“Good point,” Maddox says. “But I dunno. He seemed … weird, right? Like, that isn’t the Jet I know.”
“He looked exhausted,” Lennon says.
“He’s been touring for, what, three years now?” I ask. As if I don’t know how long it’s been.
His band has had a few number ones, and they’re on the brink of being the next biggest thing in music. Everyone’s probably heard of them but could only name one or two songs of theirs. Me? I could name every single song off both their albums.
The band’s rise to stardom started about two years ago with a hit called “Hat Trick Heartbreak.”
Matt nods. “He’s barely had time off, and we’ve rarely seen him. I’m glad he’s finally taking a break.”
Me too, but I call bullshit on his excuse for being here.
Ollie leans in and mutters under his breath. “If you think you’re getting away with that boy band knowledge scot-free, you’re mistaken.”
So close.
The dinner and drinks portion of the night can’t end fast enough, and even though I stop drinking, the others keep going. And going. And going.
As soon as Joni presents me with my new room key, I want to leave.
I want to get to Jet’s cabin before he crashes, but I don’t know how long an unsuspicious amount of time would be in between Jet leaving and me following.
Fuck it, I can’t sit here any longer.
I stand. “I think I’m gonna turn in. Night, guys.”
There’s a chorus of drunken goodnights, and I leave them all glassy-eyed and looking lovingly at each other. And not just toward their partners, but, like, to everyone.
Yay for all that chosen family bond crap.
They’re all like brothers in there, and for the most part, I’ve felt like one of them for the last three years. But then I remember Jet and that one night we had, and I realize I’ve never belonged to their group when I’ve been keeping such a big secret from them all this time.
I can still taste the salty skin of Jet’s neck from where he’d gotten all sweaty while dancing. I remember him tracing every inch of my body with his tongue. But mostly, I remember the way I felt inside him—the way he responded with needy moans and demands for more. He almost seemed shocked at what I was doing to him. It was probably totally bullshit when he said he’d never been fucked like that before, but the way he came unglued in my hands, I really didn’t care.
Now I’m hard at the memory of it, but my body doesn’t understand that the path leading to Jet’s room isn’t a path leading to a repeat.
No matter how much I’d love it to be.
The plan is to clear the air between us once and for all and to call a truce on what’s been years of avoidance.
And maybe, he has the same plan because when I round the corner to my old cabin, he’s not in bed like he said he’d be. He’s sitting on the top step of his deck with his guitar in his hands.
I watch the tattoos on his arm dance as his muscles contract. I remember tracing over the images of the guitar and the vintage microphone with my finger the night we were together. They’re surrounded by music notes, and the shading makes his whole arm pop like the images are in 3D.
He strums no real tune—at least, not one I recognize—and hums with that husky and deep voice of his that only comes out when he sings.
Jet stops as soon as he senses my presence. “They’ve already sent your bags to your new room.”
“I know. It’s that one right there.” I point to the cabin next to his.
“Of course, it is. Sorry you got stuck next to the kid.”
“Jet …”
He stands. “My name’s Jay, or don’t you read the tabloids?”
I never understood why they had to change his name, but between his real name Jethro, his nickname Jet, his brother calling him JJ, and the world knowing him as Jay, I can’t help wondering how he keeps track.
“Can we not do this?” I ask.
“Do what?” He gives me nothing but attitude.
I grunt. “For someone who wants to be seen as an adult, you’re sure not acting like one.”
He opens his mouth to talk back, but I cut him off.
“Look, what happened between us was years ago. We should be able to put it behind us and move on.”
“Yeah. You already did that. With Bryce. So why don’t you go find him? I thought he’d be here.”
I swallow hard. “We broke up.”
It may be quick, but I see it. The flash of happiness in Jet’s eyes. He covers it quickly and clears his throat. “Sorry.”
I shrug. “It’s for the best. I couldn’t see that getting back together with him was a horrible idea until I made the mistakes to prove it. You know, over and over and over again.”