Page 6 of Could Have Been Us
“Save me, Uncle Jack!”
He moves forward, pulling her out of Grayson’s grasp and clutching her to his chest.
And I imagine a very different scene with a very different girl. One who would have been loved and protected by him. A little girl with hazel eyes and dark brown hair.
As the laughter subsides, Jack’s eyes meet mine and a flash of something like regret passes before his easy smile replaces it.
“Hey, Stella.”
“Hey, Jack. I thought you were lost in the woods,” I say, clearing my throat and swallowing the emotion that vision brought.
“Thankfully, the trip ended early.”
“They realized you were too inept to lead?” I joke.
“Now, we both know that’s not true. The main guy was covered in poison ivy.”
I shake my head with a smile. “And the inept thing rings true.”
Grayson walks over, tossing his arm around my shoulders. “Now, Stella, don’t forget that Jack is inept in everything. Dating, firefighting, football . . .”
“I’m capable where it matters.”
“And where is that?” Grayson challenges.
“I’ve never had a woman complain about my prowess in the bedroom.”
Gray rolls his eyes, and I use every ounce of self-control not to flinch. “Well, since neither Stella nor I can attest to that, we call bullshit.”
I laugh and move out of my brother’s hold. I can attest to it, but I sure as hell won’t. “Let’s have pizza and watch the movie before I no longer have an appetite,” I suggest.
We eat, laughing and talking about the last group Jack took out in the woods. The entire point is team building and survival skills, but most of the time, we hear more about how miserable everyone was. Jack had a cushy job as an accountant for one of North Carolina’s biggest firms. He was able to work remotely and made a killing.
Then, one day, he was just done. He left the company and started this venture.
He’s done well, but it still doesn’t make sense to me.
Amelia is curled up against my side as the movie plays. I hear her soft snore and smile, pushing her sandy blonde hair off her face.
“She’s out,” I tell Gray.
His smile is automatic as he sees his daughter. “She always falls asleep during the movie.”
I kiss the top of her head. “And I love that she usually does it while I hold her.”
While I have always been somewhat of a mother figure to Amelia, I’ve been extremely careful not to let myself be more than her aunt. I love her immensely, but it would be incredibly unfair to both of us to consider her a replacement to the daughter I gave up. Amelia isn’t mine. She’s Grayson’s, and I’m just lucky enough to be here for her.
He gets up, lifting Amelia to his chest. “I’m going to put her to bed.”
Leaving Jack and I alone.
What is wrong with me? Seriously. Since the one night we slept together, nothing has ever been romantic between us. I’ve seen him a million times, and we’ve talked and hung out, and yet, I still feel this way. It’s absolutely fucking sad, that’s what it is.
I’m that sad, stupid girl who loves a guy who will never love her back.
“So, how is work?” he asks after a minute.
“Good. Busy, but good.”
