The only person I ever confided in about these dreams was the very person standing in front of me—the only person I trusted with these thoughts of mine.
There’s no changing Jessa’s mind. She ran away and fell in love with some British man who, according to Alexa, is the perfect prince charming—rich and handsome.
The same kind of guy Jessa and I would make fun of all the time.
“You’re right,” I tell her, still keeping my gaze fixed. “It would’ve been weird to call me out of nowhere, but what doesn’t make sense is you getting married. We made fun of guys like this, and you, of all people, thought marriage was a ridiculous notion.”
“I’m not the same person you once knew, Andy…” she trails off.
“No, you’re not, Jessa,” I responded hastily. “Because the girl I knew wouldn’t have run off on her own. She’d have begged me to pack my bag and abandon my responsibilities, so we could chase cheese rolling down a hill in Gloucester.”
She drops her gaze, unable to look at me any longer. My eyes gravitate toward the diamond ring sitting on her finger. It’s big and no doubt an expensive piece of jewelry, all the things Jessa never cared for until prince charming rode his horse and carriage in.
Yet, it represents everything another man offers—a life together, marriage, a possible family—all of the things I’ll never be able to give her because the timing was never on our side.
Not when we’re family.
And being romantically linked is something her father won’t approve of.
“Tell me, Jessa, what does Noah think of this?”
“My father is fine.”
Cocking my head, I release a disturbing laugh with my gaze shifting to Noah on the dance floor with Rocky. “Really? He doesn’t look fine since he’s trashed tonight, and Kate is trying to get him to sober up.”
Jessa crosses her arms beneath her chest. “What are you getting at? My father has no choice. I love Benedict and will fight for him if I have to.”
My stomach hardens, the hurt rippling to every part of me at her willingness to fight for another man—the words, sharp like a knife, cut deep into an already open wound.
Jessa will fight for a man she’s known for five minutes.
But what we’ve built over a lifetime is over in a heartbeat.
“Well, I guess you’ve gotten everything you want,” I say, ignoring the tightness inside my chest. “Happy New Year, Jessa.”
I don’t linger, just standing beside her is too unbearable. I need anything to numb the pain, anything at all.
With wide steps, I hit up the makeshift bar in Uncle Lex’s patio. The bartender responsible for serving the liquor kindly asks what I’d like to drink.
“Fireballs… make it a tray.”
Beside me, a body knocks into me. I turn briefly to see Millie as she rubs her pregnant stomach.
“Fireballs, uh oh,” she mentions, then releases a sigh. “What happened, Andy?”
As I shake my head, my lips curl. “Nothing, nothing at all. She’s getting married to some British playboy, and that’s it.”
“I’m sorry, Andy. I don’t know what she’s thinking. Both me and Ava are surprised this happened. We had no idea she was even seeing someone.”
“Well, now everyone knows.”
Taking the glass in my hand, I then throw it back. The cinnamon-flavored liquor burns for just a moment, but I don’t stop there.
“Andy, maybe you should slow down. If you want to go somewhere…”
I drown out Millie’s words with another shot, this drink less potent.
“You know what I want?” I tell her with a rasp in my throat. “I want to get out of here.”