be there for you too, you know,” he says.
“Thanks but Eve gets it. We both lived through the war.”
He clenches his jaw. “Jenna, I’m trying real hard to be patient with you, but I can’t help but think you’re not serious about us.”
My lips part in surprise. “What?”
He jabs a hand in the air. “You won’t tell Sydney about us. You turn to a virtual stranger instead of me when you’re upset. It’s obvious we’re in two different places.”
My eyes widen. I’m taken aback by his anger. “She’s my sister. Why’re you being like this? I’m the one who’s upset now. You’re supposed to be comforting.”
He backs up a step. “Hey, take as much time as you need. Don’t worry about me.”
“Eli, come on. I do care.”
He narrows his eyes. “Then why’re we still a secret, huh? You’re hedging your bets that we’ll end soon, and you’ll never have to deal with telling Syd.”
I chickened out, but I can’t say that. I did plan to tell her once I got through the trauma of my parents’ wedding. I can only take so much emotional upheaval in my life. I told Eli I wanted to wait until after the wedding to tell her, but he insisted. I couldn’t risk losing her in the midst of dealing with everything else.
“It just wasn’t the right time,” I say lamely.
“This isn’t working for me anymore. Bye, Jenna.”
He turns and strides away. What the hell? Did we just break up during my parents’ horrific breakup?
“Your timing sucks!” I yell.
He doesn’t look back.
Eli
My chest feels hollow, like Jenna’s walking around with my heart instead of me. I let my temper get the best of me yesterday, already worked up that Jenna kept us a secret for so long. She had two whole weeks to tell Sydney, and she didn’t. I suspected the worst, and then I beat her to it, ending it. Idiot move.
The only reason I didn’t cancel on tonight’s costume party is because I’m hoping Jenna’s here. It’s Halloween night, and I have off because I took the late shift for mischief night last night. Boy, were those little hoodlums sorry they ever thought of toilet papering and egging people’s property. I was in no mood for bullshit last night.
I park my Mustang in Wyatt and Sydney’s long driveway on the side of their large two-story house with gray clapboard siding. There’s a matching gray lighthouse with a white top to the right of the house. One of the eccentricities of its former owner, who planted a landlocked lighthouse here. It’s actually a water tower done up to look like a lighthouse.
I get out of the car and take a deep breath of cool air, glancing around at the parked cars. I don’t see Jenna’s car, but she could’ve shown up with Audrey.
Jenna spent last night and most of today with her sister and didn’t respond to my text or call. If we could just talk this through, I’m sure we could work it out. I won’t even press her to come clean with Syd. We’ll just step outside for a private conversation, where I’ll explain I don’t want to end it. I have a chip on my shoulder because I wanted her from way back, but it’s time to let go of that fantasy and deal with the reality that is a relationship with Jenna. Things are great between us, not perfect obviously, but still.
I ring the bell, nervous energy racing through my limbs.
Wyatt answers the door, holding his white shih tzu, Snowball, under one arm. Snowball’s dressed in a bumblebee costume. She looks perturbed by the outfit, as she should be, wearing a black headband with big yellow pom-pom antennae. His pit bull mix, Rexie, stands at his side, wearing pink butterfly wings and an equally ridiculous headband with pink and purple antennae.
“No barking at your visitor, huh?” I ask the dogs. Usually it’s a free-for-all at the front door.
Wyatt smirks, he’s king of the smirkers this guy. His brown hair is tousled, his jaw scruffy. “They’re tired out by all the guests, and before you comment on their girly costumes, Kayla dressed them.” That’s his youngest sister, a sweet cheerful woman now engaged to my older much more reserved brother Adam.
“Could’ve guess it.”
“Where’s your costume?” he asks.
“Where’s yours?”
“In the kitchen.”
I follow him into a modern kitchen with a huge granite island and professional-grade stainless steel appliances. Adam and Kayla are standing at the island, along with my sister, Sydney, Wyatt’s two