Jace turns to me and rolls his eyes. “This is why I don’t hire family.”
He gives me a tour of the kitchen, which is clustered with bustling bodies as they prepare for the happy hour rush. He shows me the computer that I’m to clock in at and introduces me to several servers. I know a few of them from the times I’ve hung out here. When we arrive back in his office, Derek’s feet are still propped up on the empty chair and he’s holding a guitar in his lap, fiddling with the strings.
“You’re still here?” says Jace, snatching the guitar out of his hands and kicking his feet off the chair.
Derek catches himself before falling over. “Dude! I’m waiting for Kaley.”
“You’re lucky I don’t knock you out right now. Don’t touch my guitar.” He carefully leans the guitar against the wall behind his desk, while Derek flips him off behind his back.
“I should probably go,” I say. I don’t have the patience to listen to brothers bickering. I’m on edge. “Unless you need me for anything else,” I say to Jace.
“No, we’re good here,” he replies kindly. “Let me walk you out.”
“She’s not a fragile little bird, Jace,” Derek says under his breath.
Before I can look at Derek, Jace places his hand on the small of my back and gently guides me out of his office and outside into the twilight evening. Is he being protective of me?
“Okay, so what did Derek tell you?” I ask as we stroll to my car. “That Tommy slept with Avery? Or that my mom had an affair and my dad’s leaving town?”
Jace strokes the side of my car, then leans against it, and I’m instantly reminded of . . . him. The first time I was alone with him in the school parking lot floods my vision, the memory threatening to break me.
“Both,” replies Jace, pulling me back to the present. The deep-orange sun shines on his face, making his green eyes electric. “I’m really sorry to hear about your parents. But as far as Tommy goes, he’s a bastard.” He glances behind him, seeming to make sure Derek is still inside. “I know he’s D’s best friend, and like a brother to me, but he’s a complete fool. And Avery of all people?” He shakes his head.
“Avery’s pretty, come on.” I appreciate his support, but I don’t need to be lied to. She’s far from ugly.
“She’s all right . . . but you’re beautiful.”
My ears grow hot, and I curl my arms around myself.
“Sorry,” he says, “but come on. He knows he could never get anyone better than you.”
I shake my head and glance at the ground. “That’s not true. Look, I don’t hate him or anything. It’s . . . complicated.”
He pushes himself off my car and folds his arms. “Are you thinking of taking him back?”
“No,” I say shyly.
I’m not used to Jace being so personal with me. I’ve known him as long as I’ve known Derek, but he was out of high school before I even started. We’ve always had a surface-level relationship. Maybe he’s opening up to me now that I’ll be working for him.
“I’m just saying,” I continue, “it’s not all his fault.” And I was seeing his baseball coach behind his back, so yeah. We’re kind of even.
Derek appears next to us, and Jace eases his stance. My heart softens as two pairs of familiar green eyes stare back at me. I’ve never noticed how striking their eyes are. One pair is filled with brotherly affection . . . the other with mystery.
“Thanks for hooking me up, guys,” I say, running my hand through my hair.
“No problem, Kay,” says Derek. “I have to pick up Emily, you good?” I nod, and he gives me a tight squeeze around the shoulders and gets into his car.
Jace opens my car door, spiking my nerves, and I hop in. My window is down and he closes the door, resting his hands against the ledge.
“You’ve got to let me get behind this wheel sometime, Kennedy.”
“You got it,” I say, smiling.
“This beauty has serious potential. I tried to get Tommy to supe it up a little for you, but he wouldn’t go for it,” he says with a playful laugh.
I shake my head. “Is there anyone who didn’t know about him restoring my car?”
“Hmm.” He pretends to think really hard, pressing his index finger to his lips. “Nope. Just you, I guess.”
I laugh. “Great.” I glance behind him. Derek’s car is already gone.
“I’m going to be out of town for a couple days,” he says, “so I can’t start your training right away. How’s Friday after school sound?”
“Sounds great,” I say.
