Page 40 of Jesse

She presses her lips together and shakes her head. “Not yet. I want to know something first.”

“What?”

“Back in Key West… did you mean any of it?”

I stare at her. See her. The new her, the old her. The new me and the old me too. Her little shorts and that tight, white tank top. Her red strapless dress with the form-fitting bodice. Her tanned legs then and her pale ones now. Peeking out from underneath the slits riding up the side of her gown.

Her pout. Then, it was perpetual disappointment in others. And now… it’s different. It’s disappointment in herself. She’s the one who let herself down this time.

I say, “Every fucking word.”

She looks down at her feet. “I’m sorry. I really am. I wanted to stop it.” She looks up at me. “At first, I was mad. So angry at you. I have harbored this hate for you for so long, this felt… reasonable. But…” She sucks in a long breath and lets it out. “I changed my mind.”

“Why? When?” I don’t even think about these words. They just come out automatically.

“The ice cream.”

And I smile. I can’t help it.

“Your story… I didn’t know any of that.”

“But you went through with it anyway? What the fuck, you know? Just what the actual fuck?”

She shrugs. Swallows hard. “The other girls didn’t have that moment with you. They were still angry and I was… not. That’s why I came back. Not just because it was wrong, but because I wanted to see if you really meant it.”

Is she fucking kidding me right now? Is she asking me to… what? Explain my feelings to her? After what she did?

I huff out some air. So angry. So pissed off at her.

But she looks very vulnerable.

And maybe it’s the drugs? Or maybe deep down inside I’m just that guy?

I don’t know. And I don’t even care at this point.

I want to fuck her. Right now.

And then I want to leave her all over again.

Just like last time.

Only this time I’ll be walking out of my own accord.

It won’t be Johnny dragging me away.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - EMMA

He takes a step towards me and I hold my breath. Now what?

I picture him spewing insults at my face. Threatening me with legal action. Calling the police and having them drag me away and then one by one going to my friends’ homes and arresting them.

The headline on Monday. Bright Berry Beach Executives arrested for kidnapping.

Our lives falling apart in an instant over what?

Hate? Hurt feelings?

But the look on his face isn’t one of hate. It’s… could it be? Am I crazy? Is that… longing? Is he… does he want to… no. I’m making shit up now. He’s angry and vindictive. A known liar and cheat.