Page 6 of When We Were Reckless
“My back is just fine.”
“Okay, so… why did you give it up?”
“I’m done. Don’t have what it takes to be number one anymore.”
“How can you say that? If you train hard and focus like you always did, you’ll come back stronger next season. I know you will.”
He drank his beer and didn’t comment. I should have stopped, should have kept my mouth shut, but this seemed too important just to let it go, so I persevered.
“You always said that not riding makes you miserable. You live for it. You love it. And you’re the best, Jesse. Everyone knows that.Iknow that.”
He shook his head, disputing my words. “You’ve always put too much faith in me. That’s your problem, Quinn. I’m not the guy you think I am.”
“What happened to you? The Jesse I used to know always said, “If anyone tells me it can’t be done, I’ll take it as a challenge and prove them wrong.” But now you’re just giving up?” I threw my hands in the air. “None of this makes sense.”
“Why do you even care?”
How could he even ask me that?
“Because I do,” I whispered. “I care about you. I’ve always….” I cleared my throat. “I’ve known you all my life, Jesse. We’ve always been friends. And friends care.Icare.”
“You should go home. You shouldn’t even be here.”
“You were always there for me when I needed you. I can’t just leave you like this.”
“Like what? I had a few beers. I’m not shooting heroin into my veins. I’m not holding a gun to my head. I told you I’m fucking fine.”
“But—”
“Go home, Quinn.” He raised the volume on the movie he was watching and focused on the screen.
I stared at his profile. At the set of his clenched jaw. His hooded eyes and shuttered expression. I’d never seen this side of Jesse before and had no idea he could be so mean. So closed-off. Where was the easy-going, laidback guy I used to know?
Where was his smile? Hadshetaken that from him? Was this all because of her? Alessia Rossi. But it had to be something more than that, right? I didn’t know what to think.
“Are you acting like this because of what happened on Christmas Eve? Because… I mean, we never talked about it, and I just thought….”
He turned his head and stared at me blankly, with no recollection of Christmas Eve or that kiss.
“You don’t remember?”
He shrugged one shoulder, non-committal.
“Just tell me you remember the kiss. We kissed,” I whispered.
He ran his hand through his hair and laughed under his breath. “I was hoping you wouldn’t go there. You’ve never been good at taking a hint, have you? I didn’t bring it up because I was trying to save you the embarrassment.”
“Embarrassment? Why… but…”
“Wedidn’t kiss. You. Kissed. Me. You think I never noticed your schoolgirl crush, Quinn?” He was mocking me. “Everyonenoticed.”
Jesse McCallister, the love of my life, the guy of my dreams, was mocking me.
Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them back and gritted my teeth. That wasn’t how it happened. Why was he trying to pretend it was like that? I might have been inexperienced, but I wasn’t stupid.
We’d kissed, and he had kissed me back. He’d pulled me close until our bodies were flush, and I had felt him.All of him. His body had responded to me just as much as mine had to him.
How could he lie and pretend it had happened differently?
