Chapter Sixteen

AMELIA

Present day . . .

“Show me again.”

I give Trey a get real look. “I’ve shown you three times now.”

“I know, but I didn’t get a good look.”

“You’re such a liar.” Sighing, I pull up my shirt one more time and show Trey the new bra I bought while I was shopping yesterday.

“Ah, that Victoria’s Secret, she really knows what she’s doing when it comes to bras.” With his hand behind his head, his body resting on our bed, he smiles at the camera, showcasing his devastating charm. I pull my shirt back down and Trey protests. “Come on, I was just getting a closer look.”

“Amanda is going to be here any second, and the last thing I want is for her to walk in on me showing you my bra.”

“Lock the door then.”

I can feel myself weakening with every smirk. I’m on the verge of ripping all my clothes off, taking out my vibrator, and giving him a show to last him a few nights, but Amanda texted that she was five minutes away, so my impromptu sex show is out of the question.

“You know what?”

“What?” He shifts on the bed so he’s now lying on his side. All of his attention on me.

“You’re trouble, mister. My friend is going to pull into my driveway any minute, and you have me considering a little sex show.”

He sits up, his elbow supporting his position. “Really? Well, what the hell are you waiting for? Sex it up, give me a show. Take your clothes off,” he cheers, causing me to laugh.

“Not going to happen.” I shake my head. “You’re going to have to wait until Sunday night when Amanda is gone.”

He flops back down on his pillow. “This long-distance thing is fucked up. Is it too much to ask to be buried in your sexy-as-fuck tits?”

“That’s all you want to be buried in?” I shift on the couch, getting myself seriously hot and bothered. Damn you, Amanda.

“Great.” He tosses his hand in the air and directs the phone at his crotch where I see the outline of his cock. “Now I’m hard. Thanks, Amelia.”

“It’s not my fault,” I state even though I’m kind of proud of myself.

“Sure as hell is. Goddamn, here I come, cold shower. Just like the other night when you bailed on me.” I still feel guilty about that. I texted him after I’d gone into the house, saying I had a horrible headache and was going straight to bed. And here he is again, horny because I started something and didn’t finish. I owe him big. He sighs. “I’ll let you go; tell Amanda I said hi. Love you.”

I giggle from the pain streaming across his face. “Love you, too.”

I hang up and hear a car door slam in my driveway.

Bounding into my house, Amanda tosses her suitcase on my couch, kicks her shoes off in the middle of the room, and flees to the window where she peers through the blinds. “Where is he? Can you see him from here?”

I shut the front door and let out a long breath. “Good to see you too, Amanda.”

Still looking out the window, she waves for me to come to her. When I reach her, she wraps her arm around my shoulders and pulls me in for a hug, eyes still trained out the window. “Good to see you, pretty lady. Now tell me, can you see him from here?”

“He’s not home.”

“What?” The blinds snap close. “Well, that’s lame. How do you know he’s not home? Does he tell you when he’s home? Do you text each other? Talk on the phone?” She squeezes my hand and takes us to the couch where she forces me to sit down. “Tell me all the information.”

Her enthusiasm is a little overwhelming, and so is her bouncing leg. “You realize he’s just a neighbor, right? That nothing is going on. I’m with Trey, and that is not going to change, so your excitement to see Aaron is a little concerning.”

“I know you’re still with Trey and you two are adorable together, but you have to forgive me. I haven’t seen Aaron in years and from the things you’ve said, he’s a real beefcake. And come on”—Amanda nudges my shoulder—“you have to admit, it’s pretty funny that Aaron is your neighbor.”

“It’s not funny at all; it’s really inconvenient.” I lean back on the couch and rest my head on the cushion. “He has me thinking too much, and I don’t want to think.”

“What do you mean? Wait.” Amanda stands from the couch and says, “One second.” She sprints out of the house like a mad woman, and I pray she’s not going to do something stupid to Aaron’s house when she comes back in. Thankfully, she holds up a bottle of tequila and margarita mix. “Please tell me you have ice.”

“I do.” I chuckle as I follow her into the kitchen.

