“What? Maybe you guys want to tiptoe around this bullshit but I’m not. We are all adults and frankly too old for it,” Mason snaps angrily and I’m sure it’s brought on by the alcohol swirling around his glass.

  “Some older than others,” Chloe murmurs, and I give her a deadpanned look over her obvious dig at my age.

  “Sure, Mason,” I agree, turning my attention away from their sassy ass cousin. “Let’s go talk.” Whitney’s eyes widen in what looks like pure terror. Mason stands just as I hear Michelle’s voice coming toward us.

  “This is the first time we’ve been together in years, we have to take a picture!” Michelle squeals. With anyone else, I’d say that they’d probably had too much to drink, but Michelle is just a bundle of energy by nature. She is sucking down that sangria like it’s water though and Michelle doesn’t know how to make a weak drink.

  She makes us all stand as she holds her arm out and snaps a selfie of the five of us. “Can you believe our baby is getting married?” Michelle asks me as she squeezes Whitney’s shoulders. “I remember her being born, don’t you?” She tears up. “You were the second person in the world to hold her because Kevin actually did pass out that time.”

  Chloe chokes on her drink and begins coughing my guess in shock over hearing Michelle’s comment.

  “Did… you know that, Whitney?” She blinks several times and to anyone that doesn’t know the situation, it just sounds like a funny anecdote.

  “Yes,” Whitney says through gritted teeth and I can see the fire in her eyes.

  “I just… didn’t know that fun fact.” She shoots me a smug grin. “Love that for you,” she says before turning to Michelle. “Let’s go grab a drink, Whit. Aunt Michelle, take a shot with us.”

  “Oh my gosh, I haven’t taken shots in years,” she says and I almost interject that I know for a fact that’s untrue when Chloe beats me to it.

  “We literally did shots last weekend at my parent’s house.” The three of them walk away but I don’t miss the way Whitney keeps looking back at me and Mason.

  “I’m going to cut to the chase, J.” We move away from the crowds and out of earshot. “You need to stay away from Whitney.”

  I’m impressed by his approach and while I respect him as her older brother, there’s no way in hell anyone can keep me away from her and certainly not a kid I helped raise.

  “Don’t you think that should be her decision?”

  “The fuck? J, she’s engaged. He asked her to marry him, she said yes, that is her decision.”

  I don’t think Mason has ever talked to me like that. I never gave a fuck if he swore, but it’s never been directed at me. “Mason, I will still kick your ass. Watch yourself.”

  “You can’t exactly be Uncle J after breaking her heart and you can’t be JP either for that matter. Too much has happened. You can’t go back to how things were before. Things are awkward and weird and we see you differently now. Obviously, she does but me… man, I idolized you. But you destroyed my little sister which means you’re not really someone I can look up to anymore.”

  Hearing that is a tough pill to swallow. Mason was like the son I never had and it kills me that I destroyed my relationship with not only Whitney but with him as well. “It’s not what you think, Mason.”

  “No, J, it’s exactly what I think. You were too much of a pussy to come clean to my parents, and then you just up and left. Broke her heart and then took off for three years.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about and I would advise you not to speak on things you don’t. It wasn’t that black and white. It wasn’t just sex; I wasn’t using her. I fell in love with her.”

  “But then you left.” He repeats.

  “She wasn’t the only person who got hurt, Mason. But you’re right, I’ll give you one thing. As much as I don’t want to admit it, I was scared to tell your parents. Scared to lose them. Lose you. Lose a group of people that mean the world to me. I handled it all wrong.” I cross my arms and look out onto the land behind their house. “I fucked up and now she’s getting married.”

  “Exactly, so don’t fuck with her head. Haven’t you put her through enough?”

  “She deserves to know the truth so she can make an informed decision.”

  He looks at me and shakes his head. “That’s the most selfish thing I’ve ever heard, J. Wow. What happened to not wanting to ruin our family? Nothing’s changed. Her parents are still your best friends. They’ll still be mad. Only now there will be the added bonus of you keeping it from them for this long. And another person who believes he’s going to marry the love of his life.”

