She knew. She knew and she was trying to get back at me for taking Tony away from her. Well, she could try all she wanted because it wasn’t going to work. There wasn’t anything between Jake and me. There never really had been. We’d had a moment. A beautiful moment while it lasted. But that was a long time ago. I didn’t care anymore. Not even a little bit. So, if she thought she was making me jealous by throwing herself at him then she was dead wrong. Besides, I knew Jake, and he wasn’t the slightest bit interested in her.

Was he?

He definitely didn’t look like someone who was interested.

Or was that all for show?

Gah… I wouldn’t let myself think about it. I had no feelings for Jake, so why should I care that he and Leanne were out on a date? No, I wasn’t going to think about it.

Oh, who was I trying to kid?

Of course I was. I was going to go out and purchase the biggest, fattest tub of gummies and think up the worst-case scenario while eating said gummies, one after the other. Probably while Jake and Leanne got naked and had the most mind-blowing sex known to man.

I cashed up, replenished the stock, cleaned the storeroom, and even dusted the front display cabinet. I was trying to keep myself occupied with meaningless jobs that didn’t need doing, just so I didn’t think about Jake in bed with another woman. It wasn’t working, though, and I was certain the gummies wouldn’t either. Picturing him with Leanne was all I could think about.

I hadn’t dwelled over him while he was away playing football. Not that I didn’t think about him. I did from time to time. But he wasn’t around, and strangely, it made me worry less about what he was getting up to. Now he was back and seeing how much he’d changed, not to mention all the attention he was now getting… well, I hated it. I hated how much him going on a date affected me. I hated that I couldn’t stop thinking about him, even though I wanted to. And most of all, I hated that I even cared at all.

“What did you do to your hair?” Frankie asked as she came into the bathroom later that evening.

“I dyed it,” I told her as I switched on the dryer and went about blow-drying it.

It was probably one of the dumbest ideas I’d ever had, but what could I do? I was stuck with it now. I’d never been brunette before. Maybe this was one of those, ‘new hair, new me’ moments. Who knew?

An hour and a handful of inquisitive looks later, Frankie had grown used to it and actually approved of my drastic change. For the first time in ages, I felt like going out and releasing some built-up tension. When Frankie mentioned going to Tucker's, my eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. I’d tried so often to get her to go with me, but when she shut me down repeatedly, telling me that place was for losers, I eventually gave up.

Now we were at Tucker’s. The place where she swore she would never be seen.

Tucker’s was a small bar right in the centre of Winslow, just a fifteen-minute walk from Frankie’s apartment complex. It wasn’t unusual for it to be packed. They often had live bands playing, and tonight they had a fairly new band on called Jackal. I had heard them play a few times before, and from the way people reacted to them, they were clearly well liked. The lead singer, Luke, had the most amazing, dreamy voice. Gravelly and, at times, haunting. I, like much of the rest of the audience, found myself humming along to whatever track they were playing.

I moved to the side of the bar as Jackal began another song, my fingers strumming along to the beat of a tune I’d never heard before. I was lost in the sensuous tones of Luke’s voice when Frankie returned with our drinks. I thanked her as I took the rum and Coke from her hand and went back to listening to the lyrics that echoed around me. A few times I felt Frankie leave. I didn’t think too much of it. She tended to drink a lot lately. I guess it took her mind away from Elizabeth’s illness. If it helped her deal, then I wouldn’t give her a hard time over it.

 I sat back and sipped my drink happily whilst one song carried into the next—this one more upbeat than the last—and I found my hips gliding along to the rhythm.

When I felt that Frankie had been gone a while, I looked across the room towards the other side of the bar. Rolling my eyes, I grinned. She was propped up against the bar, chatting away to a group of guys. Well one, actually. I guessed the others were friends of his. This was also no surprise to me. Frankie was stunning. From her long, tanned legs and almond-shaped eyes, to her short dark hair that had started to lighten from the sun. There was no doubt about it. Frankie was a head-turner.

“Adiós, Sebby,” I said to myself and shook my head, instantly feeling sorry for the poor guy. He didn’t stand a chance.

Frankie bounced back over to me a few moments later, her drink sloshing around the glass before spilling in a puddle at her feet. She shivered and said, “Those men reek of money.”

I snorted. “And?”

“Major turnoff,” she slurred.

I grinned. “Money turns you off?”

“No, but their posh as hell accents do.” I tipped my head back on a laugh as Frankie continued to mock them. “Oh, golly gosh. What splendid buttocks you have, my dear. I would certainly love to place my Richard inside of it.”

I let the glass hover against my lips as I tried to hold back the laughter that bubbled inside of me. “What the hell?” I managed to say without spilling a single drop.

“See? Major turnoff,” she said while pointing a wobbly finger, causing me to giggle again.

