Jilted Jock - Rebecca Jenshak Page 0,55
a little nuts, but I was afraid if I waited even another day, I’d talk myself out of it.
Being a pussy was a far saner option.
I took off toward Chance’s place. I couldn’t see Adele until I’d come clean with him. I hated the idea of telling Adele’s secrets, but I needed his nod of approval. If he thought she was better off with Richard and in New York then I’d turn around and go back home.
Chance and Aubrey had moved into a new house shortly after Adele left, but I found the place without any trouble. CJ was already in bed, so Chance and I went out on the back porch.
He was quiet as I told him a rough version of events, how I’d fallen for her while I’d been living with her those two weeks, how I’d been unable to stop thinking about her since.
“There’s one more thing,” I told him, running a hand over my jaw, wondering if he was going to break it when I finished. “I kissed her.”
“You and my sister?” His dark brows raised. “You kissed Adele?”
“She stopped it straight away. It was all me.”
“And that was it?”
“She left for New York an hour later and the next time I saw her she was getting engaged.”
Aubrey joined us outside, sliding into a chair next to Chance and holding a mug in both hands. “You haven’t talked to her at all since she left?”
Chance and I gave her a confused look.
“What, I was standing at the door eavesdropping, okay?”
“I’ve been emailing her, but she hasn’t responded.”
They were quiet as I finally took a breath and wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans.
Chance and Aubrey shared some sort of non-verbal look that must have said a million things because suddenly Chance’s eyes widened and then he looked to me. “Oh fuck, you’re not here just to come clean, are you? You really like her.” He shook his head and muttered something under his breath. Aubrey placed her hand over his and he shook his head. “You’re sweating and you look like you’re going to toss your cookies. You’re nervous, which means you’re worried what I’m going to say. If I’m going to give you my blessing or not. Because I know you won’t go after her without it.”
He was right. Of course, he was right. I wish he weren’t. I wanted to chase after her with reckless abandon. Screw the consequences.
“Yeah, mate, I really like her. She’s beautiful and considerate and stubborn. Loyal… she’s just good. And I know I didn’t spend that much time with her, but I just feel it… deep down. We belong together.”
Aubrey smiled big, but Chance wasn’t so easily won over with my proclamation.
He crossed both arms over his chest. “Tell me this, if you and Adele were flying somewhere together and you got upgraded to first class and she didn’t, what would you do?”
“I don’t understand how that’s relevant.”
“Just humor me.”
“I’d upgrade her as well so we could sit together.”
“What if that wasn’t an option. Only one seat in first class. Would you take the upgrade or rough it with her in economy?”
“I don’t know.”
“No wrong answer. It’s just a hypothetical what-if.”
I ran a hand through my hair. God, I hated economy seats. My legs were too long, and someone always recognized me and then stared at me or snapped sleeping, mouth hanging open, pics of me. “I’d give her the first-class ticket and I’d sit in the back by myself.”
He and Aubrey exchanged another secret look and then she squealed and clapped excitedly. I had no clue what it meant.
“That was the perfect answer and you know it,” Aubrey said to her husband.
“I thought there was no wrong answer.”
“I lied.” Chance grimaced. “Look, I like you Finn. You might even be the guy for Adele, but I don’t know if I can give my blessing for you to storm the castle. If you’ve been trying to contact her and she’s ignored you, that must be for a reason.”
I deflated. He’d hit on something I’d thought, but hearing someone else say it made it real. No matter what I believed was best for Adele it was biased and there’d been no real indication she wanted to hear from me.
All I had to go on was gut instinct.
“We’re leaving in the morning. Let me see her and get a feel for the situation. She’s been through too much. I don’t want to wreck the life she’s building.”
I nodded and swallowed around