Page 13 of Home in Nevada

Jamie, now standing and turning off the TV, meets my eyes with a sharp, almost defiant look. “Quit making this my fault.”

“Itwasyour fault!” I snap, standing up with clenched fists. “You’re the one who sent the text!”

“I needed to talk to you. I needed someone. But you weren’t there. What else is new?”

The words land like a blow, and I flinch. “I wasn’t there for you? That’s bullshit,” I say, my voice cracking. “I was a good friend, Jamie. You were my best friend. Stop acting like I was just an asshole.”

Jamie’s expression softens for the first time, the anger dissolving into something raw and vulnerable. “You weren’t a shitty friend, Jeff,” he says, quieter now. “It’s just... fuck, Jeff, you’re so oblivious. I had a huge crush on you for so long.”

The shock leaves me reeling, like the ground has disappeared beneath my feet.

“I figured when you left, it was best for me to move on. You wanted that, right? So I thought it was the right thing to do.”

My mind spins, struggling to process this revelation. “It wasn’t just some weird thing we did?”

Jamie’s gaze softens, a mix of sadness and amusement in his eyes. “No, it wasn’t weird. Not for me, anyway.”

The embarrassment washes over me, making me feel small and foolish. I look away, rubbing the back of my neck. “Dude, how long have you felt this way?”

Jamie’s cheeks flush as he rubs his arm. “I don’t know... Since third grade, probably.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “What?”

Jamie laughs softly, a little embarrassed. “That’s when I realized I liked you too much.”

I stare at him, stunned. “I never figured... Well...” I stumble over my words, feeling the weight of everything I’ve missed. “I’m dumb.”

Jamie chuckles, crossing his arms. “Yeah, kinda.”

There’s a beat of silence, but it’s different now—lighter, almost tender. I take a deep breath, trying to mask my nerves with a weak joke. “Well, this seems like a good time for me to head out.”

Jamie’s smile falters, and his voice drops, tinged with something I can’t quite place. “Right, like you were never here.”

The words make my chest ache, but I swallow the feeling down. I grab my keys and turn back to him. “Will you be pissed if I text you? You know, once in a while?”

Jamie blinks, and his face brightens, a hopeful glint in his eyes. “Even after I just told you I liked you? And made out with you? And we're both seeing other people? And we live in different states?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Jamie smirks, his voice light but a bit shaky. “You really like making things complicated, don’t you?”

“Only for you,” I say with a grin.

Jamie’s blush deepens, and he looks away, biting back a smile. It’s so endearing it makes my heart squeeze painfully in my chest. “It’s fine. You can text me.”

“Cool.”

“Cool,” Jamie echoes, his smirk playful but sincere. The air between us feels different now—like the weight of the argument has lifted.

I gesture down at myself with a dramatic flourish. “Just so you know, you’re not getting in my pants. I’m with Tiffany. These goods are off-limits. Keep your greedy hands to yourself.”

Jamie rolls his eyes, the blush on his cheeks lingering. “Yeah, okay, idiot. I get it. It won’t happen again.”

“Bye, Jamie.”

I pull him into a tight hug, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. There’s a moment of hesitation before he hugs me back, his arms slipping around my waist. The warmth of him seeps into me, but it’s his scent that nearly undoes me—the same clean, cedar-smelling bar soap he’s used for as long as I can remember. It hits me like a wave, filling my head with memories of late-night hangouts, football practices, and the quiet moments we shared when it felt like we were the only two people in the world. It’s comforting, achingly familiar, and it drives me wild.

I hold on a second longer than I should, breathing him in, before I finally force myself to let go. The scent of Jamie, clean and familiar, clings to me as I step back, lingering like a ghost. I give him a small wave, trying to play it cool, but my chest feels tight, and I can’t help the smug little smirk tugging at my lips.

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