I knew going out had been a bad idea. With Frankie engaged in all things Seb—her new fuck buddy—I was left to make awkward conversation with his two friends. One of who currently had his hand curled around my thigh rather possessively. His breath had been brushing against my neck for the past twenty minutes as he spoke incoherently at me. I say at because I’d hardly gotten a word in edgeways. I laughed, even though I had no idea what I was laughing at, and I nodded while feigning interest. He wasn’t my type of guy at all. Blonde, spiky hair, bright blue eyes and olive skin weren’t what usually attracted me to a guy, and in this case they still didn’t. But my taste in men wasn’t really the issue. It was the way he touched me and grinned as though I were a sure thing. I tried looking to Frankie for help, but she was oblivious to everything and everyone but the man who gripped her at the waist whilst he nuzzled into her neck.

I wondered how long she’d keep up the pretence. Frankie never kept any guy around for too long, even if a part of her wanted to. I never understood what the problem was. The guys she seemed to attract weren't all bad. In fact, I’d say they were pretty decent in comparison to the guys I’d met at college. Still, I gave up trying to work Frankie out a long time ago and decided to just go with it. I wasn't going to judge her. I knew what being judged felt like.

I pulled my gaze from Frankie when I felt a set of fingers squeeze my thigh. The guy whose name I couldn’t remember didn’t seem to take the hint, even when I retreated, shook away his hand from my knee and frowned with disinterest. He leaned into me, his breath hitting me in the face as he did. I tried not to gag at the way it smelt as I lifted the champagne flute in the air and pressed it to my lips before taking a small sip.

“There’s plenty more where that came from back at my place,” he drawled.

I swallowed the liquid I had in my mouth and shook my head. “I’m sure there is, but I was always taught never to go home with strangers,” I told him, hoping he would see beyond the lie.

He smirked and tapped the base of my champagne flute with the tip of his finger, his eyes twinkling. “Now I know that’s not true.”

A sick knot formed in the very pit of my stomach. I wanted to tell him that he was wrong. That he had no idea what he was talking about and I wasn’t like that. Only he was right. They all were. It didn’t matter what they looked like, whether they were rich, poor, ugly or ridiculously good-looking. As long as they wanted me, that was all that mattered.

I wasn’t that girl anymore, though, was I?

I didn’t want to be that girl anymore.

A year ago I’d thought things were finally shifting for me, that I’d found my reason for changing. I’d been wrong then, fooling myself into believing there was someone out there who saw me differently. A month later, I was proven wrong yet again. Men never settled down with, talked about having kids with, or planned a future with me. I was the girl mothers warned their sons about. I was a quickie on the football field after a heavy night of drinking and a promise of a call that would never happen. That was all I was good for.

That was why I needed to get away. Get out of Winslow and start afresh someplace else where I could find a job I loved and maybe, just maybe, find someone to love me for me, instead of using me for what they thought I could give them.

I closed my eyes and tried to delve into that happy place. The one where everything was perfect, uncomplicated, and serene…

Just as I finally touched the edge of happiness, a familiar voice pulled me from my thoughts and reminded me why I could never be truly happy again.

“I’d steer clear of that one if I were you,” he said.

It was a voice I knew all too well. One I often dreamed of, yet never thought I would hear again.

“Jake?” I breathed when I finally opened my eyes to see him standing just a few feet away from me, leaning against the bar.

“I see some things never change.” He shook his head, causing me to cringe internally, willing the floor to swallow me up.

My heart hammered in my chest. I wasn’t ready to see him again. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

It wasn’t his words that had my heart dropping. God, no. I’d heard a hell of a lot worse over the years. It was the coldness that met me when I eventually looked into his eyes. I mean really looked into his eyes. Nothing but hatred and disdain stared back at me. Cruel, menacing hatred that looked odd on the Jake I’d once known.

I swallowed again as he shook his head and turned his back on me before heading over to the other side of the bar.

“And I’m guessing that’s the scorned ex?” The guy beside me laughed with amusement.

I blinked and shook my head slightly. “What? No. Not exactly,” I replied. My voice was unusually shaky and off-key. What the hell was Jake doing here? I’d hoped I’d be long gone from Winslow before he returned home.

“If he’s not an ex, what’s his deal?”

“I have no idea,” I whispered truthfully. I had to know what was going on in his head, though. I needed something, anything just to put an end to it once and for all. “Excuse me. I need to...” I scooted past the guy, careful not to touch him and lead him on any further. Once I was safe in knowing the guy wasn’t going to follow me, I made my way over to the far side of the bar where Jake was standing…or should I say, propping himself against the bar.

I took the spot beside him, resting my elbows against the wooden surface as I leaned forward. “You’re back?” I stated, which came out more like a question than an actual statement.

“Gold star for pointing out the obvious.”

Okay, I asked for that.

“I didn’t think you were coming back yet. The newspapers said that—”

Jake cut me off by raising both of his perfect dark brows. “You of all people know not to believe everything you read in that shit.”

He was right. Even so, I couldn’t hide the way my body tensed at hearing that. I would never live it down. Not ever. I’d destroyed Lola’s world when I’d handed that incriminating article out. I practically told the whole of our college that she’d killed her boyfriend by driving recklessly while she walked away from the accident unscathed. She hadn’t. She was a mess. Her guilt had swallowed every memory she’d had of him and their life together before the accident. But Lola had what I wanted and could never have: Taylor’s heart. Jealousy is an ugly trait and it consumed me, had me acting out, inflicting pain on two people who were already suffering. I’d been paying the price ever since.

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply before I opened them again. “I didn’t come here for an argument, Jake.”

“That’ll be a first.”

“Seriously?” I rolled my eyes. “You’re really going back there? I said I was sorry, Jake. Besides, that was a long time ago. I’m different now.”

He scoffed, shaking his head. “Ever heard that saying, Mel? A leopard never changes its spots.”

“Leopards, no, but people can change. And from where I’m standing, you don’t appear to be the same person you were when you left, either. What happened to you?”

“The same thing that happens to all of us.” He shrugged.

“And what’s that?”

“Life, Mel. Life happens.”

I shook my head. “That’s not true. We control our own lives. Our own happiness is down to us. If you don’t like something, change it. Don’t use life as an excuse to be an arse.”

Jake laughed into the glass topped with brown liquid before placing it back on the bar. He turned his body sideways to face me, and I fought to keep my eyes open and my breathing normal as he gazed at me intently. The softness I knew too well was somewhere in there, hidden in the depths of his cold brown eyes. I knew it. I just couldn't seem to find it.

Jake lifted a hand and began to rub at his jaw line. It was then I noticed the light stubble that had formed there. It was different. He looked mature… and dangerous. He must have caught me staring because he cleared his throat, bringing my eyes back to his.

“So, what’s your excuse, Melanie?” he said in an even tone. I could’ve sworn I saw a ghost of a smile in his expression, but who knew? This wasn’t the Jake I remembered.

When I realised I still hadn’t answered his question, I shrugged. “Some people are just lost causes.”

Jake frowned and I knew then that this conversation wasn’t going to go the way I hoped it would. Deep wasn’t exactly my thing, and besides, the man in front of me no longer cared what I had to say or how I felt. I inhaled and slowly released the breath before doing what I should have done when I’d realised that Jake was there. Leave.