It doesn’t take us long to make a giant pitcher of margaritas—we’re professionals—and rest back on the couch, pitcher in front of us on the coffee table and two margarita glasses with cactus stems in our hands. Amanda bought me the glasses a while back, and they’ve traveled with me everywhere. Coincidentally, she has the same set. Sometimes we’ll have Skype dates and drink margaritas together from our matching glasses.

“Okay, now we’re armed properly, back to what we were talking about. What do you mean Aaron is making you think?”

“I don’t know. We’ve just been spending so much time together, and then I had to spend the night at his house, so it just—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold. Up. You spent the night at his house? You know you live like five feet away, right?” Didn’t think I could sneak that little tidbit past Amanda.

“I’m well aware. It was when we had that big storm. Power went out and he had a generator.”

“So you stayed the night?”

I take a sip of my drink, thinking back to that emotional night. “It wasn’t my plan. I just wanted to see if my landlord had one, but she didn’t, and he insisted I come inside to talk.”

“Talk about what?” She pauses and her eyes go wide. “About the past?” I nod, which causes her to take a huge gulp of her drink. “Sweet Jesus, what did he say?”

“I don’t even know where to begin.”

I recount the evening, telling her about our confrontation, how I spilled the beans about his brothers, and then he opened up about their adoption. The whole time I was informing Amanda of everything, she slurped her drink down only to refill it again.

“I can’t believe his brothers were given away for adoption.”

“I know. The thing that guts me is he wishes he was adopted as well, but then he has some kind of crazy loyalty to his mom. It was one of the reasons why he knew he couldn’t move to the city with me.”

“One of the reasons he broke up with you.”

“Yup.”

Amanda shakes her head in disbelief. “Unbelievable. I really don’t understand it.”

“Me either. All I know is that after we talked, after we talked everything out, he made it quite clear he has every intention to get me back.”

“No, he did not.” Amanda swats the couch. “He did not say that.”

“He did. He . . . uh”—I bite my finger and try to hide the guilty look on my face—“he even took his shirt off at one point, and we might have almost kissed too.”

“What?” Amanda shouts as she sits on her knees now. She’s so animated. It’s one of the things I like about her. No matter what story you tell her, she’ll always act like it’s a big deal. “You almost kissed?”

I almost forgot about that part, which is weird because there hasn’t been a night that’s gone by that I haven’t thought about it. Perhaps what’s worse is that I haven’t felt guilty, I haven’t really thought about how hurt Trey would be if he knew. And that makes me feel like the biggest ass in the world.

“It was in the heat of the moment, but we didn’t kiss, and nothing happened. We agreed on just being friends.”

The cackle that pops out of Amanda’s mouth is rather annoying. “Friends. Oh my God, that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. You think you can be friends with Aaron Walters, the forever man you planned on having babies with?” She shakes her head and takes another sip of her drink. “Uh-uh, no way in hell you’ll be able to keep things friendly. You loved that boy hard, Amelia. He was it for you. You can’t just forget those feelings and act like they never existed.”

“We can be friends.” I hope. “We played Jenga the other night without any old feelings blossoming.” That might be a slight lie on my part. Thinking about Aaron threatening to take his pants off is a little factoid I can leave out.

“I don’t think it can work. And what about Trey? Has he come up to visit yet?”

“Just for that interview. Work has been really stressful.” And this part stings bad. Yes, we just had sexy fun on the phone, but it just feels . . . empty somehow. I slouch against the cushions, feeling a little deflated. We knew it was going to be hard, but I truly had no idea. He’s been so busy that he has been absent. Long-distance relationships suck. “I mean, things are good with us. I just got off the phone with him before you got here, but sometimes I wonder if he’ll ever find a job. He’s qualified, but maybe overqualified. Just seems weird that he hasn’t been able to find anything yet.”

“Really? Do you think he’ll still leave the city?”

“I mean, he said he was moving up here. I know he’s had a lot of important things going on at work, career advancement things, so that keeps him firmly planted.” Amanda eyes me, and I know what she’s thinking, so I decide to steer her clear of her negative thoughts. “I’m driving down next weekend to spend my birthday with him. He said he has the entire weekend planned.”

“Well, that’s reassuring.” Amanda shifts on the couch, skepticism very evident in her features. “What does he have planned?”

“He said it was a surprise, but apparently it includes all my favorites things about the city.”

