“You’re younger than me, shouldn’t you be getting me another one?” He laughs, but I know he’s going to do it. Whitney has her father wrapped around her little finger.

Me too.

“Dad, pleeeeease.” She points at the work surrounding her. “I’m slaving away here!”

“Yes, I see that.” He snorts, as he gets up leaving us alone again.

She follows her dad with her eyes out of the room and peeks over the couch to make sure he’s not within earshot. “You’re only back in town because of me.” Her tone isn’t hopeful or judgmental, it’s even and I can’t tell what she wants to hear.

Enough of the games already. “Yes, Whitney. I’m back in town because I heard you were getting fucking married and I…”

“Waffles are ready!” I hear Michelle call from the kitchen and I let out a sigh of exasperation over being interrupted again.

“This is why I wanted to talk about this in private, where there was no chance of interruptions.” I lower my voice as I stand up. I reach my hand out for her and pull her to her feet, rubbing my thumb instinctively over her ring finger again. “I hate this here.”

“Well, I hate that you left me, so we’re even.” She snatches her hand out of my hand. “You didn’t ask me to wait for you, Jacob and I’m tired of you insinuating that I should have. You told me to move on, so that’s what I did.”

So, you know that “the opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s indifference” thing? Yeah, that’s been shot to hell, I think to myself as I all but stomp through the kitchen. I told myself I wouldn’t get worked up. I told myself that I could handle being around JP but clearly, I was wrong because his presence coupled with what had to have been a strong as fuck mimosa to already be feeling the effects of it, has me on edge. He’s baiting me and I’m over it. Like he wasn’t the one who ended things. And now suddenly I’m in the wrong for not waiting around pining for him for years?

He’s not saying you’re in the wrong, Whitney. He’s saying he understands but get rid of Parker.

Okay, so because now he’s ready and wants to be with me, I have to oblige? “How high?” That’s what he wants to hear?

No, he loves you and doesn’t want you making a mistake because you obviously still love him.

Obviously!? No, I don’t.

Ummm yes, do you see how good he looks? You know you want to sit on his face. Or his dick. Or both. Don’t you remember what coming during sex feels like? You know it’s been a while.

Love and sex are two different things.

Okay, so you still love him AND you still want to fuck him. Better?