Of course, I’m not going to shake Amanda’s hand.
Instead I grab hold of it, that unmistakable jolt of electricity sparking when our skin connects, just like every other time we’ve touched. I pull her to me and wrap her up in my arms because I can. I’m the one who offered up the tickets so I could…what? Show off? Let her know exactly how great my life is?
I can’t lie. My life is pretty damn great. I have everything I could ever want—except for one thing.
“Hi Jordan,” she breathes against my neck, and I swear she melts into me a little. Like she can’t help herself. Like we somehow still fit together even after all these years.
Either she got smaller or I grew bigger since the last time I touched her, and I’m guessing it’s the latter. She smells familiar, yet different. Better. I recognize the scent of her shampoo, but nothing else. Her hair is longer. Thick. Dark and wavy, up in a ponytail and a little disheveled, like she’s had a long day. Her body is curvier, something teenaged Amanda would’ve never believed could happen. She still has those sexy long legs, though.
Finally, she pulls away from me, her lips curled, her eyes sparkling, nervousness written all over her face, and I watch her carefully in return, my expression as neutral as I can make it. Honestly, I’m still a little pissed over that garbage game we just played, and I’m tense like I usually am after. Her understanding gaze meets mine and I know she knows what I’m feeling. We’ve always been in tune with each other…
She’s my Mandy, all grown up. But not my Mandy anymore. In fact, there’s a guy standing off to the side, silently watching us, and Cannon’s watching us too. Like we’re putting on some sort of performance and they’re judging our interaction with each other.
With Cannon, I get it. He was there from the beginning. He knows me, he knows Amanda. But the guy with her? I don’t know him.
And for some reason, I immediately don’t like him.
“Cade.” Her voice is light and high, and she steps toward the guy, grabbing his hand and pulling him closer to us. “These are my friends, Cannon Whittaker and—Jordan Tuttle.”
She hesitates when she says my name, and I wonder at her choice of the word friends. Does this guy—Cade—not know we used to be together?
“Nice to meet you.” I stick out my hand before Cannon gets a chance and squeeze Cade’s hand extra hard, like an asshole.
“It is so great to meet you too,” Cade says enthusiastically, wrenching his hand from mine. Then he’s shaking Cannon’s too, though Cannon is a lot kinder. He doesn’t try and break the bones of Amanda’s date. “Thanks for the tickets. You guys played a fantastic game tonight,” Cade says to both of us.
Cannon nods enthusiastically. He did play great. I didn’t.
It was a bullshit game. We barely won. But whatever.
“Thanks,” I say easily. I can feel Amanda’s gaze on me, but I refuse to look in her direction.
“It’s wild to see you here tonight,” Cannon tells Amanda, staring at her like she’s a ghost from his past.
More like she’s my ghost, still haunting me.
“Jordan invited me,” she says, her gaze cutting to mine, and this time I look back. She did not dress to impress. I’d guess she came to the game straight from work, and so did her date, considering their matching polo shirts.
It doesn’t matter. She could be wearing a paper bag and I’d still think she was beautiful.
“Thank you for letting us watch you in the suite,” she tells me, her voice soft, her brown eyes seemingly extra dark. Full of secrets.
I used to live for those brown eyes to look at me. And now, all those old feelings swamp me, taking me back in time.
Leaving me confused as hell.
“Yeah, thanks again. And what a view, watching the game from here,” Cade adds way too enthusiastically. He reminds me of an exuberant puppy, wanting to please everyone.
“You’re welcome.” I glance over at Cannon. “Should we head to the suite?”
“Yeah.” Cannon nods. “My aunt and uncle are waiting.”
“I need to talk to the sponsors.” I study Amanda once more. “Were you guys leaving?”
“Yeah. It is so awesome meeting you guys. Like seriously, lifetime memory-type stuff, so I hate to say it, but I’m beat,” Cade says with a yawn he stifles behind a closed fist. “Have to get to work early tomorrow. You know how it goes.”
Our lives couldn’t be more different. I have no idea how it goes.
The disappointment on Amanda’s face is clear at hearing Cade’s words, and seeing her like this gives me a strange kind of satisfaction. As if I want her to miss me. “I guess we’re leaving,” she says softly.
“You need a ride home?”
She blinks up at me, clearly shocked by my question. As am I.
“I can stay a little longer,” Cade interjects, slipping his arm around Amanda’s shoulders like he owns her, the prick. “I’ll drive Amanda home.”
“Cool,” I say with a nod, but deep inside I’m seething. I don’t like how he took control of the situation. I don’t like how he’s touching Amanda possessively.
More than anything, I don’t like the way seeing her after all this time is making me feel.
This is, after all, the girl who held my nineteen-year-old heart in her hands.
And crushed it.