“Speaking of which, don’t think I’m not judging you for not letting me know you’rehere.”
“Just for the night. You’re always playing Mr. International Man of Mystery, so I figured it’d be a waste to try and squeeze myself into yourscheduling.”
“I’m good at squeezing intothings.”
I shake my head. “Ah, sometimes I forget how much I miss you, ya naughtybastard.”
“Well, we can play catch-up in Puerto Vallarta. It’ll give me a chance to meet your kid and this man of yours. We’ll live it up. Drinks, partying, dancing. It sounds like it’s been all work and no play for the three ofyou.”
He has no idea just how much, because I’ve never talked to Liam about my past trauma…or my efforts toward recovery, which as little as it seems, takes up more of my goddamn time than I care to thinkabout.
“I could use a good vacation like that,” I tell him. “Are you sure you’ll be there? I know how your schedulegets…”
“Something from work could always come up…as it tendsto.”
“Good enough for me. More than I can get out of yousometimes.”
“Hey, you’re one to talk, Mr. Not-Gonna-Tell-Me-You-Were-in-New-York. It’s fine, though. Secretly stalking you makes it easier for me than you, so fairenough.”
We continue catching up, and even get drunk enough to FaceTime with Allison, who happens to be out with the BastardMotherfuckers.
God, I miss theseguys.
However, Liam’s distracted me with his talk about marrying Jesse andPV.
I can’t help but conjure up the image of me bending down on one knee and asking him in the place where we met, the place where that spark ignited. There’s this rational part that tells me it’s way too soon, and this other part that assures me that everything about us has been too soon, so why not this aswell?
15
Jesse
Isitin the back seat of thecar.
“No, please,” I beg. But they aren’t listening to me. I know theyaren’t.
Charlotte and Stan are driving me back to theshelter.
I can’t remember what I did…or why they think I need to go back, but as we park outside the shelter, I’m screaming, begging, andpleading.
Charlotte and Stan are still seated in front, neither budging as the back seat door opens and the woman from the shelter, Judy, reachesin.
“No, no, no!” I call out, but despite grabbing and clawing at the car seat, it’s useless. She has me and pulls me out. As I reach for the door, the car lets out a shrill sound before jetting forward and heading along the road, and I can’t even make out Charlotte and Stananymore.
I turn and see where Judy is takingme.
But I thought they lovedme.
Wasn’t Igood?
What did Ido?
The questions haunt me as I scramble to figure out why they don’t want me. Why I’m all alone in the worldagain.
“Jesse,” I hear a disembodied voicesay.
It sends me into a panic for a moment, but I hear it again, and suddenly, I remember I’m not aloneanymore.
My eyes pop open, and I sit up quickly, Eric at my side. I’m trembling with excitement, agitated. But Eric sitting beside me, his arm around me, pulls me back to reality. It was only anotherdream.
