I’ve only talked to Whitney once since earlier and it was through text and I was getting more anxious with each passing second that I haven’t heard from her. I hated that she was there and I was here. She is with another man while I am about to go out with another woman. Not that either of us had any interest in anyone else but the perception we had to maintain irritated the shit out of me. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

  “You’re so early!” Michelle exclaims as she opens the door while sliding an earring through her ear. Michelle was notoriously late so it’s no surprise that while she’s dressed, her hair is still in a towel and only half of her makeup is done.

  “We’ve been over this; fifteen minutes early is hardly so early, Miche.” I close the door behind me as Kevin jogs down the stairs as Michelle runs back up giving her middle finger to me on the way. Kevin and I are dressed similarly, both of us in dark jeans and a button-down shirt though I’m wearing a black leather jacket over mine. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I curse mine and Whitney’s terrible timing when I see her name flash across the screen.

  “One sec, Kev,” I tell him as I step outside and close the door behind me. “Talk to me baby, you okay?”

  “Yes.” She lets out a shaky breath. “I’m still at the hospital.”

  “Everything still okay?”

  “Yes. Parker is sleeping now so I’m just in the waiting area.”

  “Have you eaten anything?”

  “I had some terrible hospital food and some coffee that was only slightly better than that. What I need is a drink and a bed… and you.”

  My heart aches in my chest thinking about her out there by herself. Uncomfortable. Hungry. Lonely. “Do you want me to order something to the hospital for you?”

  “You’re so sweet but I can do that.”

  “But this allows me to take care of you.”

  “Would I be selfish if I said I want you to come here?” My eyebrows raise in shock because she was so against me coming before. “I know I said I didn’t want you to… but… it’s different now that I’m here. And you’re there going on a date.”

  I look over my shoulder to make sure no one slipped outside without me noticing. “Baby, it’s not a date.”

  “Stop saying that!”

  “Fine, it is. A date that will lead to nothing. Not a kiss, not a second date, nothing. A date as a favor to your mother. But if you want me to fly out there after the said date, just say the word.”

  She lets out a sigh. “They said they don’t feel comfortable releasing him and clearing him to fly for a few days.”

  My hands flex and ball into a fist and I grit my teeth in frustration. “I hate the thought of you being gone that long.”

  “I can’t leave.”

  “When are you going to tell him?”

  “Not while he’s still in the hospital.”

  “Why? He’s stable, he’s okay. He’s going to make a full recovery. Why are you prolonging the inevitable?”

  “Isn’t that kind of in poor taste?”

  “There are a few things we are doing that’s in poor taste, Whitney. I think choosing to be honest with him is the least of those.”

  “But while he’s in the hospital?” The door opens behind me and I see Kevin staring at me. One eyebrow raised as he holds a beer out for me. He points at the phone in question. “Trey, I gotta go,” I say without another word before ending the call.

  “Your super-secret phone call was to Trey?” He rolls his eyes. “Give me a break. You seeing someone?”

  “It was Trey. It was about Chloe,” I say, not wanting to answer his question about whether I’m seeing someone and hoping he won’t press the subject. He sits down on the swinging bench on the porch.

  “I don’t believe you but whatever, I have bigger problems. I’m worried about Whitney,” he says after a moment of silence and I’m immediately on high alert.

  “Why?” I try to remain calm and not like I’m about to get in my car and drive to the airport.

  “I don’t know. Parental instincts, I guess. Something’s going on with her and I can’t quite put my finger on it.” His eyes narrow. Eyes that remind me so much of Whitney. Mason and Whitney both have so many of Kevin’s features, it became the running joke that they couldn’t be Michelle’s children.

  “Have you talked to her since she got to New York?”

  “Once. Michelle put her on speaker. She sounds like she’s… holding her breath. Like she’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. I don’t like her being so far away either with no one with her. I’m kind of surprised Chloe didn’t go with her but she doesn’t really like Parker.” He laughs and I frown because I didn’t know that piece of information.

