“I haven’t been pining,” I grumble.
“Sure you haven’t. That’s why you won’t go out with any other guy, except this mysterious Jax we never get to meet, and live like a nun.”
“Tessa...”
“Well, listen.” She pops her door open and prepares to step out. “I don’t know much about relationships, so I’m not going to try and give you any advice. But I gotta say it
. Even to me, this sounds like serious love.”
***
Serious love. Whatever. I’m not in love with Tyler. I’m angry with him—and myself. Love and anger can’t be confused—can they? Now the shock of seeing him is starting to wear off, and with my cold hands wrapped around a tall cup of creamy cappuccino, I can think more clearly.
I don’t expect anything from Tyler—apart from an explanation. Tessa’s right. I’ve hung onto him all these years, and it must be because I never had closure. Like families who have a child gone missing and they keep their room intact for years and years, always hoping to find out what happened and for their child to return.
So I need to talk to him, apologize for the way we parted, get my explanation about why he vanished, let go and live my life. It’d be fair to myself. Fair to Jax. The cloud hanging over us both will dissipate, and we’ll move on. Jax knows when I’m sad, when depression drags me down. He has a right to be happy, and it all depends on me.
And Tyler’s explanation.
“You’re not going to tell me anything, are you?” Tessa pouts over her cup of coffee. “I’ll keep asking, you know, until you tell me what really went down between you two. Did you cheat on him?”
“Tess!” I choke on my cappuccino and put it down to wipe my mouth. “I didn’t.”
“Then he did?”
“No.” I consider standing up and leaving, but I don’t have many friends, and Tessa is a nice person. She did last long enough to ask me these questions. I’d be dying of curiosity in her place, and when someone is curious, you need to toss them a bone to worry, so they leave you in peace.
Works with dogs, anyway. No clue whether it works with people.
“Did he do something? Kill someone?”
I choke again. Damn. “Are you insane?”
“Why? It’s mysterious and romantic.” Tessa crosses one leg over the other and swings her designer boot. “Handsome young man suspected of murder leaves town to protect his girlfriend.”
Whoa. “Are you on drugs or something?”
Tessa grins. “Or something.”
I glance around, looking for clues. Tessa’s been dragging me to this cafe at the edge of town for weeks now, and I have no clue why. The coffee’s horrible, plus they don’t have her favorite red velvet cupcakes—or mine, the mocha cupcakes with espresso frosting—and the decor looks as if someone threw paint on the walls with buckets. I never gave it much thought, but Tessa is always hyper when we’re here, and I don’t think it’s the caffeine.
Then I spot a guy sitting a few tables away. Blond head with purple streaks, check. Broad shoulders, check. Oh God…
I sit back with a snort. “That’s Dylan, isn’t it?”
She makes a face. “So?”
He’s with a blonde, skinny girl in a skirt so short it’s barely visible under her yellow sweater. “Is he the reason we come here every week?”
“What? He’s good eye-candy. A girl can look.”
“But not touch?”
“Stop trying to distract me from questioning you. It’s not working.” She hides a smile behind her cup. “I’ll leave it be for now, but you will tell me sooner or later what happened with Tyler.”
“Right.” I glance again at Dylan, and I think of Tyler, his dark eyes, his powerful shoulders... Is he with a girl right now, too? “No pressure.”
“Hey.” She taps the table with a manicured hand and winks. “That’s what friends are for.”