The Summer Before

Chapter Ten

Levi

I hadn't seen Tessa since that crazy night at the club. She was still passed out in her room when I woke up on Sunday. Instead of staying at the house until she woke up, I took the easy way out and left, unsure how to approach her when she decided to get out of bed.

I was still angry about what had happened. Angry at her for putting herself in that kind of situation, angry at her friends for letting her out of their sight with some guy they didn't know, and angry at myself for almost getting to her too late. It was all too much to deal with, so I did the only thing I knew how to. I avoided her.

By Tuesday, I finally saw Jason again. He and Charlotte returned home the previous evening from their trip with Charlotte's family. I felt bad that I was gone when he got home, but I still didn't feel like I could face Tessa.

So, when Jason asked me to join him for lunch on Tuesday, I didn't feel I could decline. I just hoped he wouldn't ask about my weekend or his sister.

Twenty minutes passed without mention of either as Jason and I discussed recent policy changes at the firm and his weekend away with Charlotte. I was starting to relax, thinking he wasn't going to ask how my weekend went with Tessa back in town.

I should have known it was too good to be true.

Jason finished telling me about his weekend, detailing his romantic sunset cruise with Charlotte with a sparkle in his eye. Then he zoned out, shuffling awkwardly in his seat. I hoped I was wrong, but I could feel it coming. He was working up to asking the question I really hoped he wouldn't.

He cleared his throat, eyeing me cautiously as he set down his fork. "So," he started, "how was your weekend?"

I knew what he meant. He didn't have to say the words for me to know; he really wanted to know if things went smoothly between Tessa and me while he was away.

What the fuck was I supposed to tell him?

I knew if I told him about what happened at the club, he'd freak out, and Tessa would be pissed that I said anything. That was one thing I definitely didn't feel like dealing with this week.

Tessa was difficult enough to be around already; there was no way I was stirring things up with Jason and adding to her ire. That was one beast I could do without provoking.

Plus, there was a high probability that if I spilled the beans about the club incident, Tessa would waste no time telling Jason about what happened in the shower the other day. As harmless as it started out, I'm sure my best friend wouldn't take too kindly to the fact that instead of immediately turning and leaving once I realized she wasn't who I thought she was, I stayed and provoked her- while unashamedly roaming my eyes over her wet naked body.

Yeah, I'd rather not open that can of worms.

So, I told him a heavily watered-down version of the truth- that Tessa and I had a few tense run-ins, but we managed to stay out of each other's hair for the most part. And that we were both still alive.

He chuckled at my last statement, but still had a question in his eyes. I knew what he wanted to ask. He wanted to know why she and I were no longer on good terms. He wanted to know why we stopped talking after last summer. Hell, everyone wanted to know. They were just too scared to ask.

My eyes must have been pleading because, to my great surprise, Jason didn't push the issue. He dropped it, changing the subject to something far more joyful- the wedding. I was beyond happy about that. I wasn't ready to talk about last summer yet, not even with him.

What Tessa did at the club prior to the incident Saturday still had me reeling. She made it very clear that things had changed in her life since last summer, and I was all the angrier because of it.

When I saw her dancing with that stranger- a guy I'd never seen before- it was evident that she ruined what we had last year for no reason at all. It stung, and it stirred up old and painful memories. Ones I now wish I could forget.