Page 3 of Those Heartbreak Scars

I don’t need to turn around to know who is behind me. The other party to the awesome foursome that grew up hanging out at EJ and Indy’s house. The man I have been in love with since I was fourteen years old. When he was in his first year of college and still playing baseball, and I was too young for such big feelings. The man I moved countries to avoid when I couldn’t shake those big feelings after he and my bestie started planning their wedding.

Of course EJ isn’t here alone. It would take someone important to get him on a plane. Someone as important to him as his sister.

That person would be his best friend. And my best friend’s ex-fiancé. God, she made such a mess when she fell in love and married Theo instead.

“Look who I found.” EJ indicates me without taking his eyes off Dove.

I swallow a rush of saliva as I turn to glance up at him. His pale blue eyes widen and his cheeks crease as his lips pull back from his teeth. “America?”

“Hey, Gray.”

Chapter Two

America

He looks good. Scruffier. His dark blond hair has lighter streaks in it and curls at the edges now. He’s more tanned under that navy Henley with the buttons open at the throat. It’s weird seeing him without a tie. It takes me back in time to when both he and EJ were still in college and weren’t taking themselves as seriously as they do now.

But there’s a coolness in his eyes. A wariness toward me that wasn’t there the last time we spoke. He takes a drink from the second glass he’s carrying. “What are you doing here?”

“Well…er…” I am never tongue-tied. But heartbreak looks good on him. God, so good. I have a thing for aloof men. And he is the original untouchable that started that trend.

“Girls’ weekend,” Dove explains so that I don’t have to announce that I’m failing at life, which feels like exactly what is burbling to the surface. Or accidentally reveal that I have a more than decade-long crush on him by saying something equally stupid about how he’s looking good for someone who is not single by choice.

He gives me butterflies and heart palpitations, while I remind him of his ex. Talk about awkward.

I don’t know what else I expected though. This is the first time I’ve seen him since Indy chose Theo over him. It’s not like with EJ where their relationship existed long before he got involved with Indy, although I’m sure their friendship has had to weatherdifficult moments these past few months. He and Indy were officially together for eight years.

It’s probably why he and EJ are meeting here in Positano. Thousands of miles from home. Because everything about home must be painful to Gray.

Including me. I was the third wheel. Always included because I was Indy’s best friend, and we were inseparable from the time we learned how to crawl until I left for Cambridge. And while Gray and I became friends, it doesn’t feel like we are now. But I can’t really blame him for seeing memories of her when he sees me.

“I’d love to buy you a drink,” EJ says to Dove.

“I’d love you to buy me a drink too,” Dove rests her hand on his chest and moves closer to his side.

“Hang on. Didn’t we just swear off dicks, men, and men who are dicks?” EJ isn’t a dick most of the time, but he qualifies on the other two points.

“That was before.” Dove tips her head toward EJ with a coy smile.

“Wait,” Gray grumps. “Did you just call us dicks?”

“No. That wasn’t what I was saying.” I rub the dip at the base of my throat. That truly was not what I meant.

“You two coming?” EJ asks, casually ignoring our dick conversation. He places his hand on the small of Dove’s back. “I’m buying.”

“Please. I need this,” Dove mouths at me while EJ makes deep and meaningful conversation with Gray via his eyebrows.

“It’ll be fun,” EJ says.

“Fine.” Gray shakes his head as though he can’t believe his best friend would hang him out to dry for a chance at spending time with a hot blonde with a British accent.

It is unusual behavior for EJ, but then the man doesn’t have a lot of time to relax between arguing in court and writing ridiculously long documents full of legalese. The women he usually mingles with outside of work tend to be people he’s met through work, so that his downtime too becomes an extension of his career.

So if he wants to hang out with Dove for fun, that should be encouraged. Besides, I miss hanging out with him. So this will be good, right? It won’t be any more awkward than it already has been. “I’m in.”

Drinks are bought and we find an empty booth to pile into. Dove is practically on EJ’s lap while I slide in opposite her. Next to me Gray concentrates on the drink in his glass, tipping it this way and that like it’s uniquely interesting.

I’ve been the third wheel enough times to know when a couple is oblivious to anyone else. EJ moves Dove fully onto his lap within a few minutes of their conversation growing more intense.

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