  “She doesn’t?”

  “I mean she’s team Whitney, you know that. So even if Whitney was dating Satan himself, Chloe would try for her, but no he’s not high on her list of favorite people.”

  “You and Miche aren’t fans either, right? I know you were being diplomatic for Whitney’s sake yesterday but what’s the problem?”

  “It’s just what I said. He’s aloof and quiet and standoffish. A little judgmental. I just don’t think they’re a good match. Mason has told him off a few times but you know Mase’s temper. None of us are huge fans, but he seems to make her happy so we are trying, you know?

  “Mmmhm,” I say as I crack my beer and take a long sip.

  “Especially after what happened three years ago.”

  My blood runs cold hearing him reference what I assume to be the aftermath of our breakup. “Three years ago?”

  “Yeah, you don’t remember?” He frowns and scratches his head as if he’s trying to recall the timeline and where I fall into it. “Oh no, I think you had just left for Mexico,” he says and I pray he doesn’t make the connection having said those words out loud for maybe the first time.

  Hindsight being 20/20 and all.

  But he doesn’t flinch. “I don’t know if it was COVID and not being able to return to college that semester because of lockdown or what but Whitney went through what I can only assume to be a period of depression. She wasn’t eating or she’d eat everything in sight to the point she made herself sick. She’d stay up for days at a time and then crash and sleep for two days. We thought it was cabin fever but she was crying all the time. She never stopped. I begged her to talk to me, to Michelle, to a therapist, anyone. That just made her cry harder. Chloe seemed to help so she kind of moved in for a while. But it was hard. Seeing your child go through hell and not know how to stop it. Or what was even causing it. This went on for probably a year. Once restrictions kind of lifted and she and Chloe were able to at least go out a little bit, that did seem to help and then shortly after she met Parker. To this day, we don’t know what happened and she won’t talk about it. At one point, Michelle and I had a theory that maybe she was seeing someone and something happened but for her to be acting that way it must have been serious and I can’t see her being serious with anyone and not telling us.”

  I knew parts of this through Trey and from what Whitney told me herself but seeing it through her father’s eyes who also happens to be my best friend is different.

  “Kev—” I start, not knowing what I’m planning to say but knowing that after he shared that, I can’t not say anything about my part in it. But clearly the universe had other plans as I spot Georgina crossing the lawn, a hand in the air and a jacket under her arm.

  Kevin waves back. “Hey, G.”

  We both stand and Kevin gives her a hug. I’m not sure if she’s expecting one from me but I freeze, still stuck in the conversation Kevin and I just had all the while thinking about Whitney across the country seething with jealousy at the thought of this date.

  “Good to see you, Georgina, you look lovely.” I nod, and she does. Her long lean legs were covered by high waisted black jeans and a black off the shoulder top that exposes her shoulders. She’s wearing open-toed heels that would put her just under my chin making her way taller than Whitney who wouldn’t even clear my chest in shoes that high.

  “Michelle is inside still getting ready,” Kevin says, and I’m grateful that he speaks just as my mind begins to drift to Whitney.

  It pulls me back into the present and I give her a smile. The smile. The one that Whitney said had the power to make any woman melt. To be fair, I thought it was just my normal smile but the implication Whitney gave it made it so I never wanted to give that smile to anyone but her. Georgina blushes and moves into the house. As soon as the door closes, Kevin shoots me a look.

  “So much for not being interested.”

  I snap my head toward him. “What? I already said I’m doing this as a courtesy, but no I’m not interested in dating anyone.” Because I’m in love with your daughter.

  “I’ve been your best friend for almost thirty years, I know what it means when you’re interested in a woman.”

  Maybe once upon a time he knew, but I’ve gotten good at hiding it having had years of practice. “Mmhmmm.” I down the rest of my beer and I wish like hell I had something stronger.

