Page 23

Jackson

C hloe and I sit on the bench in her garden, our fingers intertwined. I can’t believe how right her hand in mine feels. We've spent every waking moment together this weekend and the thought of it ending leaves a dull ache in my chest.

"I should probably head home soon.”

Chloe's gaze lifts to mine. "Do you have to?"

“You have work tomorrow and so do I.”

“Stupid jobs.” She plucks a stray leaf from the bench and flings it outward.

I watch the leaf drift aimlessly and land back onto the bench. “Yeah, stupid money.”

She laughs. “Who needs it anyway?”

I swallow hard when she shifts closer. The lingering sensation in my gut keeps reminding me that if I feel like this at the idea of being apart from her for a day, how the hell am I going to cope when she goes to college?

The end of summer is beginning to feel like a death sentence hanging over my head.

And how I feel about Chloe is—

Crap, I don’t even know how to put it into words in my own head let alone aloud.

Chloe leans her head against my shoulder. “Don’t go.”

“I have to.”

“You suck,” she shoots back at me.

My lips curve at her pouty tone. “No, I don’t.”

“I know.” She sighs. “Since when are you the sensible one?”

I squeeze her hand. “I really don’t know. I hold you responsible for it, though.”

Chloe's lifts her head, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "So now I'm the corrupting influence in your life?"

I chuckle softly, the sound vibrating between us. "Absolutely. You've turned me into a model citizen against my will.”

The corners of her lips twitch, and she leans in closer. "Well, someone has to keep you in line.”

When I meet her gaze again my heart jolts. This girl drives me crazy. I can smell vanilla on her skin. I want to touch her everywhere. Kiss her until she forgets her name.

I don’t want to ever be apart from her.

It’s not possible, though. I know it’s not. Chloe has a whole life to lead and I’m not going to be like Brendan and dictate it to her. She has to leave Elmwood Glen and get an education. Meanwhile, my life is here.

I just don’t know how I’m going to cope with her gone and it scares the shit out of me.

"Chloe, I—”

Chloe’s lifts her head and her brows knit.

I know she can hear the seriousness in my tone.

I swallow hard. How do I tell her I’ve been in love with her for far too long?

How do I say it without her thinking I’m asking something of her?

Cause I’m not. I want her to fly, to achieve her dreams, and if I get to witness just a little bit of that, that’s all I can ask.

“Jackson?” she prompts when everything gets tangled in my throat.

“I have to kiss you,” is all I manage to say. It’s not far from the truth. Being near her and not touching her is driving me wild.

“No one’s stopping you.”

The kiss starts soft, tentative, but quickly deepens. Chloe's hand comes up to cup my cheek, and I pull her closer, overwhelmed by the taste of her, the feel of her pressed against me. It's as if every nerve ending in my body has come alive, hyper-aware of her touch.

We break apart briefly and as I look into her eyes, I know with absolute certainty that whatever challenges we might face—distance, Ethan's reaction, anything— it'll be worth it. Because what I feel for Chloe? It's real. It's deep. And I'm not letting it go without a fight.

This time I cup her face in both hands, angling her toward me so I can claim her mouth in a fierce kiss as though I can pour all my frustration and confusion into it. She gasps and I press the kiss deeper.

Chloe’s fingernails dig into my shoulders.

Her breaths come in pants. Heat rolls through me and I know I need more.

I slide a hand under Chloe's top, fingers tracing the soft skin of her waist. She shivers and leans into my touch.

I trail kisses down her neck, savoring the sweet scent of her perfume clinging to her skin.

"I'm going to miss you so much," I murmur against her collarbone. She has no idea I’m talking about when she’s off to college.

I shift my hand higher, just where the fabric of her bra meets her ribcage. Tilting her head back, she sighs and I kiss up and down her neck and cup the soft swell of her breast through the fabric.

I capture her lips again. My heart is pounding, my thoughts are a whirlwind of Chloe, Chloe, Chloe . I never want this moment to end.

A voice cuts through the haze, sharp and furious. My head jerks toward the sound, and my stomach drops. Ethan stands at the edge of the garden, his face a mask of fury. Chloe stiffens in my arms.

“What the hell?” he demands.

Shit. Why is Ethan home already?

I quickly drop my hand to my side and Chloe scrambles to straighten her clothes, but I can see her top strap has slipped down her shoulder. Her hair is mussed, cheeks flushed. She looks beautiful.

And like we just had an insanely sexy make out session.

I slowly stand and face Ethan. His gaze darts between us, frowning. I watch as realization dawns, his open mouth settling into a firm line and his eyes narrowing. He balls his fists at his side.

