“Just stop. I’m leaving. I’ll see you in the morning. ” She turned and jumped into the back of the truck.
I looked over at Jeff as he shrugged his shoulders.
“Is she pissed about Victoria? I thought she got over it. ”
I ran my hands through my hair as I headed over to him. “Fucking Dewey mentioned how Jessie and I had our first kiss here. The first time Ellie saw me talking to Jessie, she got jealous, and I told her Jessie was like a sister to me when I was growing up. ”
“Uh-huh. A sister you kiss?”
I let out a breath and shook my head. “It was high school, Jeff. I’d say that’s far enough back that she shouldn’t worry!”
“Dude, I would think it has more to do with the fact that you told her you were only friends, and now, she just found out that you kissed her. ” Jeff raised his eyebrow at me. “Y’all date?”
I looked back at the dance hall. Fuck, this is not happening. I turned back toward the truck. Jeff had given Ari the keys, and she had started his truck, so there was no way Ellie could hear us talking.
“For a bit, right before I started UT, but we weren’t meant to be anything other than friends,” I said.
“You sleep with her?”
I looked at him, and the moment our eyes met, I didn’t have to give him my answer. He shook his head and walked toward the driver’s side of the truck. I stood there and watched them drive off with a sick feeling in my stomach.
“I take it you never told Ellie we were more than friends?” Jessie said from behind me.
“No, no, I didn’t, Jessie. The first time she saw us together, she got insanely jealous. I didn’t think it would matter. It was so long ago. ”
Jessie let out a laugh. “Yeah, it was a long time ago. You were never worried she might ask about the first time you had sex?”
I turned and looked at her. “No. Why the fuck would she ever ask me that?” I walked past her to head back into the dance hall. I need a damn drink.
When I saw Scott at the bar, I walked over
to him and slapped him on the back. Jessie came in right behind me, and I noticed when Scott did a double take at her.
“Holy shit, is that little Jessie Rhodes?”
“Yep. ”
“Damn. She grew up…and she looks like a girl. I mean, she looks like a woman…a very hot woman. ” Scott took a drink of his beer.
I glanced back toward Jessie. She was talking to Josh and Heather, and I assumed Heather was getting her caught up on everything.
Scott and I talked at the bar for a while longer. I lost count on how many beers I’d downed. Scott kept looking over toward where Jessie and Heather were talking.
“You should go say hi and catch up with each other. Didn’t you like her for a bit in high school? Before Chelsea? Jessie always had the hots for you. ” I downed my beer.
Scott turned to me. “What? How do you know that?”
I looked at him and smiled as I stumbled back. Why is the fucking room spinning? “When I fucked her, she called out your name. ”
Scott shook his head. “Nice, Gunner. You’re fucking trashed, dude. ” He grabbed my arm and walked us over toward our table.
“Looks like Gunner got himself drunk. I’m gonna take him home. Any volunteers on who can drive his truck back?” Scott asked.
I tried to stand perfectly still. Shit, I haven’t been this wasted in a long-ass time.
Jessie jumped up so fast that it caused me to take a step back. I ended up tripping over a chair, and I started to fall backward, but Scott and Josh jumped up and caught me.
“Jesus H. Christ, Gun. How much have you had to drink?” Josh asked.