“That’s cute. Maybe it’ll be the refresher you guys need. It’s hard being apart for so long, especially when there is a super-hot ex-boyfriend living next to you.”

I give her a pointed look.

“And speak of the devil. Look whose truck just pulled into the driveway.” Amanda puts her drink on the coffee table and crawls on top of me, her knees digging into my stomach as she tries to catch a view of Aaron.

“Will you please get off me?”

“I want to see what he looks like. I want to see these muscles you speak of.” Amanda reaches the window, but I yank on her body so she can’t sneak a peek. “Hey, stop that, I can’t see.”

“Exactly. He’ll catch you looking, and I don’t want him thinking it’s me.”

“Don’t be paranoid. He won’t think that. Now let me catch a glimpse.” Pushing down on my head, trying to climb over me, she reaches for the blinds, but I hold strong and grip her around the waist, using my legs to hold her down as well. “Stop it.” She swats at my head. “Just a little looksy.”

“No, he’ll see you.”

“He won’t.”

“He will.”

“He—”

Knock, knock.

We still, our heads snapping to the front door.

“Is someone at the door?” Amanda whispers, one of her hands holding on to my ponytail.

“That’s what a knock usually means,” I whisper back.

“Is it him?”

Oh hell.

“I have no idea.” I hold still, trying not to move in case the person on the other side of the door can hear us.

“Answer it,” Amanda scolds.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because if it’s Aaron, I don’t want you anywhere near him. You’ll embarrass me, I know it.”

Amanda scoffs. “Don’t be ridiculous.” She pushes off me, her hand palming my face for a brief second. “I’ll answer the door.” When she places one of her feet on the floor, I hold her in place.

“Oh no, you don’t. You’re not answering that door. Just be still, the person will go away.”

Knock, knock.

“You’re being rude,” Amanda says as she plows her elbow into my thigh, causing me to buckle over in pain. She frees herself from my grip and rushes to the door. Right before she opens it, she fluffs her hair. You’ve got to be kidding me.

I don’t even have to ask if it’s Aaron because that’s just my luck. Also, Amanda makes a low whistle sound when she opens the door.

“Amanda?” Aaron’s voice floats into my house.

“Aaron Walters, look . . . at . . . you.” I sit up just in time to see Amanda give him a very slow once-over. “You were right, Amelia, he has gotten sexier.”

What? Jesus!

I hop off the couch, limping ever so slightly from the dead leg Amanda gave me. “I didn’t say that.”

Amanda waves her hand. “It was in the realm of that. Come in, come in. We need to catch up.” Amanda wraps her hand around Aaron’s arm and pulls him into the house. When she passes me, she winks and squeezes his arm while mouthing, “He’s huge.”

I shut the door behind them and bang my head on it a few times before joining them in the living room. I knew Amanda’s visit was going to be interesting, but I didn’t expect she’d be so open to having Aaron around. What happened to my best friend? Doesn’t she remember the broken Amelia she held through many tears?

I glance at the empty margarita pitcher. Guess she’s been captured by tequila. This should be interesting.

“How are you, Aaron? Man, the last time I saw you was, hmm”—Amanda grips her chin as she thinks—“the night you broke up with our little Amelia over there. Remember I went to your house and punched you in the neck?”

Seeming a little frightened, Aaron glances at me, but I throw my hands up in defeat. He’s the one who came over here, so he can deal with Amanda.

“Uh, yeah. I remember the throat punch because it was fucking weird.”

I can still remember Amanda recounting her “revenge” to me that night . The minute she found out, she drove to his place and knocked on the door. When he answered, she didn’t say a word. She simply cocked back, punched him, then left. In her mind, it was the perfect remedy.

“Well, I’m not opposed to doing it again, so watch yourself,” she says sternly, holding her dainty fist up.

“I don’t plan on breaking any more hearts, so you can put that lethal weapon away.”

Smiling, Amanda pats his face. “That’s what I like to hear. Now tell me, Aaron, what are you doing these days?”

He glances in my direction and says, “Besides trying to win the heart of your best friend again?”

If there was ever a time to be able to take a real-life reaction and turn it into a GIF it would be right now. Mouth forming an O, her head turning slowly in my direction, Amanda gives me a surprised and ridiculous look. “Oh my, my, my. Heavy words right there.”

