I laid in bed, a headache piercing through every nerve in my head. This was exactly why tequila was dangerous. Well, that, and the fact that my memory was foggy. It kept coming back in flashes but not enough to piece together the whole picture. The last thing I remembered was dancing with Becca and after that, nothing. Just blankness.
Ugh, this definitely wasn’t good. Add to that the dream I had last night? The tugging feeling around my heart as a result and the pain in my head from drinking were not a good combination.
The empty spot on my bed bounced beside me and I flinched from the motion of it.
“Rise and shine, beauty queen.” Becca announced, way too cheery after the night we had.
“Don’t you mean Queen Jade?” I grumbled in response.
“Eh, it’s all the same. Now, will you please open your eyes and look at me? This conversation requires your full attention.”
“And what conversation would that be?”
“The one about Tian.”
My eyes flew open at the mention of his name. We used it on very rare occasions, which was closer to never. This was the second day in a row we were talking about him. We needed new rules.
My eyes squinted against the harsh light streaming in through the open window. Did I wake up in the middle of the night and tell her about my dream or was she some kind of mind reader? That was the only reason I could think of for her to be using his name on the day of a hangover. But I knew that was impossible because I had just woken up from my sleep and she most certainly was not a mind reader.
“Ow.” I covered my eyes with my forearm. “First, why is it so bright? And second, why are you saying his name like it’s something we do all the time?”
A set of fingers pulled my arm from my face and I was met with the kind, bright eyes of my best friend. She looked sympathetic and I knew whatever she had to tell me wasn’t going to be good. I sat up in the bed, never blinking as she cautiously stared at me. I realized she wasn’t going to share the news until I asked, so that’s what I did.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Just say it.” Fear laced my voice and I knew she could hear it because she placed her hand over mine and gently squeezed, giving me support.
“How much do you remember from last night?”
“Not much.” I squinted at nothing, hoping to regain some memory. “I remember drinking, dancing, and that’s it.”
“That’s all you remember?”
“Yes, I just said that.”
“Okay. Well, don’t freak out.” She gave my hand another squeeze.
“Too late,” I said, a little too strong.
She huffed in annoyance at the harshness in my tone, giving me a small glare. “You had a run in with Tian.”
“I’m pretty sure I’d remember that.” Wait, maybe I did tell her about my dream. That had to be. How drunk was I? “Besides, just because it happened in my dream doesn’t mean it happened in real life.”
“What are you talking about?” She asked, clearly confused.
“You’re talking about my dream, right?” She continued to stare at me, unwavering. “The one I had about Tian last night. The one I told you about?”
“Jade.” Her voice had softened again. “That wasn’t a dream.”
The pain around my heart grew stronger with each beat and I had to catch my breath in order to speak again. “What are you talking about?”
“We were dancing,” she said.
“I remember that.”
“And we spotted Dylan walk in with Erin when you tripped and almost fell.”
I felt my brows pull together in confusion. I opened my mouth to respond but nothing came out. I felt like I was going into shock. At least my heart was, based on the speed it was beating at. “And then?” I choked out.
“And then he caught you before it could happen.”
“He caught me?” I shook my head, confused. “Wait. He was there?”
“Yeah. He was there.”
“Tian? The same Tian who ripped my heart out when I was a teenager? That Tian?” I took a few deep breaths. “Please tell me I didn’t make a fool out of myself?”
“From what I could tell you didn’t say anything. And I got you out of there before you broke down in front of him. He didn’t deserve to see that.”
I nodded, my body sinking with relief.
“But, Jade?”
“Yes?”
There was a determination in her eyes as she moved to lay beside me. “You need to tell Dylan the truth.”
“The truth about what?”
“About you and Tian.”
My heart skipped. “I have told him.”
“I mean the whole truth. He witnessed your run-in last night, and I can only imagine what must be going through his mind.”
“I don’t want to lose him, Becca.”
“And you think that if you let him into your heart, he’ll leave? He’s not that type of guy, Jade. You should give him more credit than that.”
“I know, you’re right. And I will. I’ll give him a call later.”
“I figured you’d say that, which is why I covered for you last night and told him you’d call him when you were ready.”
“Did he seem mad?”
“Dylan? No. He was understanding like he always is.” She smiled. “He’s amazing, and you’re amazing together. So just be honest with him, okay? I’m sure Tian isn’t ever going to show his face again, but in case he does, you don’t want to blindside him.”
“Yeah, I know. I will.” I promised, more to myself than her.
* * *
“What happened, Jade?” Dylan asked, holding me against his chest while we laid in bed.
I traced circles on his bare stomach, my fingers slightly trembling with worry. “I never thought I’d see him again. It still feels like a dream, ya know? It happened so fast. But he looked just as surprised as I did, so I really don’t think we have to worry about me running into him again. I don’t even know what he was doing here.”
Dylan’s arms flexed around me, his chin resting more firmly on the top of my head. “Who is he?”
“An ex from high school,” I breathed out. “We ended things a few months before college.”
“Is he in school?”
“I don’t think so.” I snuggled up closer to Dylan’s body. The Tian talk making my skin itch and heart pound—not in a good way. “He was a few years older than me. He should be,” I paused to count. “Twenty-three now, I think. Yeah, that sounds right.”
“Was he important to you?” He asked, his fingers gently tapping against my shoulder.
“Yeah,” I said softly. “He was the first person I ever loved. But he lied to me about almost everything. He took what I gave but never gave anything in return. It was exhausting and painful, so I walked away from him.”
“Is that why you were a little guarded when we first met?” He asked, sounding more curious than anything.
“Probably.” I laughed lightly. “I was a mess, but it was the greatest decision I ever made for myself. I guess I was just nervous about jumping into a rebound so soon after.”
“A rebound, huh?”
I could sense his smile without even looking. “Yeah, well, we both know you’re anything but that. Far from it, actually. I used to think that he was the love of my life, and maybe he was, but Dylan?”
“Yeah, Jade?”
I sat up, reluctantly removing myself from his embrace. The loss of contact made me feel cold and anxious, so I placed my knees on either side of his body and sat on his waist. His hands immediately moved to my thighs, giving them a gentle squeeze.
“Sorry, as I was saying.” I blew a loose strand of hair from my face. “He may have been the love of my life, but you’re my soulmate. That much I’m sure of. My heart beats for you, Dylan. It has for a long time. You are exactly who I needed. You’re who fate got right.”
“I love it when you talk sweet to me.” He smirked, his fingers grazing my skin, skimming just below the hem of my sleep shorts. “Come here.”
I rolled my eyes at his playfulness and leaned down, pressing my hands against his chest to hold myself up. He met me halfway, his lips connecting with mine in a slow, sensual dance. I sighed against him, a smile spreading my lips.
“I hope this never gets old, Dylan.”
“It won’t, even when we do,” he said with a goofy smile. “About this dude. Do you think he’ll be a problem, Jade?”
“No,” I said, zero hesitation in my voice. “He’s my past. I’m not sure why he popped up last night after two years of silence, but I don’t plan on finding out.”
“Okay.” He nodded, pressing a chaste kiss to my lips. “I trust you.”
“Besides, if the situation were reversed, I’d be pissed.” I bent further down, peppering soft kisses along his collarbone. “So, make sure it doesn’t happen, yeah?”
“No worries, Jade.” His hands trailed upward, my skin sizzling along the way. “I’ll make sure no exes pop up.”
“You’re too good to me.” I laughed, pressing my chest flat against his. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Jade Young.”
“Ditto, Dylan Conrad. Ditto.”