Page 101 of Don't Think
I grin. “What can I say? I know you.”
Nora’s high-pitched laughter cuts through the air, loud enough to make us both turn toward the noise. My eyes land on her across the yard, clutching her drink like nothing’s wrong. Like nothing even happened.
She didn’t even look at me earlier. Just walked past like I was invisible. Like I was something she might catch if she got too close.
Yet she’s over there, laughing like everything’s fine.
What she doesn’t know is that Gareth kept it from her too. I almost told her during our fight, had it right on the tip of my tongue. But throwing someone else under the bus to save myself? That didn’t feel right.
My eyes drift to Jax, watching while he flips burgers at the grill. It’s stupid, how even the smallest things he does manage to pull me in. He could be scrolling through his phone, watching a movie, or even just taking a simple sip of water—and somehow, I’m pulled into this beautiful vortex that’shim.
His eyes snap up to mine like he can feel my staring, and my heart kicks up. My cheeks instantly heat knowing he definitely caught me gawking like a weirdo.
I offer a small smile, wishing I could just walk over, wrap my arms around him, and stay there forever. But I’m not ready for that. At least not with Nora standing just a few feet away, judging my every move.
“Has she spoken to you at all?” Ana asks, interrupting my thoughts.
I turn to her and press my lips together. “Not a single word.”
She leans across the little table between us and rests her hand on my forearm. “She can’t stay mad forever,” she says reassuringly. “It’ll get figured out.”
“I’m not even sure I want it to,” I admit, my voice low. I’m suddenly being hit with that wine-drunk confidence, and right now? I love it.
“She said some pretty hurtful things. Not just the comment about the girls… but the Trevor stuff? I mean, did I really complainthatmuch?” I ask, face scrunching.
She scoffs, shaking her head. “Girl, you didn’t complainenough.Trevor treated you like dirt. You hadeveryright to feel how you did.”
Before I can respond, we hear Nora’s voice calling out her goodbyes—to everyoneexceptus.
Which is exactly why Ana and I have stayed as far away as humanly possible. Sitting poolside while everyone else engages in conversation. James and Jax tried to drag us over a few times, but it was a hard pass for the two of us.
Yesterday, she mentionedshefelt like the black sheep, but right now, that’s exactly how she’s treating us. Like we’re unworthy of her acknowledgment, and we’re just a couple of peasants while she floats around, above it all. So why would wewantto go over there?
Ana pushes herself up and slaps her palms against her thighs. “I should probably get going too.”
My brows draw together while I watch her stretch her arms over her head.
“What do you mean? Where are you going?”
“James and I planned a movie night. Didn’t I tell you?”
“No, youabsolutelydid not tell me,” I reply with a laugh.
I lean my elbows on my knees, narrowing my eyes at her.
“What’s up with you and James, by the way?” I ask, nodding toward where he’s currently helping clear the table.
She huffs, throwing me a playful glare. “Can a man and a woman not have a strictly platonic relationship? Not everyone has tofuck, Allie,” she teases with a wink.
“You’re right,” I reply, holding up my hands in surrender. “I was just making sure.”
She starts to turn away, but then pauses, looking over her shoulder with a small smirk. “I say this with as much love and respect as I can. But if Iwereseeing James,you’dbe the first to know.”
I watch her walk away, my heart sinking slowly.
Deep down, I know she didn’t mean it the way I’m taking it, but I know what she’s saying is true. She would have run and told me the second she started seeing someone—yet I hid it. Fromeveryoneclose to me.
When everyone’s finally gone and the house is quiet, it’s just me and Jax, alone in the kitchen. I’m leaning against the counter, watching him pour the last of the wine into a glass before setting the now-empty bottle in the sink.
