Things were good between us. We reveled in each other sexually. Yes, Rome could have other women, he did have other women.
I liked that. I liked knowing I wasn’t anything special to him and he knew he wasn’t special to me either. He was just safe and hot and easy. He’d been the only other guy I’d trusted myself with and the only one who hadn’t hurt me.
Was I close enough for him to hurt me? No, but that was the point.
Because, today, I was facing the one man who’d hurt me the most.
We were in the car, about to face my worst nightmare.
I had to see each and every Stonewood today.
I had to see my heartbreak. My first love. My ultimate ruin.
Jax Stonewood.
Thankfully, Jay had requested tickets for Vick and Roman, also. We were the first to show and it gave me a moment to get my bearings.
“Vick, you sit on this side of me and Rome you sit on this side.” I motioned as I took a seat.
“Seriously?” Vick looked at me, hands on hips. “You look cute as hell. Leave this spot open and hope he sits down right next to you. Make him sweat it out. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“Cut her some slack,” Roman grumbled and looked at me like I was pathetic. He plopped down next to me and swung his arm over my shoulders. “Want me to act like your boyfriend?”
Vick huffed. “You two might as well be dating. You eat together, you watch horrible television together. I also know for a fact you are still sleeping together ...”
I flinched. “Vick, come on! You know that is none of your business.”
“Why the hell not?” Her arms flailed along with her blonde ponytail. “You’re my best friends and you guys are barring yourselves off from real relationships so you both can wallow in your past fucked-up ones.”
Rome stopped her by leaning forward and glaring at her. His glare stopped traffic if it needed to. “Vick, not your business. We’re all fine. No one’s getting hurt. So leave it alone.”
Vick’s ponytail swished through the air like a white flag, giving up for now but letting us both know she didn’t agree as she slammed back into her seat with her arms crossed.
I tried to relax under Rome’s arm and let the sun warm me while we waited. The breeze kept me cool in my light sundress and rustled the budding trees.
We should have all been enjoying the comfortable weather while we waited for the ceremony to start. Instead, people buzzed through the seats, trying to get the best ones, and the graduates sat as straight as they could, sporting their caps and gowns.
I searched out Jay. I smiled to myself as I saw him talking to the person next to him and then that person laughed along at whatever he’d said. Jay deserved this moment more than anyone I knew. He’d never stopped making everyone around him laugh even as he studied through school.
Roman whispered in my ear, “You gonna miss him?”
“Like the deserts miss the rain.”
He laughed, shaking his head. “Sade?”
“I only quote the best.” I patted his leg. “You’ll miss him too. He’s been just as good of a friend to you as Vick and me.”
“And I’m barely either of your friends at the moment,” Vick mumbled at my right.
“His filming in LA starts in a few weeks, right?”
I sighed. “Don’t remind me. I’ll barely see him.”
Rome squeezed my shoulder. “If you need me to, I’ll go to his movie trailer and drag him back here.”
I shrugged. “If not, we’ll just have to go see every rom-com he’s in for the next two years.”
“He’s booked for two years?” Rome's voice went up in disbelief.