Page 100 of Second Down Darling

She rolls her eyes. “Bitch, please. Do you know how many opportunities I had to turn down when we were growing up because ‘Charlotte can’t handle another reality show?’ You wet the bed for years. You woke up in the middle of the night screaming and freaking out everyone. We had to put everything on pause because you had to see so manyshrinks.”

“I was afraid you were going to die. I had PTSD from spending so many nights in the hospital. Excuse me for beingtraumatized.”

“Do you know how fucked up it is that I had to curtailmycareer because ofyourneurosis? I got so damn tired of everyone tiptoeing around you like you were so fragile when I was the one who wassick.”

My family never catered to me. I have no idea what she’s talkingabout.

“You threw out my letter to Jake, when I left NTU.” It’s not aquestion.

“Of course I did. It was such a sad play, like you were begging him to chase afteryou.”

“I never said where I was going, so that would’ve beenimpossible.”

“The worst part,” she continues as though I hadn’t responded, “is how you made eyes at Jake the whole time he and I were together. Did you think I didn’t notice? Did you think I was okay with you following him around everywhere like some sad little loser? Did you know he once told me there was nothing he could do about that because he didn’t want to hurt your feelings? Bitch, you lost your chance in high school. And for the record, on the night we hooked up senior year, he came to my bed all too willingly.” Her words slice into me like rusty, ragged razor blades. “Actually”—she chuckles—“we never made it to abed.”

I wait for Jake to say something, anything, but all I get is silence, as he’s apparently turned into a statue. His face is still in hishands.

I’m a beached fish. Flopping on the sand and gasping forbreath.

I swallow, needing answers from Kota despite how it’ll compound the pain. “Did you do it on purpose? Did you deliberately go looking for Jake thatnight?”

She smirks. “I considered it a fun personal challenge. ‘How hard will it be to hook up with that guy Charlotte’s been lusting over for years?’” The smug satisfaction on her face tears me apart. “It took me less than ten minutes to get in his pants. A personalrecord.”

I open my mouth, but nothing comesout.

She flicks her fingers at me. “Well, this was a nice reunion, but you need to run along now. Jake and I have to discuss our custody arrangement, which I’m updating. My son shouldn’t be around his toxic aunt or any of herspawn.”

I look down at Asher, who’s quiet and withdrawn. His somber demeanor cuts through my heartache and helps me think moreclearly.

Can she do that? Can she make those kinds ofdemands?

“Dakota, stop twisting everything.” Jake finally pipes up. Miracle of fuckingmiracles.

She turns to him. “I have a few simple demands, the first of which is you cut this slut out of your life. Or I take you tocourt.”

There’s no way Jake can afford that. Not rightnow.

“Why are you really here?” he asksher.

I wait for him to look at me. I need that connection, but he never turns myway.

She drops down onto the couch next to him and squeezes his bicep and her voice gets soft. “I’ve missed you, Jake. I know things went downhill at NTU, but that was really just a bigmisunderstanding…”

I don’t hear the rest because I can’t handle watching them sit side by side. I can’t handle her touching him. I can’t handle that baby voice she’s using. Not when Jake is being so accommodating. Why isn’t he flipping out on her? Why isn’t he yelling until the roof caves down on herhead?

When I reach Asher’s room, I grab the bag that was halfway packed with my stuff and sling it over my shoulder. Then I attach Duke’s leash to his collar, scoop up Winkie, and head back down the hallway with my two rescueanimals.

Jake calls my name, but I ignorehim.

I have nothing to say to himanyway.

40

CHARLOTTE

“Th-thanks for lettingme cr-crash here, Roxy.” I’m a slobbery mess as tears drip down my face and water drips from mynose.

She pulls me in for a tight hug. “Shut up. You never have to thankme.”

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