Page 28 of Power Forward

Jackson takes a step to the door and clicks the lock open. I grab hold of his wrist before he can open the door. He looks over his shoulder, patience radiating in his eyes as he waits for me to speak.

“Can I still speak to you?”

A soft smile crosses his lips. “Yeah, you can. I’d be disappointed if you didn’t enlighten me further on random facts about jellyfish every morning.”

I huff a laugh, suddenly feeling sheepish.

“I hope you’ll tell me the story about them one day.”

“Yeah. I will,” I say quietly, then let go of his wrist.

He opens the door and gives a gentle nod of his head to say goodbye. I watch him leave, my chest heavy with emotion.

Okay, so that went better than I expected. Opening up wasn’t as scary as I made it out to be in my head. If anything, it’s done what Zara predicted. It’s created an olive branch between us, opened up the door for whatever might happen in the future.

Turning around, I splash my face with water and use a towel to dry off. When I head back downstairs, Jackson’snowhere to be seen, but the disappointment I would’ve felt before doesn’t come.

Can we talk about progress? High five to me.

I gaze around the open-plan kitchen living room area, and it seems everyone has been preoccupied and too busy to notice I disappeared upstairs until my eyes catch a set of brown eyes staring at me from behind black-framed glasses.

Ethan Parkes is watching me. His face is stoic, expression giving nothing away. Except when he arches one brow, silently letting me know he noticed, and clearly, he saw Jackson leave only moments ago.

Steeling my shoulders back, I take a steadying breath and head toward where he’s standing with Jacob, Alex, Blaine, Zach, and Carter.

“Hey!” Blaine greets me with a wide smile, then looks at my empty hands. “You need a beer?”

“Whiskey, if there’s any left.”

I risk a glance in Ethan’s direction, and his dark eyes still bore into me as he takes a sip of what looks like my whiskey.

“Here you go,” Blaine says, handing over a glass. “So what did you come as? I can’t tell if you’re supposed to be some kind of cat.”

“I’m Chilli, fromBluey.”

“Huh, didn’t Jackson come as something from that?”

“He did,” Ethan answers, his grumble barely audible over the music playing. Nobody picks up on his pointed tone, though, because Ethan’s always been on the quiet and grumpy side. Add in the fact he’s dressed up as the Beast while Jacob has come as Belle, and he’s only adding to the part.

Needing to change the subject, I wiggle my fingerbetween Zach and Carter. “This is iconic. I never would’ve guessed you’d come inStar Warstheme.”

“It was my idea.” Carter grins, ignoring my sarcasm. “I can’t wait for him to be punching into my hyperspace later.” He wiggles his brows suggestively and thrusts his hips while Zach groans and drops his face into his palm.

I choke on my drink, and the others burst into laughter.

“Thanks for that visual,” I deadpan.

“You’re welcome.” Carter beams.

“You should have heard some of the things he was saying earlier about us,” Alex pipes up. He’s in a Pikachu onesie, similar to my costume, and Blaine has come as Ash fromPokémon.

“It’s not my fault you come in such innuendo-worthy costumes,” Carter retorts.

“You literally asked us if I smack my balls against Alex’s face and pretend to catch him,” Blaine points out.

“And? I don’t see the problem with that.”

My gaze bounces between them in amusement, and then a guy I recognize from the wedding appears at my side, holding out his hand.

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