Chapter 7 #3
JJ and I fell quiet as we glided out of the mangroves and entered a shallow, sun-soaked marsh. Cattails and saw grass stretched for miles, interrupted by the occasional tree island. The water was so shallow, I could have climbed out and waded through the weeds without getting my knees wet.
“Mind if we take a break?” I asked.
“Not as long as you feed me.”
Easy enough. Once my paddle was tucked inside the canoe, I crouched low and carefully turned around.
Then I stepped over my seat, hands braced on either side of the boat to keep it steady, and sat down facing JJ.
He watched as I loosened the drawstrings on my bag.
I selected a pack of Zebra Cakes and set it aside for later.
Based on stories Stella had told me, I knew if I didn’t save something for myself, JJ would eat everything.
“Okay,” I said and passed him the rest of the food. “Tell me—how do I figure into this situation?”
“Right,” JJ replied, like he’d forgotten why we were having this conversation in the first place.
He took the bag from my outstretched hand and rummaged through the options.
“Here’s the thing about Layla. Not only is she Annasophia’s best friend, but our parents are super close.
Neither of our extended families live on the West Coast, so we spend every holiday with the Bakers except for Christmas. ”
“Easter is this upcoming weekend,” I realized.
He tore open the package of beef jerky and nodded. “Let’s just say I’m not looking forward to dealing with my ex.”
“Layla was who you were talking to at the party,” I said when the memory of JJ’s angry phone call flooded back to me. I’d wanted to ask him about the conversation before now, but it sounded personal, and I didn’t want to come off as nosy.
Surprise scrolled across his face. “Yeah. I forgot you overheard that.”
I was starting to see where JJ was going with his story, but I felt like I was still missing a few key details. “If I had to guess, I’d say Layla changed her mind and wants you back.”
“Uh-huh.” He tore off a chunk of jerky with his teeth and practically swallowed it whole. “She’s been trying to get back together with me ever since we broke up.”
“But if you loved her then, why—”
“Loved being the keyword.”
It felt like JJ was holding something back, but I didn’t want to push the subject. If it was too private to share with me, I’d just have to trust him.
“Usually when I’m forced to see her, I’m good at being amicable. Problem is I kind of screwed up on New Year’s.”
Now we were finally getting somewhere. “Define screwed up.”
JJ blushed. As in an actual, bona fide, cheeks-turned-pink blush. “I, ah, maybe sort of got trashed and slept with her? Before you judge me, I was in a really shitty headspace. It never should have happened.”
I frowned. “Why would I judge you?”
“I don’t know.” JJ pulled off his baseball hat and smoothed a hand over the short strands of his hair before jamming the cap back into place. “This is usually where your sister throws around words like manwhore and womanizer.”
“I am not Stella,” I said firmly. And just because I could remember a bunch of random facts about JJ didn’t mean I knew him personally. Who was I to judge? “Everyone screws up once in a while.”
“Oh.” JJ glanced at his feet, then back at me. A smile rearranged on his features, but not his usual cocky smirk or obnoxious grin. It was hesitant but grateful, the kind of smile that felt real. “Well, thank you. I appreciate that.”
“You’re welcome. Now, back to business. Based on everything you’ve told me, I’m willing to bet the New Year’s incident meant more to Layla than it did to you?”
“Astronomically.”
“And now she’s deluded herself into thinking the two of you will get back together?”
“Two for two,” he said, his head bobbing in confirmation. “She’s driving me up the wall. I’ve told her multiple times that it’s not going to happen, but she won’t take no for an answer.”
“What does your sister say?”
His head jerked up as if my question had caught him off guard. “I haven’t said anything to her about it.”
I cocked my head. “Why not?”
JJ rubbed a hand on the underside of his jaw. “I don’t want to interfere with their friendship.”
“But… You’re her brother,” I said. “Wouldn’t she want to know how Layla is treating you?” Stella, Drew, and I could be in the middle of our own World War III, but we’d always stick up for one another. Family came first.
The corners of JJ’s eye crinkled as he smiled softly. “Probably, but Soph is super shy and not great with people. Layla is one of her only friends, and I’m not willing to risk that just to resolve a problem I created.”
“Fair enough.” We were drifting aimlessly through the marsh now, but I kept my eyes peeled for another trail marker. “So you think if Layla believes you’re dating someone else, she’ll leave you alone?”
“It’s worth a try, right?”
So much dejection tainted his voice that I made my decision to help him then and there. Who cares if I’d never had a boyfriend before? This would be practice for if I ever got to experience the real thing.
“Okay,” I said, leaning forward with a smile. “What exactly would I need to do?”