“Exactly.”
“Even though you broke up with your high school boyfriend when you learned Fletcher was single again.”
“That was a coincidence.”
“And both of your only relationships overlapping with each other? What’s that?”
“Also, a coincidence. I’m not with anyone right now—”
“But you hooked up with a Michigan State hockey player after seeing Fletcher with Casey?”
“How did you even know that?”
“Brin has a big mouth.”
“Well, that was unrelated.”
“Sure.”
“It was! Is it so wrong for a girl to want to get laid?”
He takes a swig of his soda before placing it on the coffee table.
“First of all, I’m happy you’re getting laid and all, but I really don’t want to talk about your sex life. Second of all, you know if you were in love with Fletcher, you could tell me.”
“Trust me, Jere, if I felt like I had something to tell you, I would.”
That’s a lie.
I love Jere. He’s the best person I’ve ever met in a lot of ways. It probably helps that he has four sisters, so the right way to treat women was instilled in him on a daily basis, but I also know Fletcher is one of his closest friends.
Fletcher and Jere talk to each other and confide in each other about many things. Fletcher has told me multiple times that out of all the guys, Jere is the one who understands him the best. He can tell all of them anything, but trusts Jeremy’s advice the best.
I don’t want Jeremy to be in an awkward situation if he were to find out I was in love with Fletcher and have been since we were kids. And I don’t want Jeremy to ever have to lie and tell someone I don’t have feelings for Fletcher because he knows I do.
It’s just easier this way.
“I think you guys would be great together.”
It’s all Jeremy says as he leans forward, snatches the remote off the coffee table, and turns on highlights from last night's Blackhawks game. The first game the team has played since the passing of Dylan Rhodes.
I study him, expecting him to bring it up again. To push.
But I should know better.
Because that’s not who Jeremy is… he’ll just wait until I’m ready.
And when I come to him, he’ll know exactly what it’s about.
I’m not in the mood for a party at all.
But our whole crew is going to be at this party, so I feel like I have no choice but to go.
It would seem more suspicious if I didn’t go because of everything going on between Fletcher and me.
Most of the guys don’t see the difference in our relationship, but they also aren’t the most observant. The girls know because I’ve talked to them lightly about the change in our interactions when we’re alone… and Jere. Well, Jere knows everything. He sees everything and picks up on it all.
Plus, Marcus would be devastated if we all didn’t show up to celebrate the fact that they won the National Championship this year.
