The Pass (Smart Jocks #5) - Rebecca Jenshak Page 0,61

my man.

As I step out, Tanner is pulling back from an awkward hug. “What are you doing here?”

Amelia glances over to where Tara stands nearby in her apron. “Tara invited me, but I was hoping we could talk?”

Tanner’s jaw flexes as he looks to his sister. “Of course, come on. Let’s go outside it looks like the rain’s let up.”

I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until the sliding door shuts Tanner and Amelia on the other side. White hot anger and frustration bubbles to the surface.

“You invited Amelia?” Crossing my arms, I face off with Tara.

“I called to tell her that I thought she and Tanner should sit down and really talk about their breakup. It isn’t what either of them really wanted, but they were both being stubborn.” She goes back to the kitchen. “She was supposed to come down this week anyway.”

“That was before they broke up.”

She shrugs as if it’s no big deal.

“Do you really not see how fucked-up this is?”

“If it’s really over between them than what does it matter? She’ll get closure and Tanner will come crawling back to you like he always does.”

“That is not… he doesn’t…” I stop. “I don’t owe you any explanation.” I turn on my heel to go wait for Tanner in the bedroom before I say something I regret.

“If you care about him, like you claim to, then you’ll give him a chance to be happy,” Tara says to my back.

I face her prepared to tell her to go to hell, but I can’t do that. She’s Tanner’s sister, and even if I want to punch her, I won’t do anything to hurt Tanner.

“Do you really think that’s ever going to be possible with the two of you carrying on?” she asks. “No girl is ever going to accept your relationship with him. I’ve watched helplessly over the past two years while he blew it with every girl that he met.” She walks toward me. “He’d call and tell me about some new girl he was dating, and then slowly he’d ruin each one. They’d get jealous of the time he spent with you and then figure out he was cheating on them with you. And all it took was the slightest hint of conflict and Tanner was all too eager to bail. Why have a girlfriend that makes you work for it when you have a best friend that’s always around? You’ve ruined every relationship he’s had since he met you.”

Her words hurt but I try not to show it. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Maybe not, but tell me, do you really think you and Tanner would be together now if you hadn’t screwed things up with him and Amelia?” She gives me her back before I can respond, and I rush into the bedroom before the tears stinging my eyes have a chance to fall.

She’s wrong. She has no idea what she’s talking about. So why do I feel so awful?

23

Tanner

“Tara asked you to come?”

Amelia rests her clasped hands in her lap and nods tentatively. “Please don’t be mad at her for meddling. The truth is I was looking for any excuse to come.”

“I’m sorry. I’m a little thrown off here.” Understatement of the year. Why the hell would Tara call Amelia and invite her down? We broke up.

Amelia explains how Tara called and voiced her opinion that I wasn’t really over her and I was just avoiding conflict. Opinion because that’s not even close to accurate.

“So, I jumped into the car and here I am.” Her shoulders fall and she lets out a long breath.

“I do hate conflict.” I chuckle. “But the reason I didn’t call is because I realized you were right.”

Her tight smile drops into a line. “You said you were just friends?”

“We were.”

“But now you’re together?” The implication is there even if she doesn’t come right out and ask if I cheated or knowingly dated her while secretly pining for my best friend.

“I’m sorry if I ever made you doubt how much I cared about you. I did. I still do.”

“I should have called. Driving down was a little spontaneous, but I had to know for sure.”

“I could have saved you a trip.”

“It’s really over then? There’s no chance we could try again?”

My aversion to conflict rears its head, and I squirm as I realize I have to break up with this great girl in front of me. Because of course Amelia is great, she’s just not the one for