It was becoming a routine, showing up at Bessy’s house. I was surprised she let me through the door after the night before, but she did. She took one look at me, pulled open the door and went into the kitchen to make the tea, while I curled up on the sofa and cried. I thought I would be angrier after realising what Jake had done. Once the crying stopped, the numbness crept in, and I wasn’t sure which felt worse—feeling or not feeling at all.

I wasn’t even aware of what was on TV. The only thing I could focus on was the flashing lights that radiated from the screen whenever the scene changed.

Flash.

Blink.

Repeat.

It was only when I heard the loud rapping on the door that I remembered Bessy was still sitting beside me. She left the room to go answer the door and came back a few moments later.

“Sweetheart, Jake’s here. He wants to speak to you.”

My head snapped to the side. “Tell him to go away.”

“He’s in the hallway, dear. I think you need to hear him out.”

“Bessy, please? Just tell him to go away,” I pleaded.

Bessy nodded sadly and left the room again. When she came back, I lifted my eyes to thank her. Only it wasn’t her. It was Jake. He looked like crap and I tried not to feel sorry for him. “Go away,” I spat out.

“Mel, it was a mistake,” he said, his eyes pleading with mine.

“What do you want from me, Jake? Forgiveness? Screw you.” I shook my head.

“I didn’t know Lola worked there, I swear. I only found out when she called me half an hour ago. I promise, babe. I didn’t know.”

Dropping my head in my hands, I sighed. “Please, Jake. Just go.”

Jake dropped to his knees in front of me and reached for my hands. I gazed up and instantly wished I hadn’t. “Please, Mel. You have to believe me. I wouldn’t do that to you, I promise.” I could hear the raw emotion in his voice as he tried to hold it together.

I pulled my hands from his and shook my head. “Even if you didn’t know, it doesn’t matter. You said it yourself. You don’t care about me.”

“I lied. I didn’t mean any of it, I swear. I was pissed at you. You were shouting at me. Hitting me. I had no idea what I’d done to you.”

“So?” I shrugged. “People say the truth when they’re angry.”

“If that’s the case then what about the shit you said to me, hey?” Jake’s brows rose high. He had a point. I had said some really awful things to him, but I’d had reason. I thought he’d set me up to humiliate me. I was angry.

“That’s different,” I told him.

“No. It’s exactly the same. We were both angry. We both said things we didn’t mean and I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry for what I said to you.”

“And about me not being the only one you were fucking?”

Jake smiled and reached out a hand to cup my face. “I told you before... you’re it. You’ve been it all along. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. I was pissed at myself. Not you. Today has been…” he shook his head. “I should have listened to you, Mel. Asked you properly was going on, instead of reacting the way I had. I didn’t. And for that, I’m sorry.”

I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch. “I didn’t mean what I said to you about living in Taylor’s shadow. You don’t. You’re all I see.”

“That’s good to know.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, finally opening my eyes.

Jake’s eyes softened as they held mine. “Me, too.” Then he pushed his forehead against mine and sighed.

“We just had our first argument.” I laughed.

“I guess we did.” He chuckled softly.

“Do you think the universe is trying to tell us something? That our lives are always going to be like this?”

“I hope so.”

“What?” I frowned. “You want us to argue?” That made no sense. Who in their right mind wanted to spend their entire lives arguing?

Jake shot me a knowing grin and said, “I’d argue with you every day if it meant we got to make up.”

“You just want me for my body,” I teased.

“No. I want you for your body and for your tickle. Stay with me tonight?”

I rolled my eyes and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Dad’s back home. I’m trying to avoid him.”

“Not at yours. At mine. Stay with me?”

I bit my lip and nodded. “Okay.”

“Good. And I want to know what happened with your dad.”

“He hates you.” I giggled.

“Of course he does. I more than like his little girl.” Jake grinned and brushed his lips against mine.

“What?” I frowned.

“Nothing,” he said, pulling me up and against his chest. “Let’s go. I need to be as close to you as I can get. And I can’t do that here with Bessy listening from the other side of the door.”

Bessy coughed, realising she’d been caught out, and I chucked my head back on a laugh. “Come on,” I said, giving him a chaste peck on the lips before pulling him out the door.

When we said our goodbyes to Bessy and made our way to Jake’s car, I leaned over the roof opposite Jake and sighed. When his eyes flashed to mine, I winked and said, “I more than like you, too, Jake.” The smile that spread across his face was a smile I knew would stay with me forever. Damn, those dimples.