“I don’t know what knocked some sense into me, but I woke up one day hating the distance I had created.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Forest seemed like a cool guy when you guys visited, but no guy comes to Denver if he’s just a hook-up and looks at you guys the way he did.”
“That’s what got us here in the first place.” I slammed my beer down. “We didn’t think it was something casual either, his actions didn't match what he said and did.”
“I have a feeling you’ll hear from him soon and when you do?—”
A commotion and loud scream cut Riggs off as I looked out on the dance floor. My heart leapt into my throat as I thought I was seeing things and I ran into action.
“Forest!” I yelled, as Jude tried getting in between him and Beau, who had a smirk on his face, even though Forest washolding him by the shirt. Forest was taller than Beau by a few inches and broader, that didn’t seem to scare Beau.
Valencia was yelling in Spanish as I reached them, and I stood behind Beau.
“Forest,” I yelled.
His dark eyes collided with my own, they were full of hurt and anger.
“Let him go,” Jude growled, pulling Beau’s shirt out of Forest's grasp.
Forest scowled at Jude.
“You don’t get to act like a caveman, you lost that damn privilege," Jude yelled, pushing Forest back standing in front of Beau. “You left us.”
“I’m—”
“You think you can just come back here like nothing happened between us and?—”
“No, I’m sorry, I just?—”
“You just thought we would still be yours even after you left us? Without a fucking goodbye?” Jude questioned, his verbal assault was painful to watch. “No, you don’t get to fucking do that, just come back like everything is ok, like we are still yours.”
Jude walked away from the dance floor, leaving the rest of us caught in the middle of everyone’s attention.
“If you had just asked, this is Beau, Valencia’s friend from Denver,” I said, putting Forest out of his misery. “You ok?” I looked down at Beau.
“Yeah, not the first time a jealous ex has assumed something,” Beau said, patting my hand that was on his shoulder. “Go check on Jude. I’m ok.”
Forest scowled. I rolled my eyes, nodding my head for him to follow me.
Gomez and Riggs eyed Forest with suspicion, but I shook my head. Riggs had a small smirk on his face as I passed him, almostsmug, like what he had said moments before had just come true. I looked around the bar for him, seeing Iris pointing to the hallway to the bathrooms. I mouthed a thank you as I made my way towards Jude when I glanced at Iris giving Forest the dirtiest look. She had her arms crossed, staring him down, and I hoped he felt a little bad.
We walked into the hallway passing the bathroom for the door that went out back. I pushed it open, seeing Jude leaning against the wall looking up at the sky. He looked over at me, his face shiny with tears. His lip trembled more when he saw me.
“Sam—” his voice broke and I reached for him immediately.
“Baby,” I said, pulling him into my arms, forgetting about Forest who was right behind me.
“Why did he do that?” he cried. “What is he doing back? Did he call you? Is it bad that I was happy to see him? For a second I wanted to jump into his arms.”
“I did that because I got jealous,” Forest said, as Jude froze in my arms. “I came back because I’m an idiot who left because I was scared. I didn’t call Sam because I was afraid you wouldn’t want to see me. I hope it's good that you wanted to see me.”
Jude shivered in my embrace, looking up at me, so lost just like his old self. A cold gust of wind hit us, and I realized we didn’t have our jackets.
“I’m sorry, I saw his hands on you and I flipped out. I shouldn’t have done that,” he said, walking around me so he was in both of our lines of sight.
Dammit, why was Forest so damn gorgeous? He was disheveled, his five o’clock shadow was more beard-like and he was dressed in sweats, a hoodie, and a puffer jacket with a fucking backwards hat. I don’t think I had ever seen him dressed so relaxed in public. Forest looked so young like this.
“We aren’t yours anymore,” Jude murmured, just loud enough to hear over the noise from The Boozy Bandit.
“I know. I fucked up my relationship with you the moment I left without saying goodbye.” He ran his hand over his mouth. “I was a coward and I thought my only option was leaving. I've been doing it for almost ten years. It's the only thing I know how to do and I left without thinking things through.”
