Dirty, Reckless Love (Boys of Jackson Harbor 3)

Jake squeezes his temples. “I know, and I’ve been thinking that too. It’s just . . .”

Just that this is his wedding weekend. Shit. “Not today or tomorrow, of course, but . . .”

“No. I get it.” He shakes his head. “I’ll talk to Molly soon.” He looks toward the house. “Do you think you can get Ellie to come to the wedding?”

“I plan on trying.”

“Good. Too many people who matter to Ava are missing. Ellie should be there.” He looks at his watch. “I need to get going. I’ll see you at Brayden’s tomorrow morning?”

“I’ll be there.”

He claps a hand against my back and heads to his truck. I close the garage door and go inside.

Ellie’s in the kitchen with a cup of coffee. She dressed while we were loading the ladders into the truck, and now she’s wearing a black skirt and a light pink knit sweater. She looks like she’s ready to put on her realtor hat and sell a house, not like a woman who’s planning to spend her day lounging on my couch.

“Is she gone?” she asks.

“Yeah.” I tuck my hands into my pockets. I’ve always struggled to keep my hands to myself around Ellie, but fuck if it hasn’t been harder since I almost lost her. “Do you want to talk about what you remember?”

She studies the contents of her mug. “Late-night phone calls. Whispers. Colton pulling away like he didn’t care anymore. Loneliness.” She lifts her head and meets my eyes. “I remember staying at Jake’s with you. I guess I make a habit of asking to sleep with you.” She laughs, but when I don’t respond, her cheeks bloom red. “Oh my God, do I? How many times have I tried to sleep with you?”

“Not so many.” My voice cracks on the words.

“Do you think we’ll ever know what happened to Colton?”

“I hope so. Not knowing is hell.” And despite everything, I still want him to come home.

“You really think he’s dead?”

I close my eyes. I betrayed my best friend. Hell, he might still think I’m betraying him now—sleeping with her in my arms, doing everything I can to keep her under my roof instead of alone in her house. “I’m not even sure what to hope for.” I swallow hard. “I can’t stand the idea of not getting to settle things between us, but if he’s alive, where the hell is he? And why did he disappear?” There are other questions I don’t let myself speak out loud. Did he kill Nelson? Did he nearly kill you?

“He wanted to be a good man,” she whispers. “It never came naturally, but he was trying so hard. But everything changed after he found out he had a kid.” She presses a hand to her stomach. “He knew Noah was his for two months and didn’t say a word to me.”

“I think Colton . . .” I look away, guilt clawing at my chest. “There was nothing that made him want to change before you. He didn’t care about cleaning up until he met you. You changed him for the better.”

“Then why did he cheat on me?” she whispers.

“I don’t think he did.” I frown, because I’m still not sure what I think about what happened between Molly and Colton. “When you went back to him, you believed he’d been faithful.”

She laughs. “I guess I’m missing the memories where I transformed into a stupid woman, then.”

I drag a hand over my face. I can’t exactly defend her decision when I hated it at the time. “Do you want to talk about it?”

She looks at the clock and

then shakes her head. “Even if we had more time, I’m not sure I’m up for it.”

I turn up my palms. “I have all day. Ava and Jake decided to skip the whole wedding rehearsal thing, so we don’t have any official plans.”

She bites her bottom lip. “I need to go to Chicago.”

I blink at her. “I thought that was just a cover story so your mom wouldn’t worry.”

“It was. Mostly. But I have to check on something. It’s a potential job that just came to my attention last night.” She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes, and I know she’s not telling me the whole truth. “Research and stuff.”

I return her fake-ass smile and pocket my keys. “Awesome. Let me know when you’re ready to leave. I’ll drive.”

“You don’t have—”