I turned my eyes back to the stage as Jackal announced their final song. A slow beat flowed through the speakers, and those who had been dancing before stopped. Their full attention was solely on the four men who stood before them as they worshipped the air the band breathed.

Frankie nudged my arm and leaned over to whisper in my ear. “I think someone wants you.” I frowned and lifted my eyes to see what had caught her attention. Jake. I sighed as Frankie excused herself, leaving me alone with Mr. Jake-ass himself.

For a while I pretended he wasn’t there, but as time went on I grew tired of the silence and turned to face him. I wished I hadn’t.

The bright white tee he wore clung to his chest like a second skin, and I knew that if I peeled it away from his body inch by inch, he would be hiding more than a six pack underneath that material. How did I know that? Because when we’d been together a year or so ago, I’d explored his body thoroughly. More than once, might I add. It was unsettling that, even after all this time, I could still pinpoint every muscle on his flawless body and know which parts to touch that would surely get him going. I knew that if I reached up and ran my fingers through his dark chocolate-coloured hair, a lazy smile would form on his lips as his whole body fell silent. I also knew that I shouldn’t be thinking of Jake naked at all. He was bad for me. Not to mention he could be fucking my ex-friend who was practically my damn boss.

“No Leanne?” I asked, raising a brow. I knew how bitter I must have sounded but I didn’t care. I had every right to be after the way he’d treated me all those months ago. No matter how many times I thought about it, I never understood what had happened between us. One minute he was showering me with affection, texting me at all hours of the day and night, wanting to see me, and then the next it was as if he couldn’t stand to be in the same room as me.

“Careful…” He grinned. “Anyone would think you were jealous.”

“Yeah, right.” I rolled my eyes in annoyance and guided the straw into my mouth, taking a long pull.

“So, how long have you been working for her?”

“Who, Leanne?” I practically spewed out. “I don’t. I work for Lillie.”

“But that’s her mum, right? That can’t be easy.”

I shrugged. “It was fine. At the beginning…” I trailed off.

“What happened?”

I sighed, knowing that Leanne had most likely already told him the sordid details during their ‘date’. Not that I expected any different. “You mean she hasn’t told you?” I gasped, feigning my shock.

“No, she did. I just prefer to listen to both sides before making any judgements.”

“Well, I wouldn’t bother. Everything she told you is true. I’m a rotten bitch who stole the love of her life and enjoyed every damn second of it. There. Does that answer your question?”

Jake nodded and turned to face the stage. I never pegged Jake to enjoy this style of music but it was obvious in the way his eyes focused straight ahead, never wavering, that he connected with the words that filtered through the room. I turned, too, my fingers strumming against the glass in my hand as Luke belted out the final notes to their cover of ‘Private Fears in Public Places’.

I became lost in the vocals that poured through the speakers, the haunting lyrics spilling through the bar, pulling us deeper into a trance. I closed my eyes as I hummed along, my fingers loosening the hold they had on the glass for a brief moment until I snapped my eyes back to reality. I glanced to the side of me where Jake was standing. Strangely, his eyes were no longer focused on the band, but on me. Something about the way he stared at me left me feeling nervous. It was almost as if an intense exchange was happening between the both of us that I wasn’t in control of.

Jake ran his tongue across his bottom lip, and I tried to swallow down the feeling that that simple action gave me. A feeling that only intensified when I felt his knuckles brush against my hipbone before his fingers took over. I sucked in a breath as he continued to watch me, his fingertips playing their very own rhythm against my skin, slow and sensual.

What was he doing?

I wanted to run.

I wanted to run from this man who made me feel things that I shouldn’t. I wanted someone to remind my stupid brain that this was Jake and he was bad for me. Very, very bad for me. But I couldn’t make my feet move. I was frozen to the spot, unable to tear my eyes away from his.

“Jake…” I breathed. “I...” I didn’t get the chance to finish whatever it was I was going to say.

“Fancy seeing you here,” a sharp voice announced rather abruptly, pulling us both away from the moment we had found ourselves in. Jake quickly moved his hand away as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn't.

I instantly missed his touch.

Breaking eye contact, I looked up. Just as I did, Leanne wedged herself between Jake and me, forcing a greater distance between us and turning her back on me.

“Don’t mind me,” I mumbled to myself and shook my head.

Without acknowledging my sarcasm, Leanne gazed up at Jake, placed her hand on his chest and said, “I thought you said you were busy tonight?”

“Yeah, change of plans,” Jake said, eyeing me over her head.

“Great, come dance with me,” she ordered in a tone that made me snort a little too loudly.

Jake shook his head and removed her hand from his chest. “Sorry, sweetheart. I don’t dance.”

Good. Right answer, I thought to myself as the music came to an end.

“Ah, come on. That racket has left the stage now. They’ll start playing some decent music next. Besides, you owe me for bailing on me earlier today.”