  “I’ll deal with them. I’ll tell them. Now.” I want to add that I don’t give a fuck about this other guy and there’s no way she can be the love of his life while she’s still the love of mine and if my instincts are correct, that I’m still the love of hers.

  He grabs my arm as I prepare to walk away. “Fuck no, are you insane? Now? Here?”

  “Yes, Mason. I am insane. I let the woman I love slip right through my fingers. I want her back and I want her back now.” I don’t wait for his response, I just start moving toward the house. I’m not actually going to tell them now with a house full of people. But I did want to talk to Whitney alone and I was tired of Mason’s big brother spiel. It was nothing I didn’t know or suspect and I wanted to talk to Whitney before she got more intoxicated. I find Chloe and Whitney in the kitchen in the middle of taking a shot and I wonder if they took one with Michelle as well.

  “How many of those have you had?” I ask Whitney just as she pulls the glass away from her lips.

  She pins me with a hard glare. “Why?”

  “Because I want to know, obviously.”

  She chuckles and I can see her eyes beginning to get slightly hazy. “You don’t have the right to ask that question anymore. It’s really not your business. I’m literally in my parent’s home. Something tells me I’ll be fine.”

  “Not if you and Chloe go out tonight.”

  “Who cares if we are? I’m not nineteen anymore. I’m actually of the legal drinking age and in my first year of law school, thank you very much.”

  “So, I’ve heard. Your dad has been singing your praises since I got here. That’s amazing Whitney. I’m really proud of you.”

  Her eyes glisten for a moment before she blinks them away. “Really?”

  “Uh uh,” Chloe interrupts. “None of that. Keep it clean.” She points at me. “Don’t get all cute.”

  Irritation washes over me and I feel myself about to snap. “Can I talk to Whitney alone please, Chloe?”

  “Nope.” She links her arm with Whitney. “Where she goes, I go,” Chloe says as she pulls her away from me and in this moment, I feel like I’m about to lose my shit if I can’t get a minute alone with her.

  I realize that maybe I need some reinforcements that could help with Chloe. I do feel a little guilty pulling this card but she left me no choice. I pull out my phone and text the one person that might just throw Chloe off her game.

  “What the actual fuck is Trey doing here?!” Chloe exclaims as she pulls me into one of the bathrooms upstairs and out of earshot. “I’m going to kill your boyfriend.”

  “CHLOE! He’s not my boyfriend, and please do not say that in front of him! That’s the last thing I need him thinking.”

  I watch as she applies more lipstick to her lips and touches up her mascara, leading me to believe she’s not too upset that Trey crashed this party.

  “Your parents have been throwing parties for the past year and he never showed up and now all of a sudden, he’s here! Fucking Jacob called him!” Her voice is a higher than usual, brought on by the shots and the exasperation of her ex showing up unexpectedly.

  “Well, I’m sure him being here is his excuse for showing up and he is sort of friends with my parents too. He just stayed away because of you,” I tell her. I knew the second Trey walked in why he was there and I’ll admit that I’m annoyed too. Jacob undoubtedly told him to come so Chloe would become slightly distracted and he could potentially be alone with me. Well played, Price.

  “Okay, well he can continue to stay away.” She stomps her foot as she shakes her hair and begins fussing with it.

  “Why don’t we just leave?” I shrug. It was getting late, and while I wasn’t ready to go into the city yet, we could easily Irish goodbye and go back to my house until it was time to go out.

  Chloe looks away from the mirror and cocks her head. “You want to go?”

  “You don’t?” I shoot her a look that I hope she can read as ‘I’m not buying your outrage over Trey being here.’

  “Well, it’s just…”

  “You want to stay and toy with Trey. So, what was all of this?” I joke as I refer to her previous hysteria over him showing up.

  “NO. I am mad! But he’s here, and I look like this,” she says, pointing down at herself. “And… he has great head game.”

  “Chlo!” I shriek in annoyance.

  She slaps a hand across her forehead. “I knew that last shot was a mistake.”

  “Don’t go back down that road with him again. He doesn’t want more and you do!”

  “No no! I’m totally over it,” she says, trying her best to convince me but I’m not buying it. She was in love with Trey once upon a time, and while I believe he was in love with her too, he was never able to admit it and that was the problem. “It can just be sex.”

