“What’s going on?” Indy asks.
As I take a deep breath, a sense of rightness and purpose settles in my chest. “It’s about time I step up and do the damn thing I should’ve done years ago. I’m in love with Jerryn, and I’ve decided it’s time he knew that. I want to romance him, but I have no clue where to start. Can I count on you guys?”
Salem bounces on his toes. “Oh my god, I love this.”
Ridley grins. “Hell yeah, we’re in. Right, guys?”
I get a chorus of agreement from everyone.
“This is awesome,” Kit says, glancing at Stewart, who nods.
“Fully supportive,” Lowen says as Oakley gives me a thumbs-up.
Salem claps his hands once. “Operation Woo Jerryn is on.”
FIVE
JERRYN
The barinside the hotel is packed, so it takes me several minutes to locate Alec, and when I see him, my stomach does an unpleasant flip. I haven’t actually seen his face since the night I ended things, and all I can see right now is his scowl as he verbally picked me apart. How I ended up willingly meeting him is a mystery.
He’s looking down at his phone, chuckling at something on the screen, but when he notices me, he drops his phone and stands.
“Jerryn.”
“Hey, Alec.”
Alec steps forward, awkwardly hugging me before letting me go and gesturing toward the empty chair across from the small round table.
“Thanks for meeting up.”
“No problem.” I take a seat, fidgeting a bit as I settle into my chair. “How was your flight?”
Alec shrugs, leaning back in his seat. “Long but fine.”
He looks different. Thinner, for sure, and he’s growing a beard that doesn’t quite fit his face in my opinion. His blond hair is cut shorter than it was, but still swoops into his face to framehis blue eyes. He was never my type, but he was nice to me when we first met, and I convinced myself I’d find him attractive over time. I did, to some extent, just not the way he hoped. I guess the way we both hoped.
“That’s good.”
“Yeah.”
A server comes up to the table. “Welcome,” he says. “What can I get you?”
“Whatever you have on tap.”
“Be right back.”
Sitting across from Alec is surreal. I never thought I’d see him again, and now that I have, I have no idea what to say.
“I’m really glad you came out. I thought about calling a few times.” He chuckles, rubbing his scruffy chin. “More than a few times, but a phone call didn’t seem right.”
“Right for what?”
“For the apology you deserve.”
I sit back. I wasn’t expecting that.
“I’ve thought a lot about the things I said to you, and I feel bad. I was a total dick and you didn’t deserve it.”