That—I can’t stand.
“I know you care, but I’m fine. Rebecca is great. My mom even likes her, and you know how picky my mom is.”
I snicker because Jackson is a total mama’s boy. Can’t blame him though. His mom is amazing—raised three boys all on her own after Jackson’s dad died when he was only two. “That’s great, but how doyoufeel about her?”
“What the hell is this about?” He dries his hands on a dish towel, his scowl heavy now as he glares at me. “Why do you care so much? I’m happy. Do I need to smile more or something?”
“Couldn’t hurt.”
He tosses the dish towel at me, and I catch it, drying my hands off before I shut the now-full dishwasher and turn it on. “I don’t know why it’s bugging me so much, Jackson. You’ve been dating her for a while now, right?”
“A couple of months.”
“And this is the first time you’ve brought her around.”
“It’s only been a couple of months,” he says as he leaves the kitchen as if to escape, but I follow.
“Yeah, but you don’t talk about her either. You also get shifty and defensive whenever any of us bring it up.”
“What the hell is your point?” He spins to face me. “Not all of us have to be obsessed with the person we’re dating, Arch. I’m happy for you and Cane, I am. But just because you can’t stop gushing about your man?—”
“No.” I hold up a hand and stop him. “That’s where you’re wrong. You should want to shout it from the rooftops when you’re with someone. You should want to talk about them all the damn time. Not snap at your friends for bringing them up.” I refuse to believe any different.
At first, I thought it was a little gross how Walker talked about Dutton after they finally made it official. But I realized that was mostly just jealousy. I wanted that. I didn’t think it was something I ever wanted, but now I’m happy to be just as gross as they are.
Hell, maybe even more so.
He grips the bridge of his nose between his thumb and finger, like he’s trying not to kill me. And fair, but I’m not dropping this. I hate seeing him miserable, and I know it has to do with his relationship with her.
“Just drop it?”
No can do. “You know I can’t.”
“Goddammit, Archie.” He says it like he wants to be mad, but there’s amusement and fondness there too. At least that’s what I’m choosing to believe.
“If you don’t love her by now, you need to let her go. Let her be happy with someone who can’t stop talking about her, and you find someone who lights you on fire.”
“Literally?”
I shove him playfully and snort. “No. No more Sandras.”
He finally laughs at the mention of his ex, who I’m pretty sure was close to burning his house down at one point. “Or Marks,” he adds, and I bark out a laugh because I forgot about that guy.
“Wow. You really do bring out the crazy in people, don’t you?”
“Ha ha,” he deadpans. “I thought it was passion.”
“Well, they were definitely passionate. I mean, Mark kind of stalked you for a little while there...”
“He did. Still calls me sometimes too. In the middle of the night.”
“Heavy breathing?” I ask, trying to joke, even though it’s pretty disturbing.
“I was an asshole. Selfish and shitty. I gave up on them too fast.”
Ah. Okay, so that’s why he’s sticking it out with boring Rebecca? I shake my head and place one hand on his shoulder. “Jackson, you didn’t. You stayed with them way, way too long.” He quirks a brow at me because I know both relationships only lasted two or three weeks, but yeah—that was plenty. They were toxic relationships, and to be honest, I don’t know which is worse.
Chronically boring or over-the-top fighting. It’s all bad, and I want better for my friend.
