Aspen and her friends went to get food and drinks. The grill was turned on and Zellman and Jordan were in charge of the meats. I’m pretty sure they had plans to grill a pizza, or two of them. If they could grill water, they would’ve.

By this time, Tabatha and Jessinda had joined us, too, but they came in at a slower pace.

Tabatha came over, gave me a tight hug, and she stepped back, flicking away some tears. She couldn’t look at me so she was half-turned away, but her hand was on my arm. She gave me a squeeze. “Just be safe, Bren. Please be safe from now on.”

I grinned. “Right. Because I invited them here.”

She looked then, more tears spilling as she did, and a small laugh slipped out. “You know what I mean.” Then her eyes trailed past my shoulder, to the backyard. “He’s back there?’

Jessinda waited for us to have our moment, then gave me a nod and went to the backyard.

That honesty I could handle. She knew she and I were never going to be friends, but there was a small moment of decency where she gave me the nod, glad I was good. Then, off to the true reason she was here.

“That’s going to be interesting.”

The words came from me as both Tabatha and I watched her go. The doors slid open, and when they closed, we saw that Jordan wasn’t alone. Jade was standing next to him and he was grinning down at her. Oh yeah. Jordan was full-on flirting with Aspen’s roommate.

Tabatha stiffened. “I didn’t know about her.”

“I think it’s a new development.”

I eyed Tab, not knowing what my place was here.

Then she sighed and stepped back from me. “Whoever he ends up with, I just hope he’s happy.”

I nodded. “I think he will be.”

She blinked away some more tears, then gave me another reassuring smile. It was forced, but it was there. She looked at my hands. “You should have something to drink. What do you want? I’ll go and get it for you. Or I can run to the store?” She was now seeing everyone else and her eyes got big. “You’ve got a whole party happening. What about little sandwiches? There’s a deli not far. I’ll run and grab some.”

“No, there’s already—”

Didn’t matter.

She was gone.

And this time, I had no idea if she’d come back.

Then, the arrival I’d been primed and waiting for.

I heard his truck stop on the street.

I had a full view of them, and he stopped smack-dab in the middle of the street, not giving a fuck, and launched himself out of his driver’s seat. He rounded the back and I was standing. I was moving to the door.