Read Online One More Shot (Hometown Players #1) by Victoria Denault - Free Book Online
Authors: Victoria Denault
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and her almost-black eyes bore into me over the foam as she sips it. I drop back down onto my stool.
“How are you?” I offer, knowing full well I could be setting myself up for another tirade.
“I’m good, you know, considering,” she replies quietly.
I nod. “Sorry about your…about Lily.”
“You know we weren’t all that close,” Rose says quietly, licking her full lips that look so much like Jessie’s. “But thank you.”
I nod and give her a small smile. Rose has always been the softhearted one. The fact that she’s not walking away makes me cautiously optimistic.
“So you don’t hate my guts anymore?” I ask tentatively, hopefully.
She swallows another sip and her pretty lips almost turn up in a smile. Almost.
“I never hated you, Jordy. I was hurt,” she confesses in a cheerless voice. “Hurt for her.”
I nod solemnly. “I know. But, Rose, Jessie took off before I could explain. She abandoned me. I didn’t abandon her.”
She raises her dark, narrow eyebrows showing her doubt, but before she can respond Callie screams her name.
“Rose Caplan, get over here NOW!”
Rose turns from me and beelines to her sister. Cole gives me a compassionate smile and slides a fresh beer my way.
“Guess no one is really over that whole stealing Jessie’s virginity thing, huh?”
I give him a hard stare. “Clearly. And I didn’t steal it. It was mutual and…never mind.”
An hour later I decide I better go home. I’m tired. I have to take another round of antibiotics for my stupid ankle. I hug my brother good-bye and hobble past Callie and Rose as quickly as possible, keeping my head down and my eyes averted. I really don’t need another cheap shot thrown my way. Luckily, Callie does nothing but glare as I pass.
Walking down the sidewalk toward where the truck is parked, I hear the door open behind me. I glance over my shoulder and see Rose slip under the railing that divides the entryway from the sidewalk. She marches up to me.
“I’m glad you came back for the funeral, Jordy. I want you to know it means a lot to me.”
“Thanks, Rosie.” I give her a small hug. Her admission starts to add even more cracks in the hard armor that’s been encasing my heart for six years.
When I let her go, she levels me with an intense, serious stare. “You will never see her again after tomorrow.”
“What?”
“We’re going to sell the house. Jessie is never going to come back to Silver Bay after that. I don’t think any of us will.” Rose speaks quietly, her eyes as dark as the sky above us. “So, you know, if you have anything to say to her…If you feel like you owe her even the slightest apology for how it all blew up, this would be the time to say it.”
“I’m not the only one who screwed up,” I remind her because I’ve been reminding myself of that every day for six years. It’s that reminder that keeps me from feeling sorry for myself.
“Then I guess you’re here to say good-bye.” Rose turns and runs back into the bar.
I get back in my dad’s truck grappling with the new, unexpected feelings that have started to brew inside me. Up until the second Cole said they were at the bar, I was completely dreading having to be in the same room with Jessie again. But when I realized she wasn’t there, I was genuinely, and completely unexpectedly, disappointed. Suddenly I wanted to see her again. Maybe it was just because I wanted to get it over with but then Rose’s words —you will never see her again after tomorrow —felt like a threat.
God, how the hell did we get here? As I drive home the memories of the clusterfuck that was my only true attempt at a real relationship fill my head.
Jordan
Six years earlier
I knock on the door, totally freaking out inside. I keep telling myself that admitting I’m in love with her doesn’t have to change how we are with each other, but the jackhammer that has replaced my heart seems to disagree.
Rose answers and lets me in. She tells
“How are you?” I offer, knowing full well I could be setting myself up for another tirade.
“I’m good, you know, considering,” she replies quietly.
I nod. “Sorry about your…about Lily.”
“You know we weren’t all that close,” Rose says quietly, licking her full lips that look so much like Jessie’s. “But thank you.”
I nod and give her a small smile. Rose has always been the softhearted one. The fact that she’s not walking away makes me cautiously optimistic.
“So you don’t hate my guts anymore?” I ask tentatively, hopefully.
She swallows another sip and her pretty lips almost turn up in a smile. Almost.
“I never hated you, Jordy. I was hurt,” she confesses in a cheerless voice. “Hurt for her.”
I nod solemnly. “I know. But, Rose, Jessie took off before I could explain. She abandoned me. I didn’t abandon her.”
She raises her dark, narrow eyebrows showing her doubt, but before she can respond Callie screams her name.
“Rose Caplan, get over here NOW!”
Rose turns from me and beelines to her sister. Cole gives me a compassionate smile and slides a fresh beer my way.
“Guess no one is really over that whole stealing Jessie’s virginity thing, huh?”
I give him a hard stare. “Clearly. And I didn’t steal it. It was mutual and…never mind.”
An hour later I decide I better go home. I’m tired. I have to take another round of antibiotics for my stupid ankle. I hug my brother good-bye and hobble past Callie and Rose as quickly as possible, keeping my head down and my eyes averted. I really don’t need another cheap shot thrown my way. Luckily, Callie does nothing but glare as I pass.
Walking down the sidewalk toward where the truck is parked, I hear the door open behind me. I glance over my shoulder and see Rose slip under the railing that divides the entryway from the sidewalk. She marches up to me.
“I’m glad you came back for the funeral, Jordy. I want you to know it means a lot to me.”
“Thanks, Rosie.” I give her a small hug. Her admission starts to add even more cracks in the hard armor that’s been encasing my heart for six years.
When I let her go, she levels me with an intense, serious stare. “You will never see her again after tomorrow.”
“What?”
“We’re going to sell the house. Jessie is never going to come back to Silver Bay after that. I don’t think any of us will.” Rose speaks quietly, her eyes as dark as the sky above us. “So, you know, if you have anything to say to her…If you feel like you owe her even the slightest apology for how it all blew up, this would be the time to say it.”
“I’m not the only one who screwed up,” I remind her because I’ve been reminding myself of that every day for six years. It’s that reminder that keeps me from feeling sorry for myself.
“Then I guess you’re here to say good-bye.” Rose turns and runs back into the bar.
I get back in my dad’s truck grappling with the new, unexpected feelings that have started to brew inside me. Up until the second Cole said they were at the bar, I was completely dreading having to be in the same room with Jessie again. But when I realized she wasn’t there, I was genuinely, and completely unexpectedly, disappointed. Suddenly I wanted to see her again. Maybe it was just because I wanted to get it over with but then Rose’s words —you will never see her again after tomorrow —felt like a threat.
God, how the hell did we get here? As I drive home the memories of the clusterfuck that was my only true attempt at a real relationship fill my head.
Jordan
Six years earlier
I knock on the door, totally freaking out inside. I keep telling myself that admitting I’m in love with her doesn’t have to change how we are with each other, but the jackhammer that has replaced my heart seems to disagree.
Rose answers and lets me in. She tells
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