Page 7 of Return to Us
I chuckle. “You’re always starving.”
It doesn’t matter if we respond to a false alarm or four-alarm fire, Jack believes that getting out of bed earns him some food as a reward. Tonight, we responded to a brush fire that, thankfully, had been called in before it got out of control. Probably the football guys having a bonfire where they shouldn’t have. Of course, it wasn’t as if Jack and I ever did stupid shit like that when we were kids . . .
“Fact.”
I use every ounce of willpower I have not to glance over at her. Not that I can’t, at any time, recall how she looks in perfect detail. Her dark brown hair lays straight, rich honey-colored eyes, and freckles across her cheekbones that she tries to hide. How is it that she’s even more beautiful than I remembered?
We get to our seats, and I purposely make sure my back is to her. If I don’t, I’ll end up staring at her and failing in my plan to pretend she doesn’t exist.
She left me.
She decided we weren’t worth the effort. Four years I loved her, and it took her four minutes to wreck it all.
Jack slaps his menu against mine. “You all right?”
“I’m fine.”
“Yeah? Because you’re acting weird. Couldn’t be because Jessica is three tables back, could it?”
I shake my head with my lips in a firm line. “Nope.”
“No, I mean, it’s not like she was the one who got away.”
“She left.”
“She did, and now she’s back.”
“It appears she is. I don’t give a shit,” I say, looking at the menu.
He laughs once. “Yeah, you look like you don’t care. I mean, you’re the epitome of not caring right now.”
“Drop it, Jack.”
I’m really not in the mood for this. Jessica Walker is not my concern anymore. She made her choice when she ran out of here like her feet were on fire. It didn’t matter that I would’ve given her everything, including time while we were both in school.
He chuckles and starts looking over the menu. “I hear she’s back for good.”
I release a heavy sigh, knowing he’s like a dog with a bone. “Stella said as much.”
He doesn’t lift his gaze as he nods. “Yeah, did she tell you why or did you cut her off before she could get the story out?”
“It doesn’t matter if she’s back for a day, an hour, or the rest of her life. It makes zero difference to me.”
He laughs under his breath. “Fucking idiot.”
Just as I’m about to tell him off, I can feel her standing there. I turn my head, steeling myself against finally getting a closer look at her.
She has a smile on her face, but I can see the hesitation in her eyes. “Hi, Gray.”
“Jess.”
“I . . . well, I wanted to say hello. How loud to go—” She closes her eyes, breathes a few times, and then speaks again, “How have you been?”
“Just fine.” I give her a quick look before focusing on something else. This doesn’t have to happen. We can live here and go about our lives not talking. We spent fourteen years not saying a word to each other, this should be simple enough.
“Oh. Good.” She looks at Jack and then back to me.
Jack gets up and gives her a hug. “Jess, it’s so good to see you.”
