41. Sienna
forty-one
Sienna
It happens all so fast.
Jace’s mom gasps, shouting my name with a confused edge.
The girl sitting next to her jumps up from her seat, eyes solely fixed on the man next to me.
Jace gives me a concerned look before his eyes fall back on her.
She pushes through us and pulls his body against hers, hugging him like her life depends on it.
I tilt my head, watching the hug, noting the way Jace’s wide eyes flicker from the girl wrapped uncomfortably around him to me.
“Uh…who are you? And why are you attached to my boyfriend?”
The girl pulls away from Jace slowly, her eyes trailing up and down his sturdy body with hunger before drifting to my own.
“ I’m his girlfriend. Who are you?” The girl tilts her head at me, causing me to reel back.
I chuckle, but it lacks all humor as I eye the woman who Jace desperately tries to pry himself from.
I scoff.
He’s not cheating on me, that’s for sure, but did he tell his mom about me? It’s hypocritical of me to ask that when I haven’t even told Cleo about us but…did he?
Obviously not if his mom invited another girl over…
I let out a deep exhale.
The air in the house is thick with tension. Everyone is sitting on the edge of their seats, looking around the room as if waiting for an imaginary ball to drop .
“Let’s eat!” Asa claps, cutting some of the thickness in the air, and immediately everyone begins washing their hands and preparing to eat dinner.
“Sienna, I’m so happy you’re back. I made sweet cornbread, you liked it as a kid, right?” Jace’s mom, Anna, asks as I take a seat at the table after washing my hands.
“Yeah, I loved your cornbread as a kid.” I grin, trying to brush off the awkward tension in the room.
Jace is seated next to me on my right with Asa to my left. His mom, the girl, and Jackson sit in front of us while his dad takes the head of the table.
The feeling of Jace’s hand rubbing circles on my thigh soothes my fraying nerves as we eat.
“Oh my goodness, Anna, did you make these deviled eggs for me? You know how I much I love your deviled eggs!” the girl who’s name I have yet to learn exclaims.
Anna gives her a tight-lipped grin as the girl giggles. I take another deep breath.
Stay calm, Sienna…
“Yes, honey. Your mom reminded me that you like them.” Anna coughs awkwardly taking a bite of her food.
I eat a bite of the mashed potatoes on my plate and frown as I watch their interaction.
It’s only been a few years since I’ve last been over here, but they seem well acquainted.
“Oh my gosh, wait, I remember this cornbread! Jacey baby, you remember when you fed it to me last year?” the woman says in a babylike voice, and I cringe.
What the fuck?
Jace stiffens, the movement on my thigh pausing as the girl’s words silence the room.
Last year.
He brought her home for Thanksgiving last year…
“Oh…Uh…” he stammers.
“Oh really, Jacey baby? ” I mock the girl, eyeing him.
He doesn’t say anything though, his golden skin is dim of its naturally bright hue and he looks like he’s just gotten caught doing something he shouldn’t have.
Jace doesn’t deny what she says, he just avoids eye contact with me.
Wow…
“Anna, thank you so much for having me, but I fear I’ve overstayed my welcome. I’ll uh…I’ll see myself out. Happy Holidays, everyone.”
Jace’s gaze flickers to my own, a torrent of emotions clouding them, but I don’t stop walking.
I’m overstimulated to the max.
I wish he would’ve at least told her off or said something. Anything . Instead, he just sat there.
Without thinking, I march my way out of the house, leaving everything and everyone behind.
My mind is roaring with different thoughts of the two of them—Jace and that girl. When was the last time they’ve seen one another? Did they spend Christmas together—New Years?
Fuck.
I don’t realize that Jace is following me out the door until I hear his footsteps hit the porch, thundering my own.
“Listen, I’m not mad or anything, and I want you to tell me all about the years we’ve been apart, but right now my mind is going at a pace that I can’t help and I just need a break. I’m okay. I just need to breathe...”
When my words are out in the open, the world around us comes crashing down. Jace is closer to me, his hands finding their usual spot on my cheeks, guiding my eyes up to look at him, but I just can’t.
“Is there anything that I can do?”
My chest heaves and everything feels too small, too close.
“No.” I say, prying myself away from the man who I’ve loved my entire life and walking away.