“And you should give him a spa treatment,” Brennan added.
“A spa treatment?” Jessica laughed. “Never in a million years would he agree to that.”
“Give him a massage. That’s sexy,” Nicole suggested.
“And maybe you could get him into one of the spring-fed tubs,” Brennan said.
“That sounds great and all, but how is this helping Mark learn to open up?”
“Well, for starters, you guys would be getting familiar with what’s going on in each other’s lives now, not trying to re-create what you had together in high school, which didn’t work out anyway. Maybe you need to leave the past in the past and act like you’re newly dating. Go see him in his element, and then let him see you in yours. Plus, it gives you more opportunities to ask him questions about himself. Get to know modern-day Mark,” Nicole said.
“Okay, that actually makes sense.” Jessica took another bite of her fettuccine Alfredo.
“And then if you really want another chance with him, you’re going to have to make it official. Bring him for dinner at Mom and Dad’s. Give him a chance to fit back into the family. That’s nudging him in the right direction. That’s giving him a chance to grow and do better this time.”
“Nicole’s right,” Brennan said.
Jessica stared at the remnants of her dinner as the truth of her sister’s words sank in. She’d been holding Mark at arm’s length to keep from getting hurt, and in doing so, she was all but ensuring that’s exactly what would happen.
***
“Heard a rumor you’ve been holding out on us, man.” Ethan grinned like the cat who ate the canary.
“Oh yeah, what’s that?” Mark asked, keeping his expression neutral.
“You and Jessica?”
“I heard a similar rumor,” Ryan said.
“I don’t know where you guys get your intel.” Mark shook his head, turning to the lumber he was loading into the back of Ryan’s pickup truck. He was not in the mood to discuss Jess with these guys right now. Not in the mood to talk, period.
“You know damn well,” Ethan said, still grinning. “And I don’t hear you denying it either.”
Mark shrugged, continuing to load the back of the truck.
“Kind of a big deal,” Ryan commented, “hooking up with your high school sweetheart when, if I’m not mistaken, you hadn’t so much as looked twice at a woman in years.”
“Yep,” Ethan agreed.
“Jess and I have been in touch a lot about the land. That’s all.” Mark turned his back on the two busybodies behind him.
“Bullshit,” Ethan said.
“Yo, Emma already spilled the beans. We know you’re sleeping with Jessica.” Ryan sounded amused.
Mark bristled. Jess had told her friends, after asking him to keep their relationship quiet? What the hell?
“And Gabby confirmed when I pressed her about it,” Ethan said.
“Guess you already know then,” Mark said, feeling irrationally pissed. “Good for you.”
“Hey”—Ryan clapped him on the shoulder—“we’re happy for you, man.”
Mark kept stacking wood.
“Seriously, you have nothing to say on the subject?” Now Ethan sounded amused.
“Nope.” Mark slung a two-by-four into the truck bed, deliberately allowing it to swing close to Ethan’s head.
