You were there?she mouthed to me.
I nodded imperceptibly, not wanting to tip anyone off to our silent conversation.
Brenna’s mouth slackened. She ran her hands over her arms, as if she needed to inject warmth into them.
I wanted to jump out of my skin, relieving the memory of watching the only woman I’d ever loved sayyesto another man’s proposal. Her mouth had tipped open in shock that day, but it quickly gave way to a dazzling smile. She wanted to marry the man sitting at this table.
My father’s note saidDon’t repeat my mistakes.He meant letting my mother go, his way of urging me to fight for Brenna. But that wasn’t his mistake. He’d let his desires get in the way of what was best for the people in his life. I wouldn’t do that.
I was about to announce I was going home when Jack beat me to the punch. “Why don’t we get out of here?” he asked Brenna.
She finally pried her gaze away from me. “Sure, okay.”
Ax began booing while the two of them stood.
“I’ll see you at the next game, Ax.”
“Quinn, that’s a promise.” Ax pointed at her.
“I’ll see you at the café in the morning, Brenna.”
She blinked, her right arm crossed over her body, held by her left hand. “Good night, Nathan.”
23
BRENNA
Now
“My car’s around back,”Jack said, reaching for my hand.
“I’m staying in Palmer City, only ten minutes from here.”
I stepped back from him. “Your hotel room?”
“Brenna, I didn’t meanthat.We need to talk. Somewhere private. And because you’re living with another guy, we can’t go to your place, can we?”
For the last two hours, I’d dreaded this moment, his airing of grievances. Those had continued to pile up since he arrived. Seeing me in Nathan’s arms. Finding out I’d been living with him for a month. That we used to play baseball together… that I used to play baseball at all. We needed to have a long overdueconversation about our relationship, but I wasn’t in the best shape for it.
My mind wouldn’t stop replaying the earlier conversation.Nathan saw Jack propose to me. I couldn’t imagine the agony I’d feel watching Nathan propose to another woman. Why hadn’t he said anything?
“I can’t afford to live in a hotel,” I explained.
“I would’ve given you money if you’d told me.”
We were separated, I wanted to retort, but I also didn’t want to escalate this fight.
The bottom of my stomach dropped with dread when I saw Jack earlier, making it clear what I needed to do. Seeing my fiancé shouldn’t fill me with panic. I should’ve missed him these last few weeks. Instead, I’d been consumed with memories of my past, with thoughts of Nathan.
I flashed him a disbelieving look. “That is a waste of money when I can stay inmyhouse. I’ve known Nathan forever—”
Jack sneered. “Yeah, that’s real fucking clear, Brenna.”
My eyes roamed the handsome golden face of the man I’d agreed to marry. When he met me, I was scared, lonely, and unsure of my future. I’d been studying for the GRE to pursue a physical therapy degree. I worried about taking on debt to pay for school, having witnessed the way money created imbalances in my mother’s relationships. She put up with poor behavior because her boyfriends contributed materially to our lives. I never wanted to put myself in debt to someone else. Jack had been so solid, there when I needed him.
But it wasn’t like that any longer. The distance strained our relationship, but so did his inability to understand the importance of me being there for my sister.
“Ishe”—Jack pointed his finger toward the bar—“why you canceled your trip to see me?”
