Chapter Twenty-Six #2
“First of all, how dare you say his name like he’s beneath you.
Just because he wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth doesn’t mean he’s any less of a person than you are.
In fact, he’s probably better. He’s definitely better.
” I take a shaky breath, the words threatening to break me, but I force them out anyway, saying all the things that need to be said.
“And second of all, you have no right to show up here after I told you to leave me alone—which you probably thought was romantic but is definitely a little bit creepy—and then get angry at what you find. After you ignore me for weeks and then tell me that you’re basically falling in love with someone else, you of all people know you’re in zero position to have any opinions about me or my life choices.
My life is not your business. You lost that privilege. ”
Jack swallows. His expression has dulled from a sharp anger to more of a surprised resentment. “I can’t believe you’d do this to me.”
The laugh is out of my mouth before I can stop it.
“You can’t believe I did this to you? First of all, I did nothing.
” Except love you and show support for you and fly out here to surprise you like you surprised me now.
And okay, maybe it’s not too creepy that he’s here, but it doesn’t mean I have to forgive him for wanting to hook up with another girl.
And if I listen to my heart, I’m not even that upset about it, really, because it gave me a chance to connect with Tyler again—someone who is a real friend.
Or at least someone I hope becomes a real friend again.
Jack opens his mouth to retort, but before he can, I’m fueled with a rage to hurt him as badly as he hurt me. “Where’s Lilly, anyway? She didn’t want to accompany you for this?”
He rears back as if I’ve slapped him, and behind me, I hear Tyler murmur a quiet damn.
After gaping like a fish for a few seconds, Jack stumbles to find his words, wringing his hands nervously. “Lilly and I realized that maybe we aren’t a good fit for each other after all. We both knew that my heart really lies with you.”
I’m unimpressed and can’t help but laugh dryly. “Which translates to her dumping you because she realized you’re a sorry, slimy emotional cheater.”
His silence is all I need to hear.
“Which leads me to my next point.” I flick my wrist in Jack’s direction, dismissing him.
“It’s time for you to go.” Not wanting to hear another word from him, I grab my rolling suitcase and storm toward the airport security line.
I don’t stop to spin around and see if Jack is following us, but judging by the way Tyler is now loping next to me casually as if nothing strange happened back there, I’m assuming not.
He waits until I park my suitcase in front of the security line, preparing to go in, before he finally says something. “Okay, that was pretty badass.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” The aggravation’s already started to dissipate from my bloodstream, replaced with a glowing pride as I play the conversation on repeat in my head. It’s only magnified by Tyler’s grin.
“Totally. I thought you were going to smack Mr. Two First Names right here in Hawai?i’s biggest airport. You should’ve seen the look on his face when he left. He looked like he was on his way to find a brand-new litter of puppies to kick.”
“Oh, please.” I roll my eyes. “Jack isn’t exactly known for his fighting skills.
” At this, we both laugh for a few seconds, until we quiet down and stare at the still-snaking security line that I need to get in soon if I have any hope of catching my flight.
A small bit of sadness rolls in, though, too, thinking about another relationship I thought would last forever but instead is spinning down the drain.
“So.” Tyler scuffs his shoe on the floor, looking bashful as he raises his eyes to meet mine and tugs at his hair nervously. “Before all of that back there…that kiss, huh?”
My stomach dips at the memory, already solidifying itself in my mind as something I’m sure I never want to forget as long as I live.
Of all my moments with Jack, and even all of my previous moments with Tyler, nothing will ever top the toe-curling feeling of reconnecting after all that time.
“Yeah…it was a pretty good kiss.” One that already causes a deep ache in my chest, knowing I’ll never get to experience it again.
I’m surprised at the stinging in the corners of my eyes when I realize the loss of something that it feels like I just got back.
Now Tyler’s expression morphs from bashful to wicked, and he takes another step closer, back in my personal bubble. “Then let’s repeat the performance, shall we?”
My body reacts, nerves standing on end. My heart hammers at the prospect of another kiss.
Our real last kiss. Unfortunately, although my body is more than ready to be back in Tyler’s arms, this time, my brain gets to have the say.
I gently place my hand on Tyler’s chest, and I don’t even have to apply any pressure for him to get the hint.
His face falls and he takes a step back, voicing words that sound painful to get past his lips. “But you still don’t want me.”
I shake my head, chest sinking as I drop my hand.
“It’s not about wanting or not wanting you.
It’s that I’m still not able to be in a relationship with you, Ty.
We’re too different.” Even though my mind will probably be replaying our kiss for the entire flight home, and likely the entire next day, and forever and ever on a loop after that.
“If there’s anything I learned from my mom, it’s that wanting someone badly enough doesn’t make you a good fit. ”
He opens his mouth like he’s prepared to fight it, but then he clamps his jaw shut and shakes his head, eyes cloudy with sadness. “If that’s how you really feel, I’ll respect it.”
“Yes.” Every word of the lie coming out of my mouth tastes bitter. “It’s how I really feel.” Maybe it’s not, but I know it’s how I’m supposed to feel.
“That’s it, then.” His voice is resigned and overwhelmingly sad, like I feel inside.
Here we are, in one of the sunniest and happiest and most beautiful places in the world, but all we can feel is sadness.
I grab the handle of my suitcase, ready to make the exit I’ve been dreading.
I think I feel more nervous now than I did in the airport security line three days ago, when I was headed to O?ahu and had no idea what I was going to find there—or who I was going to bump into on that plane.
“How long are you still here in Hawai?i?” I’m suddenly unabashedly desperate to keep our conversation going, not wanting to say goodbye.
Tyler must feel the same, because he blows out a short puff of air as he thinks it over. “Until the end of spring break. Well, not totally—I get home a few days before classes start back up again.”
That’s too many days away. “I hope we can hang out again when you’re back home. You know where to find me.” It’s a shot in the dark, especially knowing how conflicted Tyler feels about continuing our friendship, but the small, selfish part of me isn’t ready to let him go.
His smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes, but I can still feel the emotion radiating there. He presses his lips to my forehead one more time, slow and soft and sweet, before stepping back.
“I already told you, Olive. I’ll always know how to find you.”