I glanced over at Jillian whose eyes were focused on me. “Seriously?” she mouthed before she rolled her greens over to the door. “Mom, I’m twenty-two now. I can lock the door if I need to. Besides, since when do I have rules?” She hadn’t cracked a smile yet. “Give me a minute to wake up, huh?”
“I need to fit your dress. I know you’ve lost weight so we need to make sure it fits, sweetie,” Ellen told her. “I haven’t seen you in four years.”
Jillian shook her head. “Can I shower first?” She pulled the covers back, and I tried not to notice the shirt had risen up enough to give me a glimpse of her flat stomach.
Ellen let out a breath. “Alright.” Her footsteps disappeared down the hall, leaving us alone again.
Jillian gave me a quick, shy smile that didn’t meet her eyes. “You heard the woman.” She stood up. “I’m assuming you have work or whatever?” She was fishing for information that I wasn’t going to give her. Last night was something I shouldn’t have let happen—a fluke—and I’d be damned if I would give her shit.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
I stretched my arms over my head to crack and pop the sore muscles and bones. “Act like we’re friends or something. We’re not.” I pointed my index finger at her. “You fucking broke my heart, Jills,” I reminded her and watched the way her face fell.
“You think I don’t know that?” Her voice came out in a rush. “Every single day for the past four years?” She closed her eyes. “I thought about what I did to you. How you trusted me...” Her voice broke before she could form a complete sentence.
“Then why did you do it?” I roared so loud I expected the windows to break. “You won’t even tell me why? Did I mean that little to you? Was I some sort of game for you on your way out of this town?”
Jillian flinched. “I loved you,” she whispered.
“Bullshit.”
Jillian stared at me. “I’m not the one that hopped into bed with the town slut and knocked her up,” she spat.
“At least I know that Madison won’t disappear on me,” I growled.
“I want you to leave.”
“Isn’t that whatyoudo, Jills?”
Her chin trembled as she stared up at me before she turned and sat down on the bed with her back to me. “I deserve everything you’ve said, but I honestly have no fight left in me this morning, Hutch. Please leave before I say something else that I don’t mean.” She dropped her head as her shoulders slumped.
“Jilly—”
“Please, Hutch.”
I wanted to tell her I was sorry for the things I said. That I didn’t mean to hurt her, but honestly, I did. I wanted Jillian to hurt the way I did when she left me without saying goodbye. I had plans to go visit her every weekend. I had plans to maybe move there if she wanted me to. I had plans to ask her to marry me. I wanted Jillian to be my forever, only she hadn’t felt the same way.
I didn’t say another word as I opened the window, the screen, and then climbed out, making sure to shut them both behind me before jumping back onto the lawn. Only to come face to face with Jo sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee in her hand.
“Gee, if I had known I’d see you this morning, Hutch, I’d have brought you a cup too.” She smirked as she brought the mug to her mouth.
“It’s not what you think,” I assured her.
Jo’s brows dipped. “No? Then why is Madison blowing up my phone like it’s a pandemic?” She leaned forward. “Seems you told her you were going to visit your brother, but never came home.”
“I did, I mean I was.” Fuck, I was a dead man.
“But here you are, leaving my sister’s room with guilt written all over your face.”
I pinched my lips together. “Nothing happened.” Why was I acting as if I was nine instead of thirty?
“I know that, but Mads doesn’t.” Jo pointed out.
“What do you want?” I blurted out. “Because I don’t like blackmail, Jo.”
She chuckled and crossed her right leg over her left. “Fix whatever the hell happened between you and my sister.” She acted like it was so simple.
