“I . . . well, I wanted to say hello. How loud to go—” She closes her eyes, breathes a few times, and then speaks again, “How have you been?”

“Just fine.” I give her a quick look before focusing on something else. This doesn’t have to happen. We can live here and go about our lives not talking. We spent fourteen years not saying a word to each other, this should be simple enough.

“Oh. Good.” She looks at Jack and then back to me.

Jack gets up and gives her a hug. “Jess, it’s so good to see you.”

She winces and then takes a step back.

“Sorry. Shit. I forgot you’re hurt.” Jack looks stricken.

“It’s fine. It’s good to see you, too.”

He sits back down, shoots me a glare, and then jerks his head toward her.

“So, how are you?” I ask, not really wanting to have this conversation. I feel like an asshole, but I can’t seem to stop myself. I’m pissed. She shows up here after all this time, and I feel like I’ve been thrown back in time. It took me years to get over her, and now, one fucking appearance and my heart is racing.

“I’m . . . okay.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Delia walks over and rests her hand on Jessica’s arm. “Hey, guys. Jess, I got a call from my mother and need to head home to help her. Jennie is packing up the food.”

She nods and then turns back to me. “It was good to see you, Gray.”

“Yeah. Sure. Good to see you too.”

I let out a low breath while my best friend stares at me. A few seconds pass, and he doesn’t say a word or look away. “What?” I ask.

“You were a dick.”

“Does she deserve my kindness? She fucking left me.”

He laughs once. “What are you, a fifteen-year-old girl? Get over it and put your big girl panties on, pumpkin. That girl has been through hell, and you were a prick, which . . . you’re not. Since when do you act like that?”

As Jessica and Delia walk out, Jess gives me a small wave, and I lift my head. I’m not sure what anyone expected regarding our reunion. I loved that girl. I would’ve fucking given up anything for her, but she walked away without a second glance.

So, now that her life didn’t work out and she’s back, I’m supposed to forget what she did? Too bad. Life didn’t exactly go my way either.

But something Jack said bugs me. “What hell did she go through?”

Jack crosses his arms over his chest, a smirk on his face. Clearly, I’m missing something that everyone is aware of. “Do you remember that plane crash the guy playing the Navigator was in a few weeks ago?”