“Definitely. And so are you.”
“Sleep well, Colton.” I kissed him gently on the lips.
He smiled. “Same to you, pumpkin.”
He walked back to the car as Cara and Juliet met me on the top step.
I still had the house key on my key chain so I unlocked and pushed open the door. I was a little surprised Rob hadn’t come out to interrupt us. He was good at that.
“I’m so tired I could fall asleep standing,” Juliet said as she kicked off her sneakers and left them in the front hall.
“Me too. It’s been a long day.” I took off my shoes, ready to go up to bed.
“Mallory?” Mom called from the kitchen.
I walked in and my stomach dropped. “What are you doing here?”
Jack stood up from his seat at the kitchen table. His light brown hair was shorter than the last time I saw him, but otherwise he looked the same. He’d chosen the same seat he’d always sat in when he stayed for dinner when we were dating. “I was hoping to catch up at the game, but it was too crowded.”
“Why?”
“Mallory.” Mom gave me a warning glance. She of all people should have understood how little I wanted him in our kitchen. Suddenly, the familiar kitchen wasn’t so comforting.
I looked around for Rob. Surely he would have kicked him out. “Where’s Rob?” I’d had to beg him to stay out of it when Jack dumped me. If I hadn’t, he probably would have punched him. He’d threatened him pretty bad though.
“He’s still at the game. He ran into some high school friends.”
I nodded. “That still doesn’t explain why Jack is here.”
“I already explained that.” Jack strode toward me. “I wanted to talk.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
“We haven’t seen each other in over a year. You’re dating my little brother. Of course there’s stuff to talk about.”
“I’m going to give you kids some space.” Mom left the room. I would have complained about her ditching me, but at least I had my friends with me.
“Are you here to tell her you have an STD or something?” Juliet asked.
I just looked at her with my mouth hanging open.
“Of course not.” He gave her a disbelieving look. “Would you two mind giving us some privacy?”
Both Juliet and Cara looked at me and saw the clear message in my eyes. Cara turned to Jack. “No can do. Anything you have to tell her can be said with us here.”
“And here I thought you’d grown up.” Jack’s crystal clear blue eyes settled on me, setting off the self-doubt I thought I’d finally pushed away.
“I have.”
“Yet you’re afraid to talk to me without your friends. Very mature.” He shook his head.
“She’s not scared of anything.” Juliet got in his face. “We just love her and don’t think you deserve a moment alone with her.” I loved Juliet even more than usual in that moment.
“Why does this have to be such a big deal? I just wanted to tell you I wish things hadn’t ended so badly. It’s a regret of mine. We had too much history to just trash it with no closure.”
Cara crossed her arms. “I bet it’s a regret. Mallory is amazing and you’ll never meet someone like her again.” I had the best friends in the world.
“That’s great and all, but I still need to talk to her. Please, just for two minutes.”
“Why?”
“How many times do I have to say it?” He yanked at his hair.
I sighed, being around Jack was even more uncomfortable than I expected. “Haven’t you already said everything you need to say?”
“No.”
“You have five minutes.” I looked at my friends. “I can give him five minutes.”
Juliet and Cara left the room, both giving Jack threatening looks. I’d barely told them anything about him, but they knew the way things ended had hurt like hell.
“What else do you need to say?” I crossed my arms, determined not to let him know how hard this confrontation was.
“I’m sorry.”
“You couldn’t say that in front of my friends?”
“Damn it, Mallory. I’m trying.”
“Sorry, but I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“Nothing at all?”
“Okay. Here’s one thing. I’m surprised you’re not married already. I thought you’d met a girl within days of breaking it off.” That was one of the worst parts. His need to rub salt in the wound. Without my parents, brother, and Annie, I’m not so sure I would have made it through the end of my senior year.
“I lied about that.”
“Lovely.”
“Listen.” He put his hands on my arms. I tried to jerk away, but something in his expression had me frozen. “It wasn’t what it seemed.”
“Then what was it?”
“I can’t tell you, but I regret it every day.” He seemed torn. Like he didn’t really know what he should be saying.
“I forgive you. Is that what you need to hear?”
“Only if it’s true.”
“It is. I’ve fully moved on.”
“With my brother?” He turned away.
“I’m sorry. Colt promised you didn’t care.” I wasn’t going to let him make me feel bad about it. He’s the one who dumped me, and it had been years. And he’d given Colt the green light, right?
“Don’t apologize. I get it, and I’m happy for you guys. At least, part of me is. It’s hard to watch though.”
“Watch? You saw us?” Then it dawned on me. “Wait, at the game?”
“Yeah. He can’t keep his hands off you.” Jack looked down. “Not that I blame him.”
I refused to apologize again.
He stepped toward me. “I miss you, but I screwed up.”
I nodded. “Maybe, maybe not. If we weren’t meant to be together, then you did us both a favor.”
“What if we were meant to be together?”
What was he saying? “I’m with your brother.”
“I know.” His eyes locked with mine. “I just wish I could go back and change things.” He exhaled loudly. “Listen, I have to ask this or I’ll always regret it.”
“Ask what?”
“Would you want to try us again? See where it goes?” Was Jack asking me to go out with him again?