Chloe stands up next to me and I shift slightly in front of her. The air crackles with tension, thick enough to choke on.

"What the hell is this?” Ethan gestures between us.

I raise my hands. "Ethan, I can explain—"

"Explain?" He takes two big strides toward us. "Explain why you're all over my sister when she just got dumped? Are you seriously taking advantage of her right now?"

His accusation stings, but I get it. If I were in his shoes, seeing my best friend with my little sister like this, I'd probably lose it too.

"It's not like that," I say, drawing in a deep breath and wishing Ethan would take a moment too. This is not how I wanted this to go down and it does not look good. "Chloe and I, we—"

"We what, Jackson?" Ethan's face is flushed red. "Go on, tell me how this isn't exactly what it looks like."

Chloe grips my arm, her short nails digging in. I glance at her and realize she’s fighting to figure out how to explain it too.

"This isn't me just taking advantage. I care about her, Ethan. More than you know.”

Ethan scoffs, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. "Right. Because you've always been so interested in my sister before now. When she had a boyfriend. ”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I can’t tell him I’ve been thinking about Chloe differently for a while now. He’d never trust me again.

"People change," I say carefully. "Feelings change. What Chloe and I have...it's real."

For a moment, I think I see a flicker of something – doubt? understanding? – in Ethan's eyes. But it's gone in an instant, replaced by a renewed surge of protective anger.

"Save it," he growls. "I want you out of here. Now."

I stand my ground, even as my insides twist with fear. Fear of losing my best friend, of hurting Chloe, of everything falling apart. But I can't back down. Not now. Not when it matters most.

Chloe loosens her grip on my arm and steps forward. "I'm not stupid, Ethan," she says, her voice steady despite the slight quiver in her hands. "I know what I'm doing."

I want to reach out and take her hand, to show Ethan how much we care for each other, but I resist. It won’t help matters right now.

Ethan's nostrils flare as he turns his attention to Chloe. "Mom told me how heartbroken you were, Chlo. You're not in the right frame of mind for this."

“Listen, man,” I say. “We were going to tell you when you got back from traveling. This isn't some spur-of-the-moment thing."

I can see the conflict in Ethan's eyes, the battle between his protective instincts and our years of friendship.

"We didn't plan this," I continue. "It just...happened. But I swear to you, I would never do anything to hurt Chloe. Or you."

Ethan's eyes narrow, his jaw clenching as he closes the gap between us. “Dude, you forget I know you. I know your past. If you think I'm going to stand by and watch you take advantage of my sister, you're dead wrong.”

The threat in his voice is clear, and I feel my own muscles tensing in response. But I stand my ground, unwavering. Chloe means too much to me to back down now.

"What Chloe and I have is real, and I'm not going to apologize for it."

Chloe steps between us. "Enough, Ethan. Stop acting like some kind of caveman. I'm not a child. I can make my own decisions."

I take a shaky breath. "Ethan, please. You're my best friend, and Chloe's your sister. I know this is a lot to take in, but can we just talk about this?"

I make the mistake of putting a protective hand on Chloe’s shoulder. Ethan’s face contorts with rage as he lunges at me, fists swinging. I barely dodge the first punch, feeling it graze my cheek.

"You backstabbing son of a—" he growls, coming at me again.

I raise my hands. "We don't have to do this."

But he's not listening. His next swing catches me in the ribs, and I stagger back, gasping. Instinct takes over, and I push him away, harder than I mean to.

"Stop it, both of you!" Chloe rushes between us

My heart leaps into my throat. "Chloe, no!"

It happens in slow motion. Ethan, mid-lunge, can't stop his momentum. He barrels into Chloe, and I watch in horror as she stumbles backward and falls to the ground.

Without thinking, I lash out. My fist connects with Ethan's face with a sickening thud. He reels back, blood streaming from his nose.

"Jackson!" Chloe's voice cuts through the haze of adrenaline. Her eyes are wide, her mouth open. She looks at me like she’s seen a monster.

I stare at my hand, then at Ethan's bloody face. I feel like a monster.

Shit.

"I...I didn't mean to—"

Chloe drops to her knees beside Ethan. 'What’s wrong with you two?

You’re supposed to care about each other.

' She looks up at me, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

'Jackson, you should go.' Her words are a dagger to my chest, but it’s the disappointment in her gaze that cuts the deepest. " She wraps an arm around her brother.

"Leave, Jackson. Before you make this even worse. "

The look in her eyes—disappointment, anger, maybe even fear—eats away at any hope I had for us. I back away, my world crumbling around me.

"I'm sorry,” I mutter before I leave, my fist throbbing, but I don’t know that either of them hear me.