I pace back and forth on the front lawn, trying to wrap my head around what the fuck just happened.

Jenna was in bed. With another man.

Fuck.

Fuck!

I’m too worked up to stay in one place. I don’t have a car, and I need space to think. I take off around the block to sort my head.

I’ve barely made it down a few houses when my phone buzzes with a call.

It’s her.

I can’t answer. I’m too mad. Too hurt. We just got back together and she already cheated on me! I silence the call.

She texts a minute later asking me to come back and talk.

Yeah, like how she came back and talked to me after she thought I cheated? Fuck that. She can sit with this until I get my thoughts straight.

I silence my phone altogether and shove it in my pocket. I’m an asshole for ignoring her, and an even bigger asshole for justifying my actions because she did it to me in the past, but my chest is aching, and I can barely breathe.

I love her. I was going to ask her to marry me!

Is this my fault for refusing to tell her I wanted to be with her for real? Because I said I wanted to take it day by day?

I could kick myself for that now. I was such a fucking idiot.

Or… oh God. There’s another possibility, and it’s the worst one of all. Did she make me fall for her all over again so that she could have the pleasure of breaking my heart this time?

I don’t doubt Jenna’s acting skills. She is good. But I don’t think I could possibly have misread all the signs of her body, the reactions she couldn’t have controlled. The way her pulse quickens each and every time I touch her. Or the way her body seeks mine out, even in sleep. The way she comes for me like fireworks.

Besides, now that she knows the truth about what happened with Natalia and the infamous kiss, it wouldn’t make sense for her to follow through on any kind of nefarious plan for revenge. Especially after we opened up and realized that we both had fears holding us back.

So, what was this then? A drunken night with an ex? A booty call because she needed to come, and I didn’t Skype her? Was she with that guy the whole time we were getting back together? Am I the asshole who’s the other guy?

I don’t like any of these options, but it’s worse not knowing the answer. I don’t know how Jenna spent all these years without resolution. I can’t even handle twenty minutes.

And instead of waiting for the universe to give me an opportunity to work things out with her like I did before, this time I’m going after her right from the beginning.

I practically run the last leg of the block back to her house. I’m prepared that Jenna won’t want to talk to me. She’ll send him—Walter—to talk me down. She’ll be avoiding the confrontation.

Just thinking about it makes me want to punch him in the nuts.

Of course I’m not going to punch him. Or anyone. I’m going to be cool, and stay there until Jenna sees me. Then I’m going to make her talk things out. Like a grown-up. Like we should have done last time.

I head up to the front door, but just as I go to put my key in the lock, it swings inward.

And standing where I expect to see Walter, is Jenna.

“You’re still here?” she asks, her brows furrowed, her eyes hopeful.

Like there was anywhere else I would be when this isn’t settled. Well, except for the trip around the block.

“I’m not you, Jenna,” I spit. Is she planning to leave before we discuss this?

Not gonna work. I’ll be here when she gets back. I’ll wait for as long as it takes. “We need to talk.”

“Hold on, Tanner. I need to tell—”

“No.” I cut her off. “You don’t get to talk. I get to talk. I just found you in bed with another man; that means I get the speaking stick now.” I pace in front of her in tight strides, a caged tiger.

“Last time, you got the speaking stick,” I continue. “You wouldn’t know that, because you ran away. I see how you felt now, but what I don’t see is how you were able to leave.” I stop and direct my stare at her. “I was serious when I told you I love you. I thought you felt the same.”

I can feel the storm of rage within me swirling. How dare she. How dare she?

“This is my fault for not defining our relationship. Let me give you a definition right now. The second you went to bed with me, you lost your right to fuck other guys. In case you’re wondering, I wouldn’t touch another woman with a ten-foot pole. And I’m just so…”

I trail off, not knowing the words to tell her exactly how furious and overwhelmingly sad I am to know that all along, she maybe just wasn’t capable of loving me the way I loved her.

Love her.

I still fucking love her, God help me.

There’s nothing to punch on the porch, but I want to destroy something. Anything.

Maybe everything. I’d burn everything beneath the Hollywood sign to the ground if it meant this feeling inside would go away.

Behind Jenna, I see that guy, Walter, and he’s grinning. It’s a real bastard move, and I think I actually growl at him.

“Hi!” he says with a little wave. “It’s nice to meet you!”

With that he disappears back into the house, leaving Jenna smirking and watching me. I’m horrified that she’s just going to let him stay while we talk this out, but maybe she doesn’t trust me not to punch him on his way out.

“It’s taken us a full decade to finally learn to trust each other again. I never thought we’d actually get back together on this movie, and I know you didn’t either. But we did. And I thought that meant we were meant to be together for real. I don’t know if it’s because of chemistry or personality or the fucking alignment of the stars, but you and I are a perfect fit. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make this work because I know I’ll never find someone like you. I love you, Jenna, with all my heart and all my soul. Why would you want to ruin that?”

I’m out of breath, out of words. My eyes sting, hot and dry.

“Do I get the speaking stick yet?” she asks.

As much as I want to hear her explanation, I’m also afraid of what she’ll say. I don’t really want to hear her tell me she just doesn’t love me that much. I’m broken now, but that would shatter me. I’m still hoping against hope that this is all a bad dream.

But she’s staring at me, and I’ve learned, if nothing else, that I have to stop letting fear interfere with my relationship with her.

