Page 29 of Protecting Jess

“Boys. I think they do it so they can still feel like they’re in a fraternity or something. I wonder if there’s a Navy SEAL out there with the nickname Chugger because he liked to chug beers in college or basic training.”

Again, Jess laughed. “Maybe we should ask Finn when he gets back. Or you could ask Oak...sorry...Brennan,” she said slyly.

Kaley tossed a flower-patterned pillow at her, but Jess easily fended it off. “Maybe I will. If I see him again.”

“Do you like him?”

“Do you like Finn?” her bestie countered.

Jess stared, as if she’d just asked if the world was flat. “You know all about Finn and me. What sort of question is that? Of course I like him.”

“Well, yeah, but things could’ve changed since you last saw him. He might’ve developed a horrible habit. Like picking his nose in public. Or become an asshole since he became a SEAL,” Kaley said.

“I can assure you, Finn hasn’t developed any of those bad habits. If he had, do you think I would’ve spent the night, let alone most of the day, with him?”

“I suppose not. No wonder you’re looking so happy.”

The fact Kaley hadn’t made a comment about the unusual familial relationship she and Finn shared had some of the tension seeping out of Jess.

If her best friend didn’t even think about it, then maybe no one else would. There was no need for her to introduce Finn to her friends as her cousin. He was simply going to be her boyfriend.

Boyfriend.

Was that what he was?

All they’d shared was one night in a huge bed and a few kisses. Although...Finn had bared his soul on the beach. How it was her he’d thought about when things had gotten tough during his SEAL training.

“Wait, you don’t look so happy now. What’s wrong, Jess? Don’t you want this?” Her best friend scooted closer to her.

“I do. I really do, but—well, something happened a few years ago.”

“What?” Kaley asked.

Jess sighed. Telling her best friend this big secret was going to be hard. Would she get angry for Jess not saying anything before now?

Kaley had asked her way back then if anything was wrong when they’d started their first rehearsals with the Baxter Company. She’d played it off as nerves, not wanting to relive her humiliation from that night.

“Remember when I went out with friends just after we both got notification we’d made Baxter’s? But you were sick and couldn’t come?” Jess asked, after taking a big breath.

“Ugh, don’t remind me. Worst case of food poisoning ever. I don’t think I’ve had a taco since then. And I used to love tacos.”

“That’s what you get for buying one off that dodgy street food cart. I told you not to do it.”

Kaley mock-glared. “Yeah, well, lesson learned. Anyway, you were saying?”

“Finn turned up at the bar that night and we danced and then we kissed.”

“You what!” her bestie screeched so loud the whole hotel could probably hear her.

“Shhh. We kissed, but that was it. After that, he ghosted me. Didn’t answer any texts I sent. Told his mom he couldn’t make it to opening night of our first show. I hadn’t seen him in four years until he turned up backstage last night,” Jess said.

“Whoa, that’s some—wow, I’m not sure what that was. No wonder you didn’t want to hang out with him last night. Although, that changed pretty quickly. You were pretty happy to leave with him. Why? What changed?”

“The thought of him walking away and never seeing him again...that’s what happened.”

Kaley gazed at her with her head cocked, as if her friend were trying to see inside Jess’s mind. “I’m gonna need a little more than that.”

She finished off her soda and placed the empty can on the coffee table, taking the time to get her thoughts together. “You remember what Timon said about how Finn was happy waiting for us? You and I both know that we can get ready to leave the theatre quicker than we did last night. It was like both of us had made an unspoken agreement that we were going to take an extra-long time before we headed to the back door.”