  “Until he puts his mouth between your legs and then you’re back to trying to come up with your future children’s names! Chloe, if it’s just about sex, it cannot be with Trey!”

  “But he knows what I like, Whitney! And I haven’t had sex in months!”

  “Because Trey Price fucked you up!” I whisper shout and she stomps her foot again in response.

  “FINE!” she screams and I put a hand over her mouth, wishing like hell I hadn’t done that because she just applied lipstick.

  I roll my eyes and pull my hand away and am shocked when I don’t see much. “That’s a great matte, what brand is that?” I say, looking at her mouth and then back at my hand. “Wow, that barely moved.”

  “I’m trying out Mac lip stains again. Still dry as hell, but it’s the best,” Chloe says, looking back in the mirror. “So yeah, we should just go. If I go home with someone tonight, and he fucking sucks in bed, I’m going to kill you.” She points at me.

  We open the door and while a part of me isn’t surprised at who’s standing on the other side, I wish just once the universe could be on my side tonight.

  “Oh, fuck me,” I mutter under my breath when I see Trey standing on the other side. He’s leaned against the wall, his hands tucked into his jeans with a guilty smile on his face. Like he knows the reason he’s here is to make my life fucking hard.

  “The bathroom downstairs had a line and Kev told me just to find one up here,” Trey answers my unanswered question that I’m sure is written all over my face.

  “I’m sure he did.” I roll my eyes because even if he hadn’t, the Prices were family, and had free rein of the rooms in my house. I can even remember Trey blacking out one night and passing out in my parents’ bed.

  “Hey Chlo.” He smiles at her and without even looking at her, I know her resolve is weakening.

  “Your brother is so cheap for this; you know that right?” I scowl at him and he turns his gaze from Chloe and gives me a sad nod.

  “Yeah, but… I did want to see you,” he says, turning his eyes back to my cousin. “I was hoping we could talk?”

  “Talk about what?” I shriek. “No.” I look at Chloe who’s engaging in some pretty intense eye contact with the man she absolutely shouldn’t be. “No!”

  “Whitney, I’m fine.” She turns to me and implores me with her eyes.

  “You’re about three shots of tequila past fine,” I argue. “We were just leaving,” I tell Trey.

  “We’re going to her house and then we’re going downtown,” Chloe offers.

  I snap my neck toward her. “Oh, you’re just a lost cause. I give up.” I look at Trey. “Aside from this.” I point my finger back and forth between them. “It’s good to see you.” I give him a hug before moving between them back down the hall. What I did know is that when Chloe makes up her mind about something, she’s going to do it. And drunk Chloe was even more stubborn. I guess she can deal with the fallout of it tomorrow.

  I move into my old bedroom to call an Uber, knowing this is probably one of the few places I’m safe. I can just go straight from here to the car. My parents are probably too drunk to care at this point and I’ll just text them from the car. Great plan. I’m opening up my Uber app when the sound of my door opening breaks my concentration. I dart my eyes toward the door praying that it’s just my mom or Mason when Jacob walks through the door and closes it quietly behind him. I cannot be alone in here with him.

  Fuck.

  My eyes rove over him like I’m not engaged to another man. He’s so Goddamn fine.

  My brain, which seems to be operating a few moments behind everything else finally catches up. No. No. No!

  I shake my head and point toward the door, indicating he needs to exit the same way he entered. “You have got to be fucking kidding me. Get out, Jacob.”

  “Whitney.”

  “No.” I stand my ground, not moving even as he gets closer. “You cannot be in here with me. I don’t want to see you or talk to you. So, you wasted all of your efforts distracting Chloe which was a dick move by the way. She’s not some fucking collateral damage in your pursuit for me or whatever your intentions are. Dangling Trey in front of her for the night is fucked up.” I was already mad that he was here but dragging Chloe into this mess was bullshit.

  His gaze darkens as he crosses his arms in front of his chest. “First of all, watch your tone.”

