Page 173 of Mountain Daddy
“Yeah, with you and Kendra.”
I blink at the phone some more, then lift my gaze to Jessie. “Did you tell her?”
She’s wide eyed, but it’s only humor written all over her face, not guilt.
And not sadness, because I still haven’t told her it’s over.
“No one told me about Kendra,” Ashley answers before Jessie has to.
“Then how…?” I sound off. I can hear it. But hopefully, they’ll think it’s from surprise. Not heartbreak.
Ashley scoffs. “I could smell the pheromones wafting off you two the minute she walked up the driveway.”
Jessie barks out a laugh.
“Pheromones? Seriously? Who raised you?” I try to joke.
“Uh-huh. That and the fact that I recognized her shoes. They were in the entryway the night I got home.”
I purse my lips. I even remember kicking Ashley’s shoes aside the next morning but didn’t consider… “Well. Shit.”
Ashley laughs.
And I push the shot glass closer to Jessie.
I can’t think about that night.
Can’t think about how perfect Kendra was.
How perfectly we fit together.
I can’t think about how right it felt to have her sleeping in my bed.
Jessie only fills the glass halfway this time.
“You guys are so cute together.” Ashley sounds wistful. “Love looks good on you.”
Love.
Pain fills my eyes, and I swallow the shot, then shove the glass back to Jessie.
“Love is…”Love is a strong word.“We aren’t…” I swallow.
We aren’t in love.
We aren’t even together.
“Chill, Dad. It’s okay, she told me.”
I stare at the phone screen.
Ashley hasn’t seemed to pick up on my emotions, but I can feel Jessie staring at me.
“She told you what?” I work to keep my voice steady.
“That she loves you.”
She loves you.
