Two weeks had passed since I’d walked in on Jake in the shower and we’d ended up in bed together. While I tried to keep a level of calm when I was around him, I was finding it extremely difficult. The last thing I wanted was to rush into something again, especially knowing how capable he was of destroying me. He had done that once before, and whilst in my heart I had already forgiven him for that, in my head I was constantly living with the fear that if he’d done it once, he could do it again. I tried to act casual around him as much as I could. It was so easy to get swept up in a whirlwind of emotions whenever I was around him, despite the neon warning sign that continuously hovered over me, yelling at me to slow things down. Jake was caring and attentive, just like he had been in the beginning. It was easy to forget all the hurt he had made me feel before he went away the last time. But I told myself that I wouldn’t dwell on the past and just enjoy being with someone. Jake had this charming way of making me feel like I was the only girl in the world. He made me feel special, wanted, and horny as hell. It was hard to keep a sane head whenever I was around him. We hadn’t put a label on what we were. I still wasn’t sure if we were seeing each other officially, or just having sex. I knew he’d said he hated the thought of me being with someone else, but that could just have been his selfish side coming into play. One thing was for certain: the very thought of him being with someone else made me sick.

We still snuck around, grabbing any opportunity we could to be around each other without anyone else knowing. It had been great during the first few days. Now, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to keep it a secret any longer. Would it matter if people knew? Frankie would be wary, given our past, but I knew she’d come around to the idea eventually. As long as I was happy, that’s all that mattered. Only, I wasn’t sure how long that happiness would last.

I still couldn’t bring myself to ask about the injury. I found myself avoiding the subject of football altogether. I hated that he didn’t feel like he could tell me. I still wasn’t sure why he kept it a secret. I wondered if he had hidden it from his parents, too. But why would he? It didn’t make sense. None of it made sense. I knew I would have to bring it up eventually. The new season would be starting in a few weeks and there was no way he could hide it then. People would be asking why he wasn’t playing and he would have to tell them.

And there was our future hanging in the air. I tried to avoid it because facing it meant leaving Jake. I guess it was what stopped me from repeatedly asking Jake what we were doing. Before Jake had come back into my life I was all set for leaving. Leaving this shitty town far behind me and starting a new life someplace else. I still wanted to. Even if that admission made me sad. Jake wouldn’t be playing next season, which meant he would be staying here in Winslow, and me? I’d be leaving. I knew we couldn’t continue this thing between us without broaching the subject of our future plans. I wanted more for myself. More than life here had to offer. But the thought of living a life without him seemed impossible now. I knew this little bubble of mine was about to burst. The only question was… when?

I’d just walked through the door after work when my phone started ringing. I fished the phone out from the back pocket of my jeans and smiled when I saw it was Jake.

I swiped the screen and lifted the phone to my ear. “Hey.”

Jake’s heavy breaths echoed through the other end as if he was running. “Sorry. Hold on,” he said, and then there was a beep followed by what sounded like a car door slamming. “Hey. Sorry, I’ve just finished at the gym,” he breathed out.

“Working up a sweat?” Grinning, I instantly pictured the sweat dripping from his neck and down his shirtless back. His hair would be stuck up at every angle as a sheen of sweat lined his forehead. The thought made my mouth water and that dull ache in my lower stomach intensified.

“Nah, I went easy.”

I nodded. “How’s your knee?”

“Huh?”

“Your knee? You hurt it, remember?”

“Oh, yeah.” I could hear the hesitation in his voice. “It was just a cramp. It’s fine. Anyway, speaking of working up a sweat…” he said, trailing off. All hesitation was now gone. In its place was playful Jake.

“Is that all you want me for?”

“No. I want you for your tickle, too.” I could tell he was grinning, even if I couldn’t see him.

“My what?” I laughed.

Jake was silent for a few moments. “Don’t worry. So, can I see you or not?”

“Tonight?”

“Yeah, tonight.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t. I promised Frankie I’d see her,” I lied.

“Fine. Tomorrow then?”

“Yeah, maybe, I guess.”

“Mel?”

“Yeah?”

“I will see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.” I nodded, although he couldn’t see me.

“Goodnight, Mel.”

“Goodnight, Jake,” I whispered, ending the call.

An hour later and I found myself bursting through Frankie’s front door. I threw my bag onto the kitchen island, grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and went in search of her. I didn't have to look far. She was sprawled out on the sofa with a faux fur blanket draped over her and the television remote in her hand.

I slid onto the edge of the couch, pulled her legs onto my lap and released a sigh. Frankie lifted her eyes to mine briefly before they fell back to the screen.

“I thought you were staying in tonight?” she eventually said.

“I was,” I muttered quietly and tore the remote from her hand, switching the television off.