  “What was that about?” Kevin asks me when I make my way into the kitchen behind him. Michelle is still on the porch talking to Georgina who declined to come in probably for the same reason Kevin was about to ream me out for. “Dude, have you forgotten how to date?”

  “Maybe? I didn’t date much in Mexico. I guess I’m a little rusty.”

  “Are you a little rusty about how to be a human? Because you barely said two words to her.” I felt anxious all through dinner about what Kevin had shared. That mixed with being worried about Whitney had me less than good company. Whitney texted me during dinner and while I should have told her I would text her later when I was alone, I couldn’t, which had us texting back and forth for at least ten minutes. “You were so checked out.”

  “I just have a lot on my mind, Kev.”

  “Like what?” I don’t respond, I just drop to one of the bar stools circling the island and shake my head. “Since when can’t you tell me what’s going on?”

  “I don’t even know where to start.”

  “Well—”

  “Jacob Maxwell Price!” Michelle screams as soon as the door slams. I wince at the use of my full name as she enters the kitchen. “I know you have better manners than that. Do not make me call your mother. You know what? Better yet, I’ll tell her next week when we have lunch.”

  My eyes widen. “You have lunch with my mother?”

  “Yes.” She turns her nose up and walks to the other side of the kitchen. “You and Trey are heathens that don’t call her and I’m the wonderful, considerate child she never had. Plus, I’m a girl.” She bats her eyelashes at me. “And I’m going to tell her that I set you up with a very sweet girl and you fucked it all up.” She stomps. “Well, I won’t say fuck because I have manners unlike YOU!” She crosses her hands over her chest. “What was that?”

  “Please tell Georgina that I apologize for my behavior, I just… a lot happened while I was in Mexico and I’m just not ready to date anyone.” Coward.

  I swallow, trying to ignore the voice inside of me telling me that now was the time to tell them and I couldn’t keep prolonging it.

  “Did you meet someone?” Michelle asks, her eyes wide and a smile pulling at her lips like she’s already planning another double date for me and whoever the potential mystery girl is.

  Tell them.

  I shake my head. “It’s complicated.”

  Michelle cocks her head to the side. “Jacob, since when don’t you tell us things?”

  “That’s what I said.” Kevin speaks up and I can see him studying me. They both are. The sound of a phone buzzing breaks their stare and I’m grateful for a second to get my thoughts together in preparation when Michelle answers the phone.

  “Whitney, hi honey,” she says, walking out of the room.

  “I want to talk to her!” Kevin calls to her and it takes everything out of me not to scream that I want to also.

  Michelle comes back in, cradling her phone against her shoulder with her wallet in her hand. “Of course, you can use my Hilton points. I don’t remember my account information to book the room though. Babe, Whitney is checking into a hotel. I think you’re logged into the account on your phone, can you book her a room?”

  “On it,” he says staring down at his phone and I wish she’d come to me but I understand why she couldn’t and it’s not like we’ve been able to talk. But I’m grateful that if she’s checking into a hotel that means she’ll be alone when we talk later. My cock hardens slightly at the thought of being able to speak freely to each other. “I’m glad she’s getting a room, I don’t want her staying overnight at the hospital by herself.”

  “She said they won’t let her. They’re still a little strict with visiting hours.” Kevin holds up his phone for Michelle to see and she speaks. “Honey what’s the address, we need a cross street at least to make sure it’s the right hotel.” She points at the phone. “That one.”

  I look at my watch and note it’s almost one in the morning there. “It’s one in the morning there, how is she getting to the hotel? Is it far?”

  “Hold on.” She puts the phone down. “Whitney, you’re on speaker and Jacob is here being your third parent as usual.” I try not to react to that. “How far is the hotel and how are you getting there?”

  “It’s across the street, I’m walking.”

  “At one in the morning!?” I yell. My hands shake slightly and I feel myself getting worked up at the thought of someone messing with her.

  “Across the street, JP. Literally.”

  “Stay on the phone with us until you get there,” I order her.

  “Fine,” she responds and I can hear the fatigue in her voice.