“Fine,” I reply.

“Good. Why don’t you come inside so we don’t attract any attention from any neighbors…or TMI reporters”

Something about Jenna’s tone is throwing me off. I can’t figure out why she’s so completely calm, but she makes a good point about reporters.

I let her lead me through the door. I guess she does trust me not to hurt the guy I found in her bed. Although the only possible way for me to inflict the same pain on him that he has on me would be to rip his heart out, and I’m not sure even my Jet alter-ego could justify that.

She sits me down at the kitchen island, in the same room with Walter. We’re actually going to discuss this in front of him?

I look back and forth from Walter to Jenna, warily. But she’s important to me, so I let this ride out. For now.

“Firstly,” she says, “I understand how you feel. And thank you for staying and telling me. But here is the part you don’t know—Walter came over last night so we could hang out, watch your amazing performance on SNL, and chat about our boyfriends. And then we fell asleep.”

My heart starts racing all over again. “Okay, right, after ‘chatting’ about your boyf...wait. Boyfriends? As in both of you have boyfriends?”

I whip my head around to look at Walter again. He is cheerfully making cappuccinos on Jenna’s espresso machine. There are three mugs in front of him, and two of them are pink, as is the elaborate kimono he’s donned.

He looks over, catches my eye and gives me an exaggerated wink.

Oh.

Oh.

“I…” The storm of emotion drains from my body, leaving me tired, embarrassed, and stuttering. Not to mention relieved. “But you have to admit that was really confusing…”

“Yes. It was. You’re right. And I would have told you what to expect if I’d been expecting you this morning.”

I can feel my ears turning pink. “I wanted to surprise you, and it backfired just a tad.”

“Just a tad,” Walter says, setting down fresh coffee in front of me and a tea in front of Jenna. “But let me tell you, as someone who’s hated you since I met her, I’m pretty jazzed to see how passionate you are about her now.” The arched brow and little shimmy he gives leaves me no doubt that Jenna has described our passion in great detail to him.

“Can we start over?” I ask.

“Nope.”

And my heart falls into my stomach.

“Because you were right about a lot of things you said when you thought Walter and I had sex. And we need to address that. We probably should have done it a week ago.”

With that, Walter tastefully melts into the living room with his coffee.

“Most importantly, I’m sorry. I’ve owed you this apology for a very long time, and this seems like the right time for it. I’m sorry for running away from you ten years ago. It was wrong and shortsighted and stubborn. When I thought you were gone, it was really scary to wonder if you’d ever come back. It’s easy to assume, and really hard to swallow your pride and actually talk to someone.”

She’s tearing up, and holds up a finger to save her place while she heads to the bathroom to blow her nose. I get up and frantically gesture to Walter, and have to just hope he understands me because she isn’t gone long.

When she’s back in the room, Jenna opens her mouth to continue, but I cut her off. “Can I have the speaking stick back?”

“Sure. We don’t have a stick, though.”

“How about I use your hand, then?”

I reach down and take her hand in my own. Her smooth skin gives me an instant sense of calm. This morning might have started on a really sour note, but in a strange way it’s actually been a great thing to happen. We’ve both proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that although we still fit as well as we did ten years ago, we’ve also grown up in all the ways that count.

The next time we are tested—and in Hollywood, we will be—I know we’ll come to each other first.

So there’s nothing that feels more appropriate now than to finish exactly what I started last night before the show.

“I’m sorry about today, too,” I tell her, rubbing my thumb along the back of her hand. “I should have handled it better. But I’m mostly sorry that I didn’t make it clear how important you were to me ten years ago. Instead of letting you go so that you could make your dreams come true without me in the way, I should have found a way to make your dreams come true with me. I wasted a lot of time not having you in my life. And I don’t want to make that mistake again.”

She’s tearing up again, and this time I make no effort at all to hide the fact that my eyes are also shining.

“You have made me happier over the past three months than I have been in the ten years since we’ve been apart. I was an idiot for suggesting we take it slow. I don’t want to spend another day without you in my life.” I use my free hand to reach into my pocket, whip out the Tiffany ring box and fall to one knee. “Jenna Stahl, I love you, and I will always love you. Will you please marry me?”

She’s in my arms before that final word comes out of my mouth.

“Yes, yes, yes!” she sobs over and over again, laughing at the same time.

I hold her tight, closing my eyes in silent thanks.

When I open them again, I see Walter had understood exactly what I was asking. He holds up his phone, where he’s captured the entire proposal, and then bursts into sobs louder than Jenna’s and joins us for a hug. I pat him awkwardly. I’m excited to get to know Jenna’s best friend, but normally I only like one person in lingerie crying on me at a time.

“I’m going to design you the most beautiful wedding dress the world has ever seen,” Walter sniffles as Jenna shifts from crying to staring at her brand new ring. “And then I’ll design myself the most beautiful man of honor suit Roger has ever seen.”

I stare at him, confused, and his eyes fly open wide.

“Oh! You might want to be alone for a few moments before we start the fittings…” he says, and I nod gratefully.

“It is absolutely perfect,” Jenna tells me, too absorbed in her new jewelry to even notice Walter close the front door behind him. “Is it…?

“It is. The Audrey. The perfect ring for my perfect girl,” I say, then, once again, I pull her into my arms, and we start living the rest of time together.