Frankie frowned and shuffled to a seated position. “Don't worry. I wasn't watching that or anything.”

“I need your advice.”

“You burst through my apartment, steal my water from the fridge, turn the movie I’ve just spent the last hour watching off, and now you want my advice?” She smirked playfully.

Unscrewing the cap, I took a swig of the cold water before screwing it back on. “What would you say if I told you I’d been sleeping with Jake?”

Frankie shrugged her shoulders, pulled her knees up to rest against her chin and said, “That depends. Are you talking once? Twice?”

I grimaced. “How about a lot. Like, a whole lot.”

“Once, I could maybe understand. He's hot, you know? Twice, I’d say you were a stupid whore who must've been drunk. Any more and I’d have to call you crazy.”

“Frankie!” I yelled, swatting her legs.

“What? You asked for my advice and I’m giving it to you.” She shrugged again.

“Can you not be a little nicer about it? This is my life we're talking about.”

Frankie rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine, okay, I’m sorry. But seriously? It wasn't too long ago he was dipping his stick in some other skank. Why would you even want to go there?”

“I didn't plan for it to happen,” I mumbled. Frankie raised her brows and I sighed. “Fine. So maybe I had thought about sleeping with him, but I wasn't actually going to do it. It just happened, that's all. I only went around there to have it out with him. You know, for lying about the injury. I never expected to walk in and see him…”

“See him what?” She frowned.

“Nothing.” I shook my head. “It happened, okay? And do you know what? I’m glad it did.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I don't know. I guess I just…”

“You think he's going to hurt you again and you don't know if you can trust yourself around him?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Look, I know what happened last time and how upset you were over him, and I just don't know if he's the right person to be around, right now.”

“I thought you liked him.”

“I never said I liked him. I said he was hot.” She smirked. “And maybe a month or so ago I would've told you to go for it, but now? He took that chick home from the club. If he was truly into you, it would've been you. Not her he took home that night.”

“Sadie?”

“Yeah, if you say so,” she said in a bored tone.

“Nothing happened between them. He told me so himself.”

Frankie rolled her eyes. “Of course he did.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“He's a guy. Of course he's going to say that. They'll say anything to get what they want. Lying isn't an issue.”

“I believe him.”

“Good for you. Okay, so say he was telling the truth and he didn’t sleep with her. He still left the club with her when he could’ve stayed with you. If he cared about you, Mel, he wouldn’t have left with her. And you've barely looked at another guy since Jake came back.”

“That's not true,” I told her.

“Please. The old Mel would've been out every night, work or no work, on the pull, bringing someone back. When was the last time you hooked up with someone who wasn't Jake?”

I thought her words over for a moment and shook my head. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“You're in love with him.”

“Not this again.” I sighed.

“Yes, this again. You love him. The question is, is he in love with you?”

“Why does love have to come into this? Why can't we just have fun without the complications?”

“It's already complicated. You're in love with him.”

Was she really going to do this again? “I’m not getting into this,” I said, pushing up from the couch. I had enough going on in my life without another Frankie lecture.

“Fine. Say that you're not in love with him.”

“I’m not.”

Frankie rolled her eyes again. “Say you're not in love with him and that this is all just two people having fun…”

“Which it is.”

“Then why the hell are you here asking for my advice?”

I opened my mouth to speak but words failed me.

“Well?” she challenged.

“Do you know what? Forget it! I came here for advice, not a damn lecture. If I wanted one of those I would've gone to my mother.”

“Pretty hard when you don't even know where she is half the time.”

“Wow. That was low, even for you.” I shook my head and stormed through to the kitchen, grabbing my bag on the way to the front door. Frankie's footsteps followed behind me but I didn't look back. Instead, I pulled open the door and blew out a breath.

“Well, forgive me if I’m not sorry, but some of us have some real problems going on in our lives, Mel. I’m sorry that I don't have the time or the energy for your teenage relationship dramas. If you want to be with him, go ahead. But don't come crying to me when he screws you over again.”

Frowning, I turned to face her. “I don't know what's gotten into you lately but this isn't you. This version of you is a spiteful bitch.”

“Funny that, considering you have no other friends for that exact reason.”

Hurt and anger coursed through me as I blinked across at my friend. I’d tried to ignore her lousy attitude because I knew how much Elizabeth's illness had been affecting her, only this was too much even for me. I could always turn to Frankie whenever I was having a bad day and needed her advice. Now, though, I was never certain what Frankie I would be met with, and that left me feeling uneasy.

With a final shake of my head, I turned to leave. I had been stupid to think she would understand me. I wasn’t being naïve like she thought I was. I believed Jake when he said he didn’t sleep with Sadie. She was wrong about him. One thing she was right about, though, was that I really had no idea where my own mother was, or whether she even cared about me.