m overthinking it.”

“Exactly!” Nora claps her hands together. “Now, let’s do something about that mess.” She points to my wet hair, which is currently rebelling in every direction.

“God, yes, please.” I breathe a sigh of relief, grateful for the distraction. “Work your magic.”

We move to the bathroom, and she starts taming my locks with a blow-dryer and a round brush.

“Okay,” Nora says a short while later, giving my hair a final fluff. “Looking good.”

“Thanks,” I reply, checking myself out in the mirror. I look a little pale, and grab my makeup bag while Nora sits on the edge of the bathtub behind me, her legs crossed.

---