Decent music? Racket? The girl clearly had no taste.

I was sure she hadn’t meant for me to hear that last part, but unfortunately for Leanne, alcohol made her loud. I found myself grinning inside. He’d bailed on her. To think I’d spent the afternoon fretting over what they were getting up to, and all the while they weren’t even together. Damn, I wish I’d known sooner. It could've saved me buying a cheapo hair dye in a bid to cheer myself up.

“I can’t. Sorry,” he said firmly.

Deciding that now was probably a good time to call it a night, I glanced around the bar in search of Frankie. I couldn’t see her. It wouldn’t be the first time Frankie had upped and left without a word. I shook my head and reached behind Leanne for my purse. I slid it down the bar and once it was in my grip, I hooked it under my arm and turned to leave.

Just as I moved, Leanne put a hand out to stop me. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you there. I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything?” She smirked.

I rolled my eyes and grinned. “Nope. Nothing at all.” I flicked my eyes to Jake and flashed him a brief half smile. “Enjoy your night.” He frowned at that last part and I laughed lightly to myself as I turned on my heel to leave. Good job trying to get away from that one.

Once I was safely outside, I pressed my back against the cool brick of the building and released a frustrated sigh. What the hell had just happened? It was almost as if the old Jake had broken through the barrier, forcing the new one to the back. And why had he touched me? He hated me. But he let his stupid fingers touch me. And not just an innocent touch, either. Oh no, that touch was far from innocent. In fact, that touch had been felt in more places than I cared to admit. If it had not been for the room full of people, I probably would’ve tried to rip his clothes off and beg him to fuck me there and then.

And then, of course, I would have woken up and remembered that this was Jake and he was the world’s greatest twat.

I dropped my head in my hands and groaned my frustration. The quicker I got out of this town, the better. Just as I ground out another exasperated breath, a commotion at the entrance had my spine straightening and heart stopping.

“Jake? What the—?”

“Do you think that’s funny, huh?” he practically roared, cutting through my thoughts as his long, muscular limbs carried him down the few steps.

I frowned as his body neared mine, my back glued to the wall as if it were attached to the building. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Jake closed the distance between us, his dark eyes boring into mine. “Cut the shit, Mel. I’m talking about you leaving me in there. With her.” His voice held a rough edge to it. I couldn’t deny how sexy he sounded, though.

A laugh bubbled inside of me, threatening to escape. I clamped my mouth shut. He was being ridiculous. “You didn’t seem to mind her company earlier on today,” I reminded him.

“If my memory serves me right, I didn’t exactly have a choice,” he spat.

“Are you listening to yourself? Of course you had a choice. We all have a choice, Jake.”

I could tell by the shift in his eyes that he was thinking over my words. He drew his bottom lip into his mouth and ran his teeth across it. “See, what you failed to realise is that Leanne wasn’t trying to get with me,” he snarled.

“No?” I said, raising both brows in question.

“No,” he repeated. “She was trying to get at you.”

I breathed in through my nose and blew out. “Oh, we’re going back to this again, huh?”

“Not if you don’t want to.”

“I don’t. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to…”

My words were left in the air as Jake's tall, broad frame towered over me, his arms resting against the brick wall behind me, caging me in. His eyes flicked down to mine before lines of confusion settled across his forehead. “You get to her. Just like you get to me.” I closed my eyes tightly, afraid to look up. “Now, it’s clear why she reacts the way she does to you. You took what was hers. She’s jealous of you. But me? I’m still trying to work out why I can’t seem to shake you.”

I tried not to react to the way his breath tickled my neck. I could smell the mixture of alcohol and cool mint on his breath. It was oddly intoxicating.

I quickly pushed that thought aside. “Well, you best work it out quickly because I need to go,” I said in a bored tone.

Jake breathed out a cold laugh that forced my eyes back up to his. “Come home with me?” he asked, his tone one of exasperation, and what sounded suspiciously like desperation.

“No,” I said, not giving myself time to think about it. I knew if I did, my answer would be a dangerous one.

“No?” he questioned, a frown marring his forehead again.

“No,” I whispered.

He leaned in closer, his mouth barely inches from my own. “Say that again.”

“I said… no.”

His mouth drew closer to mine, as if he was daring me to break free. I couldn't, even if it was the right thing to do. Edging closer, sparing no distance between us, he brushed his lips against mine and I sucked in a sharp breath. “Now say it like you mean it,” he demanded.

My hands trembled as I fought to free myself from the hold he had over me. I wasn’t scared of Jake. I was scared of the thought of him, of how he made me feel and what he was capable of doing to me. If I stayed within touching distance of him for much longer, I wouldn’t be able to refuse.

