Seriously, what was I even doing here in the first place?

I came so I wouldn’t think about Kian, the interview, or angry Erica. That was why. I was using Jake, and remembering the last time I saw him, shame flooded me.

I needed to go. I shouldn’t be here.

Before I could though, Jake turned and spotted me. His eyes got big, and he caught the ball, freezing in position.

Another guy came up, hit the ball out of his hands, and dribbled to make a layup. He pointed at Jake. “In your face, Monroe!”

Jake wasn’t paying attention. He started for me, lifting his hand, as if to touch me. “Jo.”

Tara’s head whipped around. An instant glare formed in her eyes, and she crossed her arms over her chest. The two girls with her looked, too. They all seemed confused until she leaned over, and her lips moved. I was sure my name was uttered, and the other two adopted similar glares. All three stood as if they were facing off against me.

“Hey.” Jake raised his arms, as if to hug me. A second’s hesitation, and then he did. Stepping back, he glanced over his shoulder and then touched my arm. “Want to get a drink?”

I lifted my little wine bottle in the air.

“Ah. Uh…” He flashed me a grin, moving me back toward the house. “Want to come with me while I get a drink?”

“Sure.”

“Thanks.” He chuckled near my ear as his hand fell to my back.

Reaching over me, he pulled open the door. I ducked underneath. He moved around me again. He grabbed a case of beer, hooking it with his finger, and took my hand with his free one.

Some of his friends in the kitchen said hello, calling out to him and patting him on the arm or back as he maneuvered us through the rest of the kitchen. We headed down the basement stairs. It was the same scene below. A band was setting up in a corner with couches all around. At one end, a media station was set up. A flat screen television was mounted on the wall with the shelves filled with DVDs and video games. And the same thing happened as he led me down the hallway to a back bedroom. They all shouted hello to Jake, and he lifted his hand up, the case of beer dangling from it, in greeting back to them.

We got to his room, but the door was locked. Jake let go of my hand, felt above his doorframe, and came back down with a key. He grinned at me before he inserted it into his door. Then, we were inside, and the door was locked once again.

He tossed the key onto the nightstand by his door and gestured around the room. “My casa.”

The room consisted of a desk, a large bed, built-in bookshelves, and his own bathroom through a walk-in closet.

I perched on the desk chair. “It’s a nice room.”

“Thanks.” He stood in the middle of the room, raking a hand through his hair, as he glanced back at the door. “I don’t know what to say. I guess I’m just surprised to see you here.” He looked at the door, at me, and then back to the door. “Shit. I forgot my phone up there. I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere. Promise me, you won’t go anywhere.”

I laughed. “Go get your phone.”

“I will be right back. I swear.” He hurried out but popped back into the room. “Seriously, don’t leave.”

“I won’t. Get your phone before someone goes through it.”

He groaned but disappeared in a flash.

It’d been so long since I was in his room. Back then, I would’ve been so nervous, and now…Kian was in the back of my mind. This was stupid. I was using him to help get another guy out of my head. This wasn’t right. I was wasting Jake’s time, and I stood to go. I got as far as the stairs.

Jake came back down. “Where are you going?”

“This was a mistake, coming here. I should go. I’m sorry, Jake.”

“Wait.” He caught my arm and then glanced at the audience we were attracting. He tugged me toward his room again. “Just come and talk to me. That’s what friends do, right?”

The half-grin he gave me was meant to look appealing, but it looked sad. I didn’t know the backstory of Tara being at the party, but Jake was still interested in me. I saw it then. And my decision was reaffirmed.

“Jake, I really should go.”

“Okay, okay.” He let me go but jumped in front of me. He backpedaled as I walked forward. “How about this? If you don’t want to hang out in my room, I’ll come with you. It won’t be like you coming to find me, if you know what I mean. Think of it like me tagging along, and you’re not doing anything wrong because, hey,” he patted his chest, “it’s me following you. Not the other way around.” He tried for his most charming smile. “What do you say?”

We were at the top of the stairs and moving through the kitchen. Tara stood inside the backyard door. A pained expression was on her face.

I didn’t know what to think about that look from her. She was still in love with him. I got that. They dated since their high school years, so I really did get the history, but there had been a note of desperation in Jake’s voice.

I wondered if he was doing the same thing with me that I was doing with him—using each other to forget someone else.

Before we moved into the living room, Jake saw her, too. He stopped, straightened, and dropped his hands back to his sides. A dark look passed between the two.

Decision made.

He was hurting. I’d do the friend thing and get him out there. I grabbed his hand, linked our fingers, and tugged him behind me. “Come on.”

He fell in line behind me, his shoulders and head dropped slightly, as his hand squeezed mine. He murmured close to my ear, “Thank you.”

I nodded. He was trying to get her out of his system.

“I can relate.”

Once outside, I called a cab, but Jake took my phone away and ended the call.

He said, “My car’s on the street. I can drive.”

“Have you been drinking?”

He shook his head. “Tara showed up too early for me to start partying.”

He pulled his keys out of his pocket as we headed for his car. He went to the driver’s side, and I got in on the passenger side.

After the doors were shut behind us, he added, fitting the key into the ignition, “When the ex showed up, I knew the normal thing would be to start drinking, but I couldn’t. My mind was racing too much for me to get drunk. I get hyper and restless.” He pulled into the street. “Plus, I like to have a clear head in case we get into a fight.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “Is it like that for you and whatever ex I had no idea about?”