I let a sob break from me and tried to wipe away the tears that were falling now.
“I was in a crowded room, but felt so alone.”
“Oh, honey,” Jemma pulled me to her, wrapping her arms around me as I cried. “Where the fuck was he?”
Her question sounded as if she was trying to understand what had happened that night.
“After everyone left, I cleaned up and went to bed. I’d been so worn out that I managed to pass out. When I woke in the morning, I still had nothing on my phone, but I didn’t have any more energy to call. Instead, I got up and was making breakfast when Parker walked through the door. We’d shared keys to our places so we could come and go as freely as we wanted.” I pulled away and laughed. The kind of laugh you have when you just know how shit a situation something is, but it happened, and you can’t change it. “He walked in the door with a coffee anda box of pastries like he normally would on Sunday mornings, like nothing had happened. He didn’t mention the calls, the voicemails, the texts.”
“What?” Jemma’s question was soft, but I kept going.
“He said nothing. Acted like nothing had happened. We went on with our day, and I felt so paralyzed on how to bring it up to him that I never did. He never said anything about it ever again, and I never mentioned my birthday a single day after that. Not to anyone. I had no idea if his friends ever mentioned it to him, but he never once brought it up.”
I looked over to Jemma, who now had tears falling down her face.
“Not until you.”
Jemma launched herself at me, causing the swing to move. I laughed as I held on tight to her.
“We can table this for now, but fuck, girl.” She squeezed me tighter.
“I know.” I held on to her tightly, relaxing into her arms. Jemma was an amazing friend, always there for me. I pulled back and put my hands on her shoulders. “Now that we’ve discussed my trauma, maybe you could tell me more about Beckett? Like what’s been going on and why I’ve been seeing your bedroom light on at three in the morning when I know good and well you’re in bed by nine and up by seven each morning.”
My eyebrow quirked up, and Jemma’s eyes went wide.
“Shit.” The one word was barely a whisper, but I heard it. “I thought we were being careful.”
“So, my guess is that we are at the lovers’ part and no longer enemies?”
Jemma closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. When she opened them, I saw the vulnerability shine through and immediately grabbed her again; this time, I was giving her the much-needed hug.
“I never once in my life thought this man would ever come waltzing back in, but fuck. It’s been hard to keep him away when he keeps persisting, and I’ve succumbed to not wanting to put my walls up.” Jemma admitted all of this to me while her face was buried in my neck. “I have no idea what this is, but I also don’t know how much of my life I want to let him in on.”
I pulled back and looked at Jemma. We were each other’s rocks, and as much as she had been there for me these past few weeks and months with Ryker, this book, and the new game, I was here for her just as much.
“Why not invite him to your open house at the new art gallery in Toronto?”
Jemma backed away at my suggestion. Her art was her vulnerability on display, and she normally didn’t let anyone she knew see it besides me.
“Before you run away and tell me no, think about it.” I placed my hands on hers. “He’s from home, you knew him when you were younger, and while I know there are a lot of memories with your family that you use as inspiration, this collection is not that. In fact, yourAwakeningcollection would be the perfect way to introduce him to what you are capable of doing and showing him a side of you he doesn’t know.”
Jemma let out a breath and pondered my statement.
“One condition.” She held a finger up as if to let her stew before continuing. “You let me throw you a big birthday party since it’s the weekend before the gallery opening and we can test the waters on how Beckett is in a group setting.”
I froze at her offer. She was trying to combine our traumas. I shook my head and gave her a squinted look.
“I’ll think about it,” is all I said before Jemma stood from the swing and stood in front of me. She held out her hand, but not before wiping away a few tears she’d shed herself.
We were definitely a pair, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We were going to do this together, and damn it, I was probably going to have a huge ass birthday party to walk into next month.
A smile crossed my face as I followed Jemma into the house.
A birthday party.
That was all mine.
Fuck, she looked stunning.