I pressed my shaky hands against his chest and lowered my eyes to safety. “No,” I finally managed to say, this time more determined and certain, even if my eyes were unable to meet his. I wouldn’t be going anywhere with him. I was strong. I could say no and go merrily on my way.

Jake pushed back from the wall, dropping one hand to curl around my chin as he tilted it upwards. His eyes were dark and dangerously beautiful as they studied me curiously. “We can never be anything more. I know that and so do you.”

I nodded in response—the best I could do considering he had me gripped firmly by the chin—because yes, I knew that. Boy, did I know that. But knowing didn’t stop the pain slicing through me as he confirmed the words aloud.

His mouth crashed down on mine. No warning. No hesitation. There was no softness in the way he kissed me. It was Jake taking what he wanted. What that was, I still wasn’t sure, but one thing was certain… I wouldn’t stop him from taking what he wanted. What he needed. And as much as I hated how that made me feel, I understood it. I felt it, too. The only difference separating our feelings was that I wouldn’t be the one walking away from this unscathed.

“Fun,” he said against my mouth. “No expectations,” he breathed out as his tongue met mine in a rough, heated kiss that left me feeling heady. “No more,” he eventually said before he pressed his body against mine. The same body that promised me more than he was willing to say or feel. A body that was capable of ruining me forever.

Our tongues continued to fight their own battle until a rough cough forced us apart. I glanced behind Jake to see one of the bouncers from the bar holding up a very drunk and completely out of it Frankie. “Sorry, Miss. Does this one belong to you?”

“Mellllllll,” she sang, her dark hair clinging to her face as she attempted to reach for me.

I blinked up at the tall, stocky bald man and giggled. “Unfortunately, yes.” I giggled again and slipped past Jake.

“Make sure she gets home, okay? It’s not safe out here for someone in her condition.”

“I’ll make sure they get home,” Jake informed the guy.

“No.” I lifted a hand. “I’ve got this.”

Jake shrugged indifferently.

“Okay, Miss. As long as you’re sure,” the guy said. I could tell he wasn’t too keen on the idea.

I wanted to tell him that this was normal behaviour for Frankie, but I thought better of it. Instead, I nodded and held on to her as best I could. “I’ll make sure she gets home.” I laughed to myself as I tugged Frankie’s arm. “Come on, Frank. Let’s get you home.

“No, I’m not ready to leave,” she whined, her wobbly limbs bumping against mine.

I rolled my eyes and looped my arm through hers. “Maybe you’re not,” I told Frankie. “But I am,” I continued in a whisper as I glanced back to look at Jake one final time… but he had already gone.

“Can we just stay a little while longer? Please?” she sang, very childlike.

I shook my head.  “I’ve got to be up early tomorrow.”

“I don’t want you to go.”

“I’ve got to work, Frank. How else am I going to pay for all these heels of mine you keep breaking?”

“You know what I mean,” she mumbled.

I looked at Frankie and frowned. If I hadn’t known any better, I would have said she was pissed at me. I hoped she wasn’t. I hated to leave on bad terms. Even though I was moving away, I still wanted Frankie as a friend. As quickly as I had that thought, Frankie’s expression changed and she smiled up at me, allowing me to pull her the rest of the way home.

It took longer than usual to get her back to the apartment. I almost wished we had a man in our lives just so he could have carried her home and up the three flights of stairs.

Frankie finally made it into bed, fully clothed with my shoes still on her feet.

“I love you, Mel,” she whispered through a hiccup.

I unbuckled the clasp on one of the shoes and dropped it to the floor before I started on the next one. “I love you too, Frank,” I returned with a smile. And I did. I loved her. I knew I would never find anyone so accepting as Frankie. Friends like her didn’t come along too often. Or they did, but ended up shitting on you. A few hours on the plane, I reminded myself as I forced the last shoe off.

Frankie attempted to sit back up but failed. In a half sat up, half laid down position, she frowned. “He’ll never want you, you know. He’ll use you and he’ll ruin you. But he’ll never love you.”

“Okay. I think you've had way too much to drink,” I said, dropping her foot.

“True, but you know I’m right.” She hiccupped again. “It doesn't matter how much you try to change who you are; you’ll never be good enough for him.”

I frowned, wondering where the hell that had come from. Frankie had always been a lousy drunk, but this time she had gone too far.

I could barely even look at her as I stormed out of the bedroom and made my way to the bathroom. I switched on the tap and cupped my hands under the water, letting the cool liquid hit my face. Lifting my head, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror and sighed. As much as I hated to admit it, Frankie was right. It didn't matter what I did. I would never be enough for Jake. I guess hearing Frankie say it aloud made the sting of knowing that all the more painful.

When I eventually left the confines of the bathroom, Frankie was already fast asleep and snoring. Pulling her door shut, I sighed and made my way to the living room, knowing there was no way I’d be getting any sleep that night.