Page 112 of Forgive You

“Not him,” Hunter confirms. “He found out, got into his head, and talked him out of it. The next day, Julie was back together with Jacob.”

“What?” Jensen exclaims. “When was this?”

“Senior year. The first time Julie and Jacob broke up.”

You know, for someone who couldn’t find the words to get his girl back for seven goddamn long years, Hunter sure is chatty, ain’t he?

Asshole.

“You’ve been into Julie since senior year?” Jordan’s reaction is genuine, but the truth in his words still gives me goosebumps.

I wasn’t in love with Julie in high school. I know, because what I’ve felt for her the past couple of years is way more intense than whatever crush I had on her back then. But yeah, I thought she was the coolest chick I knew, and I wanted to date her. Pulling something big to get her attention after she was treated like a side chick by my brother seemed like the thing she deserved.

I nod, rubbing my face before my eyes connect with Jordan’s.

“So you freaked out?” Bodi doesn’t say shit to piss people off; that’s Hunter or Jensen’s job, but the little tease in his expression does hit a nerve.

I aim my glare around to cross them all. “None of ya’ll have any right to say shit. You waited seven years.” I point my beer at Hunter, then flip my chin to Jensen. “You let your mother pick out yourbridebefore you grabbed your balls and went for the blonde inside, and you.” I finally come back to Bodi. “You bailed out of nowhere because she was too young.”

“She is too young,” Bodi argues, but then tones it down when I cock an eyebrow. “Yeah, okay. I get the point. So what changed?”

What changed? Everything. I’m older, life is short, and I’m not gonna waste any more time wondering what to do. Besides, I think when I was younger, I still hoped that at some point, Jacob and I could get along. Maybe even become friends someday.

Now I realize that ship has sailed and burned to the bottom of the ocean. There’s no coming back from that.

“You know this is the first time we’ve been alone for years? Usually, Jacob gets between us in some kind of way. Now, I won’t let him.”

“Have you told her yet?” Bodi queries.

“What?”

“That you love her.” Bodi McKay, ladies and gentlemen, always the perceptive one. You can’t hide shit from him.

“No.”

Jensen sniffles, placing his empty bottle on the patio table. “Are you planning some kind of grand gesture? Another boombox?”

“Flowers?” Hunter offers.

“Rent out a carnival?” Bodi pitches in, reminding us of how he won Kayla back by renting out her favorite thing in the whole world.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he bought her a theme park for a wedding gift one day.

“I thought about just telling her like a grownup?” I make a face.

“Yeah, that could work too.” Jordan agrees, followed by a silence that gets my attention his way. “Or you could just put a ring on it and be done with it.”

“Nope, don’t steal my idea.” Jensen points an accusing finger in my face with a tone that means business, and we all fall silent.

Wide eyes are all around until Hunter breaks the silence. “You’re gonna propose?”

He stretches his body a little more horizontally on the soft cushions, digging his hand in his pocket before pulling out a red velvet box. We all exclaim something likewhat the hellbefore he shushes us, peeking his head up to make sure we didn’t catch the girls’ attention inside.

“You already got a ring! Jensen, that’s amazing.” Bodi grabs his shoulder, a genuine grin splitting his tanned face.

We all offer our congratulations.

“She still has to say yes.” The big, bulky piece of human, who crushes people on the ice for a living, suddenly mumbles and gets shy, staring at the box in his hand.

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