“Don’t worry, I’m settling for friends right now.” The words “right now” don’t escape me. “My friends and I started and own a construction company. We’re in charge of one of the new housing developments in Vestal.”

“An entrepreneur. Interesting. Seems like you’ve come a long way in three years.” She pokes his pec. “Especially in the old muscle department.”

He bows his head shyly. “That’ll happen when you fuck your life over, pushing away the only thing that ever mattered to you.”

“Ahh.” Amanda nods her head dramatically and cups her chin. “So you’re admitting that you were a dumbass three years ago?”

“Yes.”

“And you can agree that my friend Amelia over here was the best thing that ever happened to you.”

“By far,” he answers, his eyes trained on me, burning me up with their blue depths. What the hell is Amanda trying to do here?

“And that it’s your own damn fault she’s now in a committed and loving relationship with someone else?”

“Ouch.” He holds his chest. “That’s a blow.” Even though there is humor in his voice, I notice the tight set in his jaw.

“It’s the truth, so don’t think you can come in here and ruin what she has going for her. Don’t make her do something stupid because you decide to take your damn shirt off.”

Aaron’s lips turn up as he levels with me. “Told her about the almost kiss, huh?”

“What? No.”

“Yes,” Amanda says at the same time. “And you won’t be doing that again. Keep your hands to yourself. Don’t push her to do something that goes against everything she believes in. Amelia is not the cheating type.”

That quiets him. The humor in his features disappear, and his shoulders sag in defeat. He presses against his thighs and stands. Looking at us, he rubs the back of his neck and says, “Yeah, you’re right. I should get going.”

He gives me a sad smile and starts for the door but Amanda stops him before he can make it there. “Oh, stop being so sensitive and sit the eff down. God. That wasn’t an invitation to leave, just a warning not to fuck with my friend. We have some catching up to do, Walters, and you can’t escape me that quickly.”

***

“I want to hate you so bad, I really do.”

“But you can’t,” Aaron says with a cocky grin directed at Amanda.

She slaps the table. “Damn it, I can’t.”

We ordered pizza, made more margaritas, and moved our little gathering to the dining room table where we’re casually playing Rummikub—thank you, Mrs. Ferguson—eating Nirchi’s—naturally—and drinking.

It’s weird for me, hearing Amanda and Aaron reminisce, since all the stories they’re talking about obviously took place with me, but I can’t really be mad. Aaron wasn’t just my boyfriend. He was a son to my dad, a friend to Amanda, a big part of everyone’s lives. I wasn’t the only one he hurt. But now that I know why, I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if we were still together. He wants me back, so does that mean he still loves me? Does he still want me to be his forever?

I shake my head. It doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. I’m in a different place in my life now. That chapter, the chapter where Aaron and I were happily together is closed.

When Aaron went to pick up the pizza for us, Amanda had a quick heart-to-heart with me. She told me she was mad at him, furious for breaking my heart, but understood his intention. She didn’t agree with them given how hurt I was, but she also said she can see the regret and hurt in his eyes. Instead of shunning him, she’s letting him know where her stance is on getting me back, and trying to enjoy her time catching up.

I thought that was fair, because I have the same feelings toward the situation.

Although . . . it almost seems like she has ulterior motives.

Amanda leans forward on the table and points at him. “Those teeth, are they real?”

Aaron chuckles while licking the front of his teeth—why is that sexy to me? “They’re real.”

Slapping the table, Amanda says, “God, they’re white. Do you use that charcoal toothpaste that’s all the rage now?”

“No, just brush them.”

“Uh-uh, don’t you bullshit me, Walters. Those teeth aren’t white from just brushing.” Amanda turns to me. “I mean look at them, Amelia, his teeth glow in the dark. Look at him.”

Rolling my eyes, I glance at Aaron who’s shyly smirking at me. It’s the same smile I fell in love with five years ago, the one that effortlessly captured my heart. It’s a shy smile but packed full of sex appeal.

“They’re not glow-in-the-dark white. They’re . . . nice.”

He winks at me, which causes my stomach to flip.

Wanting to change the subject, I say, “Amanda, instead of ogling Aaron’s teeth, why don’t you inform him of the insanely inappropriate crush you have on the governor of New York.”

Amanda gives me a death glare but I don’t care. Payback’s a bitch, and she’s rearing her ugly head right now.

