twenty and she’s eighteen. I said yes to Jane living here because I love her, and I want her to be somewhere she feels wanted. But Jane is also your girlfriend, and I’m slightly concerned about my little brother living with his girlfriend at such a young age. However, to assuage my fears, you said that Jane would stay in Lorna’s room, and she hasn’t been staying in Lorna’s room. I’m not an idiot. I know she sleeps in your room. Every night.”
Oh, God … were we … loud?
“What is the damn problem?”
I knew that tone—Jamie was about to explode.
I wondered if I should go out there, but I was too hurt to move.
All this time, I’d thought Skye was more than happy with our arrangement, and I’d been blissfully ignorant.
“Jamie, I’m not trying to upset you. I love you both and I just … I’m concerned that you’re too young to be this deep into it with each other. I was happy for you both when you first started dating, but I’ve never seen anything like you two. I mean … you are consumed by one another. As a recovering addict, believe me when I say that you need other interests outside of Jane.”
There was silence.
Was Skye suggesting that our relationship was as unhealthy as an addiction?
“She’s not my fucking drug. I’m not hers. This isn’t some destructive addiction—”
“Jamie, please don’t curse at me.”
“You just insinuated that I’m in a bad relationship. You compared us to your addiction.” His tone reflected my hurt.
“God, that’s not—”
“Just because you’ve never loved someone like I love Jane doesn’t mean it’s unhealthy. You just don’t understand.”
I flinched, feeling terrible for Skye. Sometimes Jamie could cut a person to the quick when he was angry.
“You’re right.” She sounded sad. “A guy has never loved me like that, or vice versa. I’m sorry. I didn’t … I shouldn’t have compared your relationship to my addiction. I just … I wish that you two had other interests.”
“We have other interests,” Jamie argued as I muttered the same under my breath.
My hands were covered in paint from my other interest.
Art and Jamie and books. Those were interests. What was so wrong about that?
“You know what I mean. I think Jane should sleep in Lorna’s bed from now on and that you two should practice a little distance. I don’t want you to lose yourself inside one another. It scares me.”
Jamie’s tone softened. “What scares you about it?”
“Love is one thing. We all need it. But … we have to stand on our own. To survive on our own. Jamie, God forbid something happened to either of you … I see how you are with one another, and I’m so worried about what will become of you if something happened to Jane. Or to Jane if something happened to you.”
To my surprise, Jamie chuckled. “Skye, the actress in you is being melodramatic.”
“Don’t be condescending.”
He laughed. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be.”
“I know you think I’m worrying about nothing, but I saw you today with that girl, and I thought … maybe you and Jane shouldn’t shut down all your options. Isn’t there a part of you that went to USC to stay close to her? And I know she chose Pomona to stay close to you. But what if Jane hadn’t done that? What if she’d followed Lorna to New York? Maybe you would have met someone else. Someone you’re not so wrapped up in. Someone easier … It’s not like you don’t notice other girls. Like the girl today, for instance.”
What girl? I frowned.
“One, Lacey is my project partner. Nothing more—”
“It didn’t seem that way for her.”
What? I knew Lacey Gibbins was working with Jamie on a presentation for children’s literature.
“Well, it’s that way for me.”
“I’m just saying, you two seemed to get along great. And what about Jane? She’s only eighteen, Jamie. And she’s not just a typical teen girl. She hasn’t had a lot of love in her life, and maybe that’s why she clings to her relationship with you so much. It might be healthier for her to be out there, having fun.”
“Having fun?” His tone was back to biting. “You mean, screwing other guys.”
“Don’t be crass. I meant dating.”
“She doesn’t want to. She wants me. And I want her. End of story. Jesus Christ, Skye, she makes me happier than I’ve ever been. Why the hell would I give that up? Why would you want me to?”
My cheeks flushed hot at his words,