Page 19 of Barbed Wire Fences
Owen shifts his eyes down to Jael as he hooks his arm around her shoulder in a way that makes it seem like he thinks nothing has changed between them.Well, it sure as shit has.
“Yeah, Jael’s in town working for the next month. She’s a big-time nurse in Richmond now,” he says proudly.
As if it he has the right to be proud of any of her accomplishments.
As if he isn’t the whole reason that she even stayed in Richmond after graduating.
As if I didn’t already know where she’s been.
As if half the town hasn’t already heard this shit from Meredith.
I smile politely and watch as Jael’s eyes move to mine nervously. I can see the plea behind them,don’t make a scene, Rhett,and for now, I’ll honor her silent request, but running into these two around town for the next month while she’s working, yeah, I’m not going to be able to tolerate it silently for much longer.
“Great to see you two are back together. Just like old times, huh?” I say sarcastically, though Owen must not catch my tone because he just nods and keeps on grinning. I knew that would piss Jael off, and Owen would be too dense to realize it, and boy does the fire lick behind Jael’s green eyes when she glares back at me. I can’t help but feel satisfied to see she hasn’t completely lost her personality since she skipped town and broke my heart.
“Yeah man, who would have thought that Jael and I would be single again ten years later. Feels like fate.”
Alright, slow down there, buddy.
“Wow, that’s beautiful,” I grit out while internally cringing and forcing myself from saying anything worse and making a scene.
“Next order! The attendee calls out, saving me from one of the worst conversations of my life.
“Well, enjoy your date,” I call over my shoulder as I order two hot dogs, and some sodas then head off to my section without another glance their way.
Jael stopped being your problem when she left town.
Don’t get sucked back into the memories.
She. Left. You.
I find our section and spot Penelope already sitting, half-slouched in her seat, thumbs flying across her phone as she scrolls through her social media. The roar of the crowd might as well be white noise to her because she isn’t paying any attention to the game.
“Hot dog. And a drink,” I say, handing them over.
Her eyes flick up just long enough to beam at me. “Oh my gosh, thank you Rhett.” Then she’s back to her screen, tearing into the hot dog without ever breaking scroll.
I stay on my feet, trying to match the crowd’s energy, cheering when they cheer, clapping when they clap. Maybe if I make enough noise, it’ll drown out the mess in my head from that encounter.
But it doesn’t.
It keeps circling back to Jael. To Jael and Owen. Together. On a date. Like the last decade never happened. Like all the wreckage between us could just be brushed aside and forgotten. Like the real reason she never came back to town wasn’t him.
It shouldn’t matter. Hell, it doesn’t matter but it somehow still hurts.
Because I’m standing here stewing about it while Penelope, my supposed date, barely notices I exist. And normally, that wouldn’t bother me at all. We have an expiration date anyway. But tonight, it just reminds me how achingly lonely I am. She’s more interested in liking every post her friends make than watching the damn game. Just biding her time until she can ditch this town for good.
Just like Jael once did.
That thought lands hard, twisting in my gut, the ache rising sharp and familiar. Yeah, I knew Jael was going to leave after we graduated high school, but at one time I thought she’d be back to visit me.
I shove that pathetic thought down, but it clings like a burr.
Penelope polishes off the hot dog, wipes her hands on a napkin, then slides closer, looping an arm around my waist like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Her voice turns lighter, playful, almost flirty. It’s the routine that we always follow. Do something together since we’re both lonely, then find a quick exit to hook up and get out of here before we can go back to our sad, lonely existences.
“You ready to go yet?” she asks, her long lashes fluttering as she tilts her head up at me. “This game is boring as hell.”
Boring. I used to find these high school games entertaining. Coming here, to show support to the town who gave this guy from the wrong part of town a chance once he owned his own plumbing business and have been supporting me ever since.
