“Someone who knows you’re looking desperate, bro,” Mike retorted tauntingly. “What’s the matter? Sick of Instagram models? Fucking pussy.”
“Just go!” I snapped at my brother, tearing my gaze away from Jesse’s burning eyes and shoving my brother up the stairs.
Then I put my hands on my hips and glared at my ex, who was still breathing hard.
“What do you want? Spit it out. I don’t know how long Mike will stay in there. He’s like a mad dog.”
Jesse took a deep breath and ran his hands through that thick golden-blonde hair.
I was startled to see that his hands were shaking.
“I miss you.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You said that already. I still don’t believe you, and I don’t care about your little trip through nostalgia town.”
“It’s true,” he insisted. “I miss you. A lot. I can’t stop thinking about you.”
There were dark circles under his eyes that I hadn’t noticed earlier, his hands still shaking as he shoved them down into his pockets.
“Please, Josie. I made the dumbest mistake of mylifein breaking up with you. I want another chance.I want you back.”
Iwanted to punch him in his stupid cocky face, except he didn’t look cocky now, just tense, the tendons straining in his arms as his hands were stuffed in his pockets.
“No fucking way, Jesse. Aren’t you engaged to another woman?”
He wouldn’t look away from me. Heshouldlook away, after what he had done to me. But he wouldn’t. His eyes weresobright and blue.
“It’s over with her. I was fucking deluding myself the whole time. I made a mistake, Josie.”
“Amistake?” I shot at him. “You dumped me for another woman. You haven’t talked to me in a year. You arenotforgiven.”
Jesse stepped toward me, his hands out in supplication.
“I know it wasone huge goddamn mistake. IknowI’ll have to make it up to you. I was an ass. A complete fucking moron to think I could live without you.I can’t.”
I stared uncomprehendingly at him, like this shit surely couldn’t be happening to me now.
When I didn’t say anything, Jesse’s lips started to twitch.
“I love you, Josie. I never stopped. Please tell me what I can do to make this right.”
“No,” I said furiously, knocking his hand away as he reached for me. “You don’t get to bring your trifling ass around here selling me bullshit.”
He took a ragged, deep breath.
“Maybe this was too fast. OK, I didn’t mean to freak you out. But I meant every word, Josie. Losing you has been the single stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”
“I don’t believe you,” I said flatly, clutching my arms to my chest, like the action would hold me tight, keep me from falling into pieces.
“All you care about is your image.”
“I thought I did, but I don’t. IswearI don’t.”
There was a sharp rapping on the window and I looked around to see Mike and Dad in the frame.
“Wrap it up,” Dad called, twirling his finger around. “I need that sidewalk.”
