Page 146 of A Perfect Fit

I stand and head to my bedside table to unplug the lamp, bringing it with me as I then tiptoe to the bedroom door.

My heart beats faster, and I hold my breath, getting ready to strike the intruder if they come here.

There’s no way I’m going down without a fight. I still have to make things right with Isabelle and⁠—

“Are you sure this is a good idea? What if Jackson’s not home?”

“All my ideas are good, babe. Ten bucks he’s just sad in his room, thinking about Isabelle.”

My guard drops at the familiar voices, a frown forming on my face. I step out into the living room, my suspicions confirmed when it’s none other than Aaron and Jen standing there.

Aaron gives me a casual wave. “Hey.” His brows draw together when he notices the lamp I’m still holding. “What’s that for?”

“I thought you were an intruder,” I grumble. “How the hell did you get inside my apartment?”

“Oh.” A sheepish look crosses his face. “A few months ago, I crashed here for a few days, and you gave me a spare key, remember? I forgot to give it back.”

“Could’ve just rung the doorbell like a normal person would.” I walk toward Aaron and Jen, placing my lamp down on the floor. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”

“You almost gave me a heart attack when I heard you broke up with my best friend,” Jen chimes in, shooting daggers at me.

Her words prick my chest. “Jen, I⁠—”

“Sit down,” she orders, her voice like someone who means nothing but business.

With a sigh, I plop myself down on the nearest couch, not believing I’m getting bossed around like this at my own home. I probably deserve it, though.

Neither Jen nor Aaron sits.

“I was secretly rooting for you since the beginning, Jackson,” Jen says. “And to be honest, I still am. So is Aaron. Which is why we’re here today. To give you some tough love since the soft-love route isn’t working.”

Aaron beams at Jen like she’s having his babies. “Perfect intro, Jen. I couldn’t have said it any better myself.”

Jen’s cheeks flush crimson, and Aaron turns to me.

“As your unofficial fairy godparents, we refuse to sit and watch before this really becomes unsalvageable,” Aaron says.

I blink. “Unsalvageable?”

Jen face-palms herself. “Oh my God. I can’t believe it. You know, for someone who did so well at school, you can really be so dense sometimes.”

“Denial’s always been his strength,” Aaron says to her.

“More like weakness,” Jen mutters. She places her hands on her hips, her blue eyes laser-focused on me. “At first, we thought you probably just needed some space, and we wanted to respect that. But it’s been almost three weeks, and you haven’t reached out to her. Not even one text. Why?”

A heaviness wraps around my limbs, and my chin dips to my chest. “I thought it was better that way. I mean, she’s better off without me … at least right now.” The words sound pathetic leaving my mouth.

“You really think she’s better off without you, huh?” Jen folds her arms. “Then tell me, why is she still mumbling your name in her sleep and hugging your suit jacket in bed like it’s her favorite stuffed animal?”

I sink deeper into my seat, my chest growing tighter with each breath. “She … she is?”

Jen huffs. “Her fashion show’s happening in a few days, and she’s channeling all her energy into it and her business as a distraction, pretending everything’s fine, but I see through her. You think you’re doing her a favor by pushing her away, think you’re a burden on her, but by whose standards—yours or hers? If roles were reversed and she was the one going through all this instead, would you expect her to have everything figured out?”

Silence hangs in the room.

My head pounds like a jackhammer, Jen’s questions swirling in my head like a washing machine on the highest speed.

Fuck.