“The governor?” Aaron asks, completely oblivious to the lasers shooting out of Amanda’s eyes. “As in Governor Paul? Do you like watching him on TV, or something?”

“She works for him.”

Aaron now turns his entire body toward Amanda and pokes her in the arm. “You work for the governor, and you’re crushing on him? Got a little office romance going on there?”

“No!” Amanda pushes her tiles out of the way, brat mode now infringing on our little game. “I never said I was crushing on him, I said he was hot. That’s completely different.”

“Isn’t he ten years older than you?” Aaron asks.

“Which makes him thirty-five, a healthy age for a man. He’s only five years older than you, so don’t start judging age, because you’re almost forty.”

“Uh, not even close, but thanks for reminding me.” Aaron sits back in his chair and eyes Amanda. “Tell me, what do you like most about him? The way he steeples his hands when he gives speeches?”

Pausing for a second, I watch the wheels spinning in Amanda’s head. “I actually like how his pants are so tight I can see the outline of his cock when he talks to me.”

“I don’t know why I even asked.” Aaron chuckles to himself.

A little curious, I ask, “Can you really see the outline of his cock?” Aaron’s eyebrows shoot up when he looks at me.

“Oh yeah, and let’s just say . . . it’s huge.” Amanda shakes her head. “Shame he’s such a bastard though. He seems charming in person, but he’s a real asshole.”

“Yeah, shame.” Aaron yawns and looks at his watch. “I should go. I crashed your party for too long. I came over to make sure everything was fine with your power.” He takes in the well-lit house. “Looks like everything is good to go.”

“Yup, I’m good. Thanks for checking on me.”

Silence falls between us. I can feel Amanda’s focused attention, waiting for what’s to come next. Fortunately she speaks up. “I have to go to the bathroom. Aaron, it was great seeing you again, but leave my girl alone. Got it?”

He presses his lips together and nods. “Got it.”

Leaving abruptly, Amanda takes off toward the bathroom. Standing from the table, I say, “I’ll walk you out.”

“I don’t get any leftovers?” he jokes while we head to the front door.

“It’s the penance you pay for crashing our gathering.”

“Fair enough.” When he gets to the door, he opens it but turns toward me, his large frame filling the little entryway. “Amelia,” he breathes out, sorrow in his eyes. “I want you to know I respect your relationship with your boyfriend.” And there is the man I fell in love with all those years ago.

“Okay,” I say meekly, unsure how to react to that. Do I say thank you? Thanks for changing your mind and not seeing us as inevitable after all?

He tilts my chin up, so I’m forced to look into those soulful eyes of his. “I had my chance with you as Amanda pointed out tonight. I lost that, and I get it. I really do. Will I regret that decision for the rest of my life? Yes. And no. Yes, for selfish reasons, but honestly, look at where you are now. You’re helping kids, doing the job you always dreamed of, and I like to think I had a very small part in you accomplishing your dreams, no matter how much it’s killed me.” He pulls me into his chest, his arms wrapping around me. God, I love being in his arms. “I’m here if you need me . . . as a friend, and I mean that. Okay?”

I nod, feeling a little choked up. It almost feels like this is the breakup we were meant to have. It makes me incredibly sad. It feels like he’s saying goodbye all over again. I wonder if he’ll be able to be my friend, or if he will pull away from that too. And maybe one day I’ll have to watch him fall in love with someone else.

He kisses the top of my head, rubs my back a few times until I want to bury myself into his chest, but pulls away before I make a fool of myself.

“Tell Amanda I had a good time. Good night, Amelia.”

He shuts the door behind him, leaving me extremely confused and emotional.

Amanda finds me standing in the entryway. When I turn to her, there are tears in my eyes. “Oh honey, come here.” Amanda pulls me into a hug and holds me tightly. “Do you still love him?”

“I don’t know,” I say on a wet sob. “Is it possible to love two men?”

“I think it’s possible, but the question is, who are you in love with?”

“I have no freaking idea. Am I only mourning what I used to have? I truly loved Aaron deep within my soul. Is that a feeling I’ll be able to get rid of?” From the skeptical look on her face, I think she doesn’t think so.

Does that mean I’m still soul-deep in love with Aaron Walters?