I felt my body tighten with anger. Jane had been the popular girl at school. The one everyone wanted to be — gorgeous, rich, and thankfully, stupid and selfish as well. I hated her. And the minute I’d heard that Jane and Jason’s wedding was off two years ago, I’d almost driven back into town and groveled at his feet.
Pathetic, I know.
“Oh?” Jason asked. “You mean, other than you guys sabotaging the entire thing?”
“Details.” Max waved him off. “You didn’t have a heart then. You were like the Tin Man, awkwardly singing in the forest.” He nodded enthusiastically. “But look what we have here.” Max pointed at me. “Maddy’s returned, so now you can get your heart back, slam it in its place in your chest, and bone the first woman who winks at you! Happily. Ever. After.”
Colt groaned. “I don’t think that’s how this works, Max.”
“It does.” He said it like he meant it. “Oh, and I hope you guys don’t mind.” A few honks sounded from outside. “I scrolled through the invite list for the reunion weekend and invited some people who looked fun.”
“Where the hell did you even FIND the list?” Jason roared.
I winced as Max just gave him a blank expression and said, “Does Superman reveal all his secret powers all at once? I didn’t think so…”
“Are there no depths to where you won’t crawl?” Jason mumbled under his breath.
Max arched a brow. “I don’t understand your question.”
The doorbell rang.
And Max was off, peeling his shirt from his body, revealing a ridiculous six-pack, and rubbing his hands together as he whispered, “Show time.”
I turned around and gave Jason a pleading look. The last thing I wanted to do was be at a party at his house, like we used to have, and see all my old, successful friends with their husbands and kids and lives and… I must have looked panicked because Jason grabbed my arm and pulled me down the hall. He shut us into the master bedroom.
There it was. The same bed we’d fooled around on, just because it felt naughty to make out where his parents slept.
Sixteen-year-olds.
“Hey…” Jason cupped my face with his strong hands, “…look at me.”
I gulped and focused on his hypnotic eyes.
“I’ll get rid of them. I’m sure I can come up with something. You can hide out in here.”
My eyes narrowed. “Hide out? Why would I…?”
He took a step back, his face guilty. “Look, I’m not saying you need to be ashamed of coming back home. I just know that—”
“What?” I interrupted. “What the hell do you know, Jason? About me? About my life? My shame?”
“Whoa, calm down—”
NOT the thing to say to a woman. Ever.
“I’m perfectly CALM!” I yelled. “And I’m fine, totally fine with a party. In fact, maybe that’s exactly what I need after a long day!”
“Long day?” He stepped back. “Long day? Are you saying you hated it?”
“A trip down memory lane where I got to remember all the awesome things I did with the one man I’ll never have? Yeah, it was a freaking blast! Can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds, and for the record, I’m fine.”
“You said that.”
“Yeah, well.” I lifted my chin at him. “It’s because it’s true.”
“I believe you.” He smirked.
How dare he smirk!
I narrowed my eyes and jerked open the door then marched down the hall toward Milo’s room, where I knew I could find a bikini.
Once I got to the end, I paused.
“Top dresser-drawer,” he called.
“I KNOW!” I yelled back then slammed the door behind me. Like a teen.
Well, one thing’s for sure. This whole blast from the past was doing wonders for my maturity level.
Fantastic.