Ouch.
“And that’s exactly why I’m out here,” I lean on the railing too, making sure my forearm rests against hers. I can’t feel her skin through that damn sweater, unfortunately. “I’m trying to catch up with you. I’ve missed you.”
“What?” I can’t decide if her tone is shocked or offended.
“I missed you,” I double down. “I thought about you a lot when I was in King’s Rock.”
“Okay…” Now she sounds cautious. Like she’s expecting a punchline or a backhanded compliment.
I laugh. “This isn’t a set up for a joke or something, Tink. I mean it. You were on my mind a lot.”
“Over three entire years?”
“Yeah.”
“And you didn’t call? Email? Visit?”
“No. I didn’t.” She’s got me there. “I’m sorry about that. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to but I just… needed some space.”
“From?”
“This town. My past. My own demons,” I reply and those dark eyes of hers are locked onto mine. So piercing, so fabulously intense. Terra doesn’t look at you, she looks through you. I love it and am terrified of it at the very same time. Always have been.
“You can’t leave your demons behind,” she reminds me in a calm, confident voice. “They follow you.”
“Sometimes you need to go somewhere else to realize that,” I explain and she just nods, like she gets it. “I’m sorry I didn’t keep in touch.”
“So am I.”
That tiny confession sends a ripple of warmth through my chest. I need to remind myself she’s taken. So I say, “Tom mentioned your lupus. How is it? Are you doing okay?”
The soft smile that had been flirting with her mouth, disappears. “Tom mentioned it? Why?”
“I… I don’t know he just did,” I say, wondering what the hell is up with her. “Said you had a lot of doctor’s appointments.”
“He’s talking to you? About my doctor’s appointments?”
“Look I’m not trying to start a fight between you two,” I say and want to feel worse than I do, but the fact is I don’t like him. I didn’t like the way he talked about her like she wasn’t fucking amazing and perfect and better than he could ever deserve. Her eyes glint in the moonlight. Her hair looks thicker than it has in the past and it’s loose and skimming her shoulders except for the couple strands kind of stuck to her cheek because of the dewy humidity. I want desperately to brush them away. “You look great, Terra.”
“I do?”
“Yeah. Beautiful actually.”
“Hey Jake!”
Aspen. Fuck.
“Oh. Hey Terra,” Aspen says, and I hear her heels clicking on the wooden deck as she approaches. “How have you been?”
“I’ll leave you two alone to get reacquainted,” Terra says, and just like that she’s gone, scooting by Aspen and back into the party.
“Tink, wait!” I call and her steps slow. I turn to Aspen. “Can I talk to you in a minute. I haven’t finished with Terra.”
“Honestly, Jake, it’s fine,” Terra argues, glancing at us from over her shoulder. “I told you earlier, I’m exhausted and heading home. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”
Terra continues on through the deck doors into the party. Aspen stands awkwardly a foot and a half away. I turn to face her, exhaling loudly as I lean back on the railing.
“Why do I get the feeling I was interrupting something?”