  “Are you okay?” Michelle asks.

  “I’m tired. Really tired,” she says and I can hear the sounds of New York City through the phone.

  “Alright hon, you’re booked,” Kevin says.

  “Thank you, guys.”

  “Of course. When are you coming home?” Michelle asks.

  “They’re saying they may be able to release him tomorrow now which would be great. I don’t want to miss too many classes. I’ve already let my professors know what’s going on and they’re understanding, but it’s law school, that only goes so far.” She sighs. “I lost a whole day and I never finished my paper. I got an extension until Wednesday but I hate feeling behind.”

  “Sweetheart, you sound like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, I need you to take a breath,” Michelle says. “Take a bath when you get in the room.”

  Take a bath and call me from there. I think to myself. I know a way to take your mind off of all of this.

  “Alright, I just got inside the hotel. I’m safe.”

  “When you get to the room,” I say.

  “Huh?” she asks.

  “We’ll wait until you get to the room,” I tell her and Kevin nods emphatically.

  “Guys…”

  “No, Jacob is right. What if someone is lurking in the hallway or something?” Michelle says.

  “Fine. Not a whole lot of good you guys will do for me in California though.” She grumbles and I already know just how I’m going to get rid of her bad mood. The thought pisses me off that she’s right in that I can’t protect her from here. I should have gone with her. Fuck. “There’s a line. How was your guys’ date anyway? JP getting married anytime soon?”

  Not to anyone but you, my mind thinks automatically.

  Michelle snorts. “Not to Georgina, he behaved like a jerk.”

  “Thanks.” I roll my eyes.

  “Oh…?” Whitney says and I hate that she’s about to find out this information without letting me have some fun with her first.

  “He barely paid her any attention and probably said ten words to her the whole time.” I can picture Whitney’s smile from here. Her eyes lighting up at the fact that she’s the only woman that has my attention. Even when we were in mixed company, my focus was always on her even if my eyes weren’t.

  “Oh, well… I’m sure there’s a woman out there for JP somewhere. He’ll find her eventually.”

  I drop to the king-sized bed in my hotel room, the weight of not having a relaxing moment all day taking over. I felt out of control. Nervous. Anxious. Scared. Alone. I hate to admit it but I was somewhat grateful I was forced to leave the hospital to grant me some alone time and away from Parker’s cold gaze. He’d never been like this with me before. It’s like he changed overnight. I rack my brain trying to understand what could have caused this change in demeanor. It can’t just be about not answering their initial calls. To my parents’ point, he’d always been a little aloof and stoic at times but he had never been that way with me. He had never been so cold with me. I feel like I’ve been walking on eggshells since I got here and now that I’m alone I feel like I can breathe.

  I kick off my shoes and decide to listen to my mother’s advice and make my way into the bathroom to run a bath. I already know I should expect to hear from JP soon but I don’t want to call him in case he hasn’t escaped my mother’s wrath over the date. I’ll admit it pleased me to hear that he didn’t give her the time of day. I don’t know how he’ll explain why he isn’t interested but at this point I can’t bring myself to care. I pour in a considerable amount of bubble bath before making my way back into the room to open the bottle of wine I bought downstairs and take off my clothes. I take a healthy sip of the wine, trying to quiet the thoughts over what I’m going to do about Parker.

  I slip into the tub, watching as the water rises around me and I let my eyes close as I think back to the first time I met Parker.

  Three Years Ago

  I was meeting Chloe for dinner but of course she was late. Probably arguing with Trey for the tenth time this week. They need to just call it quits already. Tale as old as time, he doesn’t want a commitment, she does, whatever. I pick up my cosmopolitan that I’d ordered with my fake ID that our waiter barely glanced at as I look around the room. The restaurant is still new and thereby very crowded especially with all the crowd restrictions being lifted. It’s high-end Asian fusion and the chef recently competed on one of those televised cooking shows and we’re in LA so naturally this is the place to be on a Friday night.