I shake my head, stopping. “No, you stay here.”

“What? Really? I was hoping we’d hook up,” she says, taking a step toward me, but I stop her.

“I have a girlfriend, Delanie. I told you that. Like ten times already.”

“I don’t see her,” she challenges, holding her hand out. “If she was really with you, wouldn’t she be out, making sure you aren’t hooking up with the girl who gave you the best blow job of your life?”

“She’s out of town.”

She steps toward me again, wrapping her arms around my waist. It’s so familiar but feels so wrong. I don’t love this girl. “Come on. Don’t you miss me?”

“As a friend, nothing more,” I say, unwrapping her arms from me.

“Come on, Jace. You know you’re still into me. Let’s go back to your place.”

But I shake my head. I may be drunk, but I’m not stupid. “No, I’m not. I love my girlfriend. Now, stop.”

She gives me a pout. “I thought you’d want me back.”

“Well, you thought wrong. Peace,” I say, holding up two fingers like a nerd before turning around and hobbling away.

“You’re gonna regret it, Jace,” she sings to me and I wave her off.

“I don’t regret anything,” I call over my shoulder, but that’s a lie. I regret not kicking down Avery’s door and making her listen. I regret not sleeping on her car so she couldn’t drive to the airport. I regret letting her go. Damn it, I regret that more than anything. Shaking my head, I see my house and I’m thankful. I’m ready to fall face first into my bed and sleep this off. Maybe tomorrow when I wake up, it will all be a dream and she’ll be beside me.

Maybe I’ll be in the NHL.

Eating cereal out of the Stanley Cup I won.

Eh, a guy can dream.

I’m almost to the door when my phone signals a text. Coming to a halt, I rush to get my phone out of my pocket and almost yelp in excitement when I see it’s her. She sent me a picture? Maybe she’s naked with I’m sorry written across her belly? Hitting the message, it opens to the picture that Delanie took earlier that night. We look silly, happy, but I sure as hell didn’t want Avery seeing that. Especially when I see what she has to say about it.

Avery: Wow, you move on fast.

Typing back vigorously, I fall onto my ass in the wet grass.

Me: I told you she was a friend.

Avery: So you’d be cool if I kissed Markus? He’s my friend.

Me: No, I would not be cool with that and I can understand why this upsets you, but you do remember that you broke up with me.

Avery: Yeah, and you moved on. Guess it was all in my head, huh? This so-called real love I thought we had.

Me: Can I call you?

Avery: No. nothing to say.

Me: Don’t be like that. There is plenty to say. Let me talk to you.

I wait, but nothing comes back. So I call, but it goes straight to voice mail. Closing my eyes, I drop my head to my knees and I just let go. I sob uncontrollably. I blame it on the alcohol because, damn it, I’m a man. But this girl, man, she’s fucked me up. She can’t be serious, though, and obviously she cares because she is jealous and upset. So I call her again, but her phone still goes to voice mail. I try again, and once more, her voice comes on the line, telling me to leave a message.

“Just answer me, Avery. Please. Let’s talk about this. I don’t want to lose you.”

Hanging up, I call again, and when it rings more than once, I sit up straighter. Maybe she’s going to answer this time.

“Bro, it’s midnight. What’s wrong?”

Shit. I called Jude.

But before I can hang up or tell him it’s nothing, I’m sobbing like a fucking baby. “She broke up with me,” I cry, trying to sound like a man, but I fail. Man, I fail so miserably.

“Dude, are you drunk?”

“Yes, but did you hear me? She broke up with me and she won’t answer my calls. Why does this hurt so bad? Why does it suck, and why doesn’t she want me? Why couldn’t I be like you? Just fuck every bitch I see. Be a player. Why did I fall? Why did I let this happen?” I cry and I’m met with silence before I fall back into the wet grass.

“Jace, where are you?”

“It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. She doesn’t love me. She saw a picture of me and Delanie together, and now she thinks I’ve moved on. But Jude, I can’t move on. I fucking love her. Ugh, Jude, why?” I moan, closing my eyes tightly as the stupid tears fall from them.

“Claire, text Jayden, see where he is,” I hear him say, but I’m too busy throwing myself a badass pity party.

“This was supposed to be a fun, carefree year. Instead, I fell in love with this amazing, gorgeous, damaged girl who I want nothing more than to put back together. I want to hold her in my hands and love her, Jude, I do.”

“Jesus Christ,” I hear him mutter. “Text him and tell him to find Jace.”

“I love her so much, and yet, that wasn’t enough. She thought I chose hockey over her ’cause I was scared of her dad running my life. And really, that’s your fault. You scared me,” I accuse and Jude groans.

“You deal with this drunken crazy. Give me Jayden,” I hear him say and then Claire is on the phone.

“Jace?”

“Oh, Claire… I know now what you felt when you lied to my brother and he dumped you. It hurts. It fucking hurts.”

“Oh, wow,” she laughs softly. “Jace, calm down.”

“I can’t! The love of my life has ripped my heart out of my chest.”

“Jace, honey, where are you?”

“In the grass,” I say, sitting up and looking around.

“What’s around you?”

“The Bullies’ house.”

“He’s in front of the house,” she says to my brother and then she’s back on the line. “Everything is okay, Jace. Just calm down.”

“You don’t understand! Jude came back for you. What if she doesn’t come back for me?”

“She will. Calm down,” she coos, but then everything is black.

I’m out cold.

And nothing else matters.

Except the ache in my chest.

Warmth, I feel warmth.

Avery. She’s here.

And she looks beautiful. Her hair is falling along her bare chest, her eyes are locked on mine, and her lips are parting. Moving my hand up her arm, I take ahold of her face.