“Great. I’ll see you then.” He holds my gaze for a moment, then pats my car and goes back inside.
A sliver of warmth pierces my cold, heavy heart, and I let out a shaky sigh as I glance at my phone before driving home.
No messages.
Jace caught me off guard with the way he looked at me just now, but I am in no shape to think of him in that way. Maybe I misread him—he’s probably just being protective. But for whatever reason, I saw him in a different light tonight, and it gives me a fraction of hope that maybe—just maybe—one day I’ll be okay and able to move on.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
THE REST OF THE WEEK flies by as all the seniors cram for their finals, and I’m surprised at how contagious the excited energy is. I’m looking forward to graduation and working all summer. Even though I’m dying inside, I’m holding it together the best I can manage. I can’t let myself think about Elijah’s harsh words, or I’ll break. Studying for finals helps keep my anguish at bay, and by the time my body hits the mattress every night, I’m too exhausted to think of anything else. It never stops me from checking my phone to see if I have any messages from him, but I’m doing pretty well, all things considered.
We rarely make eye contact when I’m in his classroom, and when we do, it’s as if his eyes don’t even remember what we shared. I find myself wanting to approach him after class—just one more time. But I never do. What would I say, anyway? He would contact me if he wanted to make it work.
But I haven’t heard from him.
The finality of it all has me in a fragile state, but I know the suffering won’t last forever. It can’t. Pain always fades.
Love fades.
I just need to keep busy and push through.
DEREK, EMILY, AND Tommy come into Velocity to support me during my first night of training. Emily was kind enough to send me a warning text that Tommy was tagging along, but I have no time to worry about him. My nerves are on overdrive—training on a busy Friday night seems like a terrible idea. But Jace insisted I dive right in. After shadowing his top server, Staci, all afternoon, I am given my first solo mission: serving my friends.
“Looking sharp, Kay,” says Derek, as I step up to their table.
I nudge his shoulder. “Shut up.”
“I’m serious!” He grins. “Looking legit.”
I laugh, then take their orders—avoiding Tommy’s shameless gaze the entire time.
“We’re all hanging out at Derek’s tonight if you’re interested,” offers Emily. I shoot her a look, but pull it back when I see the sadness in her eyes. She misses our group. She misses me. And she’s losing Derek. “What time do you get off?”
“I’m not su—”
“Depends,” Jace’s voice interrupts from behind me. “She’s doing awesome; I just might keep her till closing.” He leans his elbow on my shoulder with ease.
“I’ve barely even taken an order yet,” I remark.
“You’re doing great!” He casually adjusts his arm so it’s around my neck.
Tommy’s eyes drop to Jace’s arm while Emily gives me a guarded look.
“Don’t you guys think?” Jace asks the table.
“Hear! Hear!” says Derek, raising his water glass.
Jace drops his arm to his side and narrows his eyes at Derek. “You’re drunk.”
“I am?” says Derek in mock astonishment. He lifts his glass to Tommy. “Hear! Hear!”
Tommy breaks into laughter.
Jace glares at all three of them. “Are you all drunk?”
“I’m not even drunk, bro,” says Derek. “Just buzzed. Chill.”
Jace crosses his arms. “Who drove?”
“I did,” Emily speaks up. “I’m the DD, don’t worry.”
“Aw, don’t worry, babe,” says Derek. “I’ll fix you a nice drink when we get back.”
Part of me wonders if Derek’s self-medicating. He’s got to be hurting over moving away from Emily.
Jace lowers his face inches from Derek’s. “If you act out one time, you’re out of here. Do you hear me? You’re a liability right now. Both of you.” He glances at Tommy. “Find somewhere else to get drunk.”
As I turn to leave, Emily grabs my elbow. “Are you sure you don’t want to come over?”
Tommy looks at me with anticipation. I know I’d get ten minutes with her before she and Derek would sneak off to his bedroom.
“I don’t know, Ems.”
She slumps down in her chair.
“I’ll call you when I get off,” I appease.