  My eyes shoot to my hairline and I blink my eyes several times. “Are you kidding?” I chuckle at the audacity of this man. For trying to scold me and potentially tap into my submissive headspace that we used to play in. “Get the entire fuck out of here.”

  He takes a step toward me and he rolls his sleeves up which used to be the signal that I was about to go over his knee and then fucked very hard. Do not react. Do not react. “You have about one more fuck, Whitney Jade.”

  “My middle name, really? You can’t manipulate me, Jacob.” My pussy seems to disagree with that as it’s already on fire from just the few words he’s spoken.

  “I’m not trying to, but you’re like a bull ready to charge—”

  “Can you blame me?”

  “No,” he says and I’m actually surprised I didn’t get an argument from him.

  Neither of us says anything for a moment and I pull my gaze away from him. The sun is almost completely set, making the room almost dark and the last thing I want is to be alone in the dark with him. “And second of all?” I say as I turn on the lamp on my nightstand in attempts to prevent the atmosphere from getting even more intimate.

  “What?”

  “You said first of all, watch your tone,” I say in a deep voice as I imitate him. “What’s the second of all?”

  A smile pulls at his lips. “That’s how I sound, huh?” I cock my head to the side, trying to show my annoyance and not the slight amusement I feel at his response. “Second of all, Trey and Chloe do still talk from time to time.” I furrow my brow in confusion because that is definitely news to me. “Seems like that’s a shock to you. He misses her. It’s no secret that he was in love with her too back then, he just fucked up.” He shrugs. “That’s not my business. But I saw the opportunity to give him a chance to talk to her and while yes it wasn’t a completely selfless act because I knew that would grant me some alone time with you, it was not something done maliciously. Furthermore, I certainly do not see your cousin as collateral damage here even though she is a pain in my ass.”

  “She is just looking out for me.”

  “She doesn’t need to do that where I’m concerned.” He frowns but even still he looks gorgeous.

  “Oh? Because you weren’t here when she was picking me up off my bathroom floor once a week. You weren’t here when she was holding my hand through hours and hours of crying or holding my hair back when I drank my weight in whiskey. She helped fix what you broke, Jacob.” I wasn’t going to play games with him. I wasn’t going to pretend like he didn’t break my heart. But that part of my life is over and I had no interest in going back to it.

  He at least has the decency to look contrite and runs a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Whitney.” I don’t respond. I just let those three words sink into my skin. “Can you forgive me for doing that to you? To us?”

  “Even if I can, it doesn’t change anything,” I tell him. He sits down on my bed and he pats the space next to him and I shake my head. “No.”

  He lets out a sigh and looks up at me with the saddest blue eyes. “Fine. Whitney you were nineteen. In your second year of undergrad and your whole life ahead of you…”

  I sigh. “The age argument is tired Jacob, try again.”

  “We weren’t ready for each other,” he tells me honestly. “Call bullshit if you want but there’s a huge difference between you three years ago and now. I can tell in the ten minutes you’ve allowed me to be around you tonight. There is a difference between being nineteen and twenty-two and it’s not just your ability to legally consume alcohol. You’re different.”

  “I’m happy.”

  “You were happy being with me. Don’t try to tell me otherwise. I would have been prepared to tell your parents if I felt you were ready to be with me.”

  “EXCUSE ME?” I shout before clasping a hand over my mouth. I shut my eyes, hoping I didn’t draw much attention to us from the party down below. “I begged you not to go. To let me come with you. To be with you. I was ready to tell my parents. I was ready for the fallout. You’re really trying to put this on me?”

  “No.” He shakes his head. “Not at all. I take full responsibility for hurting you and everything that transpired. I ended things and then I just left you. I just… I knew that if I stayed, I’d never be able to get over you. You would never be able to get over me. It would have been hard for both of us. But I truly did think it was for the best.” He gets off the bed and moves toward me. “I was scared of what all of it meant. My feelings for you. Your feelings for me. And yeah, I was a little worried about what your parents would think because as your mother so eloquently reminded us not long ago, I was the second person to hold you after you were born. And then I was in love with you and I didn’t know how to explain what changed and how you weren’t the same little Whitney that I taught how to ride a bike. I didn’t think we could make it work. I panicked, alright?”