Page 4 of California Wild

Isaac paused, caught off guard. “Seriously?”

Jesse didn’t move. “Not my thing.”

Isaac raised an eyebrow. “Not your thing? Bro, you’ve been posted up at the back of this place like a sniper, watching her like your life depended on it.”

“I came for the music.”

Isaac let out a dry laugh. “You came because you’re in love with her.”

Jesse turned his head sharply, eyes locking on Isaac’s. “You wanna die?”

That shut him up.

A beat of silence passed. Jesse didn’t blink.

Isaac held up both hands, backing off. “Alright. Alright. You don’t want to talk about it, I’m not gonna make you. I’m just saying—”

“Don’t.”

Another pause.

Isaac studied him, lips twitching like he wanted to keep pushing. But he didn’t.

Because Isaac got it. The way real friends did.

“Fine. I’ll say hi for both of us. You driving?”

Jesse nodded, jaw tight. “Yeah. I’ll be outside.”

He turned without waiting, ducking out the side exit into the cool San Diego night. The air hit his skin like a slap, cutting through the heat still simmering beneath it.

He walked to his truck and leaned against it, arms crossed, staring down the dark alley behind the venue.

He didn’t look back.

Didn’t need to.

He could still feel her in his bloodstream.

Inside, Isaac would be talking to her, all casual charm and easy jokes, pretending like Jesse hadn’t just stood through the entire show like a man on fire.

And Jesse?

He stayed outside.

Because he didn’t know how to talk to her.

Because he didn’t know if he deserved to.

Because the truth?

The truth was, Isaac was wrong about one thing.

Jesse hadn’t just fallen in love with her voice three years ago.

He’d fallen in love with her.

And he’d been trying not to feel it ever since.

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