Page 9 of Unwrapped
I hold up my hand to silence Talia. “That ship sank before it ever sailed, and I was never the fucking captain in the first place.” I shake my head, grinding my molars against the rising tide of bitterness. “And after what Ryan put her through, thelastperson she wants anything to do with is me.”
Mood Music: “Try” by P!nk
“I’m going to check on Hudson.” Sawyer pauses in the doorway of the bedroom I’m sharing with Lena and glances at his watch. “We’ve been up here chatting for almost an hour. Deanshouldbe done by now, but I’d rather not take any chances. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to come downstairs. In the meantime, yell if you need something.”
“Thanks,” I say, grateful to be in the safety of my room.
“Anytime.” He exits into the hallway and closes the door behind him.
Groaning, I squeeze my eyes shut. “Well,thatwas a great start to the weekend.”
“Your job right now is to forget everything you saw in that kitchen and relax.” Lena settles on the edge of my twin-size bed, where I’m lounging with a stack of pillows elevating my legs. She rests one of her hands on my ankle. “Oh, and maybe explain why Dr. Sexy threw you for such a loop down there.”
I knew the question was coming, but it doesn’t make it any easier to answer. I can’t begin to explain the emotional whirlwind Dean’s presence unleashed.
“It’s a long story.”
She tilts her head to the side. “You didn’t mention him when you told me about everyone on the ride up.”
“That’s because I didn’t know he’d be here.” I clench my jaw. “Knowing my friends, they keptthatlittle detail under wraps for a reason.”
“What do you mean?”
“I would’ve canceled my trip, had I known.”
“Why? He seems nice enough.”
“Oh, he’s very nice. That’s the problem.”
“Huh?”
“It’s complicated.”
“I’m listening.” Her eyes sparkle with intrigue. “C’mon. Fill a sister in so I don’t unknowingly make things worse.” The woman should’ve been a detective because she is relentless in her quest for details.
“I used to have a thing for him back in college.”
“A thing?”
“Yeah.” A defeated sigh leaves my lips. “Did you ever meet someone and justclick?”
She nods. “Absolutely.”
“Well, that’s how it was with Dean. We connected the moment we met and were pretty much inseparable. I mean, we studied together, ate together, grocery shopped together, you name it. I spent more time with him than I did with Talia and Jordana, and I lived with them. He was my rock. I wouldn’t have survived pharmacy school without his support.” A sharp pang of sadness takes my breath away. Eyes stinging, I stare out the window, needing a moment to recover.
“And?”
I meet Lena’s gaze again. “My feelings deepened beyond friendship, and while I thought I sensed an attraction on his end, he made it clear he didn’t feel the same way.”
“How?”
“He pulled away when I tried to kiss him one night.” Echoes of my mortification squeeze my chest. “Lena, I could haveswornhe wanted me, but I was wrong. I humiliated myself and ruined the friendship. Things between us haven’t been the same since.”
“Oof. That sucks.”
“Yeah,” I say lamely, thinking about how I made the shitty situation even worse.
“It’s been a decade. You guys can’t reconcile?”
