Let It Snow(42)

Tessa must not have covered her reaction to Nikki talking about Jake’s colorful, slut-filled past.

Nikki’s eyes widened in horror. “Shit, I’m sorry. I don’t have a filter.”

Tessa waved her hand dismissively. “It’s fine.”

“None of those girls meant anything to him.” Nikki bit the inside of her lip.

She appreciated Jake’s sister trying to make her feel better, but the facts were the facts, and the little bit she’d heard in the few days she’d been back in town had told her that Jake had been a busy boy. Very busy.

Still, she didn’t want Nikki to feel bad or think she’d upset her. Trying to assure her, she said, “Seriously, it’s fine. Jake and I are… Or, um, we were…just kids. It was a long time ago.”

Nikki slowly nodded her head, not seeming entirely convinced. Then she said, “I really thought you guys were going to get married. I used to imagine what the dress I would wear at your wedding would look like.”

Tessa smiled. She remembered that Nikki always used to ask what her wedding colors were going to be. She didn’t know then that it was because she had been picturing herself in the wedding.

“You guys were really perfect together,” Nikki said with a hint of sadness in her voice. “He hasn’t been the same since you left.”

Tessa’s head shook slightly back and forth. There was no way that was true. Jake was so strong and he lived his life to the fullest. Fun should seriously be his middle name.

Grandma Adie had told her he’d left for college a month after she’d left and that he hadn’t really come back to visit that much before he graduated. College changed people. They matured. “He just grew up, that’s all.”

Nikki’s face grew serious. “I know my brother, and I’m telling you, it’s not ‘he grew up.’ He’s never gotten over you.”

Tessa didn’t know what to say. She hadn’t gotten over him either. But none of that mattered, and there was no way she could explain that to Nikki. Part of her wished that what Nikki was saying was true, that Jake really did still feel the same way he had. But another part saw how tragic that would be if it was in fact the truth.

Before she came up with a response or even had time to process her feelings on the matter, she heard ‘Freak Me Baby’ by Silk playing loudly. Nikki started busting out laughing as she pulled her phone from her pocket. She wasn’t able to answer it before the lyrics ‘Let me lick you up and down, ’Til you say stop’ rang out in the cavernous house.

Nikki answered the phone, grinning from ear to ear, her face lit up like the Christmas tree in Times Square. “How could you possibly have changed my ringtone?”

Tessa picked up a few of the bags and went into the kitchen to give Nikki some privacy. While she was unpacking them, she thought about what Jake’s sister had said.

Could it be true that he hadn’t got over her?

Last night, she really thought that something was going to happen between them. But he’d left. If he still had feelings for her, wouldn’t he have stayed?

“Sorry about that.” Nikki was glowing as she came around the corner. “Mike is on his way. He just got into Oakland.”

“Nice song,” Tessa teased her, motioning to her phone.

“I know, right?” Nikki laughed. “He’s so funny. He keeps changing my ringtone.”

“What if your parents heard it?” Tessa asked, feeling like she was back in high school again, worrying about Rosalie’s and Sean’s reactions to something.

Nikki’s hands flew up in the air. “My mom is the one who changed the ringtone for him when I was at her house this morning. You don’t understand, my parents drank the Mike Gowan Kool-Aid. They adore him. They are proud card-carrying Team Mike members.” Nikki laughed as her eyes danced with happiness. “He really is pretty amazing. I can’t wait for you to meet him at the work party tomorrow.”

“Isn’t he only in town for the weekend?” Tessa asked.

“Yep. He has to fly out again on Monday morning.”

“I don’t want you two wasting your Saturday helping me fix up the house. You should be spending quality time together.” Tessa truly appreciated her friend’s willingness to help her, but she didn’t want her sacrificing precious time with her fiancé for it.

“Are you kidding me? Mike’s a politician. Well, for another six months anyway. He lives for this kind of stuff.”

Tessa knew that Nikki was joking about Mike ‘living’ to fix up houses, but she did ask, “What do you mean, only six more months? He is not running for re-election?”