CHAPTER 24 #2
“Right,” Reese took a breath. “Sorry, I should’ve taken the hint.
” She rocked back on her heels and looked down at her feet.
She looked lost in her thoughts and Jette could’ve sworn she saw a flash of hurt in those green eyes before they looked away.
How painfully unfair that despite the gaping hole in her own chest, she still wanted to comfort her.
It had only been a second but Jette immediately wanted those eyes on her again.
“I meant to text you back,” Jette said. She searched Reese’s face and felt those familiar butterflies in her chest as their eyes met.
The words caught in her throat. “I wanted to, it’s just I ran out of time before the show, and then, well,” her voice trailed off as she limply gestured towards the doors behind her.
“I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t,” Reese said plainly.
Jette scoured her face for any hint as to why she was here.
She needed answers. But she knew she was also too scared to ask for them.
“You were amazing tonight,” Reese added.
“I saw pictures of all of you on social media and I just,” she ran a hand through auburn waves and Jette’s stomach tensed.
“I don’t know. I saw those pictures and suddenly I was in the car and then before I knew it I was standing here. ”
“I thought the show was sold out.” Jette hadn’t meant for the words to come across as sharply as they did.
“It was,” Reese admitted. “I had to take a chance buying a last minute ticket from a stranger online. You guys are getting big. Like really big. Everywhere I looked, the resale price was insane,” she said with a smile.
Worry flashed across her face as she realized what she’d said.
“Not that the price isn’t worth it. I was just surprised,” she rambled.
“Well, not surprised. I know how good you are—all of you. I wasn’t surprised that you’re getting a lot of attention.
And of course I obviously know you guys are worth the ticket price.
I just meant, ugh, this is all coming out wrong.
” Jette fought off a smirk as Reese rattled on, seemingly digging herself deeper and deeper with every word.
Reese touched her face more than once before she settled down.
“I loved the show, is what I meant to say.” She sounded breathier than normal.
Jette hated how uncomfortable and stiff the entire interaction felt but she couldn’t bring herself to give more than a few words in response.
“I’m glad.” The words hung between them for an awkward beat. Reese nodded politely and looked around as Jette continued to study her. Her face was flushed and Jette could feel a similar heat in her own cheeks. “Are you driving back—”
“Can we grab a drink?” Reese asked simultaneously.
She looked at Jette with eyes full of something that looked alarmingly close to hope.
Jette swallowed and fidgeted with the straps over her shoulders.
“Or dinner? I don’t know. Have you eaten yet?
” she tried again. It was as though Jette’s mouth was full of cotton.
She couldn’t seem to make the words come out.
Reese’s voice was nearly pleading by this point.
Jette could feel in her bones that this was going to hurt.
Hell, it already hurt. The idea of prolonging the uneasy conversation made her insides curl but then she saw the glimmer in Reese’s eye as she opened her mouth to answer.
That tiny spark which had been snuffed out weeks ago feebly flickered back to life.
“I—sure,” Jette finally stammered. “I was going to order delivery but we can grab dinner somewhere nearby instead.”
“I’ll do whatever you want.” Reese said it so earnestly that Jette felt the raw edges of her heart ache.
“Whatever you want,” she repeated. “I just—I just really wanted to see you.” Jette gave her best attempt at a noncommittal nod, trying to pretend like the words didn’t leave her feeling simultaneously exhilarated and exhausted.
. . . .
Jette dumped her bag on the floor under the table of the crowded pub.
The busy room seemed to be in a state of chaos, bridging the gap between families still sitting down for a meal and hoards of young twenty-somethings loudly ordering shots at the bar.
She surveyed the room before settling her gaze on Reese.
The chilly walk to the pub went better than she had expected.
It was easier to keep her thoughts organized when she wasn’t looking Reese in the eyes.
Her breath caught in her throat when she realized Reese was already staring at her.
They lifted their cocktails to clink the glasses together.
Though Jette couldn’t imagine what they were possibly toasting to.
She took a long sip of her manhattan to keep her mouth occupied.
“How’ve you been?” Reese blurted out a little too loudly.
She swiped a thumb over her bottom lip and Jette couldn’t stop herself from focusing on the movement.
This had been a terrible idea. Jette tilted her head to the side and shot a look at her as if to say ‘Really?’ Reese gave her an apologetic glance and quickly asked another question. “How’s the tour going? Any updates?”
Jette fidgeted with the roll of silverware in front of her.
“Good,” she answered, “Really good actually.” If Reese was going to sit here and pretend like nothing was wrong for the next hour, then she could play along.
“We just extended the tour so I’ll be on the road for another month.
Plus we’re waiting on confirmation for a European tour.
Ava Walker wants us to open for her, so we’re pretty excited. ”
Reese’s eyes lit up. “Holy shit that’s amazing,” she jumped at the change in conversation.
“So you’re officially in the band, then.
” Jette thoughtfully nodded between bites.
She watched the way Reese slowly picked at her burger.
Something heavy seemed to weigh on her shoulders as they chewed in silence.
“Does this mean you’re moving to LA?” The words hit Jette unexpectedly.
She hadn’t had the chance to weigh her options just yet, obviously the news had just been dropped in her lap like a present.
Jette swallowed with difficulty and shrugged her shoulders, debating what to say next when Reese’s hands swifty came down on the table.
The glassware clinked quietly but it hadn’t been forceful enough to do more than startle her.
Jette jumped nearly a foot in the air, her eyes widening in shock.
“What the fuck was that for?” she asked, her voice on the verge of a surprised laugh.
“Jesus christ, Jette. Are you gonna talk to me at all?” Reese’s voice was laced with fire. Her eyes flashed and Jette took a deep breath. Reese wasn’t the only one who was annoyed and frustrated with how the night was turning out.
Jette’s voice came out carefully controlled in spite of the heat flooding her chest and face. “What do you want me to say, Reese?” she asked in a huff.
“I want you to say you’re not moving,” Reese shot back. She ran a hand through her wild locks exasperatedly and leaned back in her chair. The look in her eyes made Jette’s heart stutter. Well, that wasn’t what Jette had been expecting at all.
Jette tempered the excitement and fear building in her chest as she set her burger down and wiped her hands.
The room was too loud and too crowded and it suddenly felt like the walls were closing in around her.
A single thought repeated over and over in her mind.
Run. “Why do you care?” The words came out before she could even try to contain them.
Reese let out a breath and the tiny wisps framing her face shimmered.
Her eyes glowed the most brilliant shade of green Jette had ever seen.
Even when she was upset, she radiated. It was the single most frustrating and charming thing.
“Because I don’t want you to move,” she said defiantly.
“I came here tonight because I wanted to see you and I needed to tell you that.”
“Why?” Everything in Jette’s body tensed. Her hips perched on her edge of her seat, as if she could lean closer to what she wanted to hear Reese say. Though she was sure her heart couldn’t handle whatever it was that Reese was thinking.
“Because I can’t stop thinking about you,” she admitted.
Jette’s stomach fell through the floor and Reese’s eyes were glassy from the admission.
“I fucked up when I let you leave Vegas without telling you how I felt. I shouldn’t have let you go but, fuck, I have regretted it every single day because I think I’m falling in love with you. ”