My breath went cold. Jacob and Jenna used to love coming up here. Jacob and Jenna were invited. Jacob and Jenna were the pairing the Everett’s wanted, the pairing that everyone seemed to want. I looked to Jacob for some sort of comfort, relieved when he took my hand and squeezed it gently.
“Well, I hope you got enough barbecue for Sasha too, then,” Jacob said.
I was stunned. That was it? That was what he said in response to his parents inviting him and his ex-girlfriend, whom they clearly liked better, to their fancy mountain house? Jacob released my hand and went to hug his parents. When he hugged Jenna as well, I felt like I might crack apart and tumble down the mountain side. I watched, the weight of humiliation bearing down on me, as Jacob, Jenna, and his parents went to unload the vehicles, leaving me standing in the screened porch. Barefoot and forgotten—or, no. Not forgotten.
Unwanted. There was a very, very important difference in the two.
No, no, I was being stupid— well, not entirely stupid, since this was a total dick thing for Jacob’s parents to do— but stupid for thinking there was anything to Jacob hugging Jenna. He’d told me that they were just friends, and I had no reason not to believe him. Besides, it was ME he invited up here, so who gave a fuck who his parents invited? His parents could date Jenna if they were so into her. Jacob was dating me. I repeated this to myself— sometimes even out loud, in a whisper— as she grabbed her bag from the car and followed the others into the house.
The interior of the house was as immaculate as the exterior— sky-high ceilings with thick salvaged beams, the kind of kitchens you usually only saw on Pinterest, and a wall of Harton jerseys signed by legendary athletes. Mr. and Ms. Everett unpacked dinner into the fridge, chatting about the doctor who was driving up to see Jacob.
“He doesn’t usually make house calls, you know, but he’s a Harton alum, so he’s making an exception,” Ms. Everett said happily.
“How is your shoulder, anyway?” Jenna asked, leaning across the kitchen counter with a familiarity that made my stomach churn— especially since I was still standing in the doorway, more statue than human, unsure where to stand or go or breathe.
“It’s doing better. I think it’ll be great for Clemson.”
“Still giving you some trouble, then?” Mr. Everett asked, sneaking hushpuppies out of a massive to-go container. Ms. Everett noticed and playfully slapped his hand.
“Some,” Jacob lied. He glanced my way when he said this, which was a relief— for a moment, I thought perhaps he’d forgotten I was there at all. But yes, there was this, this secret that only I knew— that his shoulder was most of the way better, or at least, appeared to be. He wasn’t telling his parents the whole truth because he wanted to guard their expectations should the Clemson game go wrong. But he’d told me. He’d been honest with me.
I nearly laughed at the fact that a secret about football was validating my relationship. MY, HOW MY LIFE HAS CHANGED, I thought, then exhaled.
“Can I help you with any of that, Ms. Everett?” I asked as cheerfully as possible.
Ms. Everett looked up from where I was trying to squirrel a few growlers into the already packed fridge. “Oh, I’m fine, Sasha. Feel free to go set your bag down!” There was only the tiniest edge to her words, so deniable that for a moment, I almost believed I’d misinterpreted absolutely everything about this trip— maybe his parents really WERE coming around to me. Maybe Jenna really was just here as a family friend. Maybe I was overthinking it, and Mimi Everett just had a really serious case of resting bitch face rather than a personal vendetta against me.
Ms. Everett slapped herself on the forehead and said, “Oh, though I’d planned on Jenna taking the gold bedroom! We’ve got another spare though, Sasha, don’t worry— up the stairs, second door on the right.”
“Sure,” I said, and started up the steps.
“I can carry that for you, Sasha,” Jacob offered, but I shook my head.
“It’s not heavy— stay and hang out with your parents,” I said, smiling at them. That had to get her some points, right? A little reminder that I wasn’t here to take their son from them? Jacob nodded and returned to a conversation about the upcoming doctor’s visit while I looked for my room.
I stumbled across what HAD to be the gold room— Jenna’s room— first. It was…gold. Very, very Harton gold. The furniture was all covered in and ostentatious gold leaf pattern, and the walls were pale green and gold paper with toile patterns of (what else?) rams and ewes frolicking in meadows. Ridiculous as it was, though, it was a gorgeous room, with a claw-foot bathtub and elegant vanity right across from the bed, and enormous windows that showed off a now neon pink and orange sunset.