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He grins. “I’m going to say two things. One, I think I dodged a bullet not sleeping with you at Christmas.”

My eyes go wide, and he puts his hand up and chuckles at me. I want to smash all his shot glasses.

“Calm it down, nutso. And two, he’s at the Vineyard. He went up there about a month ago after, I assume, being with you in Chicago. I’ve been tasked with yard watering.”

I swallow hard. And nod. He’s hiding from me. Fuck that. I know where the hide-a-key is, and I have a week I don’t need to be anywhere. I’ll sit in his house until he talks to me.

I wipe under my eyes and square my shoulders. I put my hand on his forearm. “I’m glad I didn’t sleep with you, either.” He grins. “Thank you.”

“You going to be ok?” I pull my T-shirt down and pull my crossbody bag over my head. I attempt to finger comb my hair to try and salvage some dignity.

“Yes!” That came out way to enthusiastic. I’m tired and wired. “I’m going to fix this. I’m going to figure out how to tell him I was wrong. And you should know I’m rolling up in here and not leaving until he answers me.”

He nods as he walks back to his house.

“You’re ok with that?” I ask him.

“Yup. Thinking about making popcorn. This is going to be so much better than any show I binge.” He winks at me. “Do you know where the key is?”

“I do.”

“I’ll be next door if you can think of more bizarre things you need to share.”

“Cool.” I round the corner and head to the backyard, then into the garage and find the little rusted red box in the corner. I was with him the last time he put the key in here. He sacrificed everything to upend his world and be with me. And that’s not who he is, but I took it all for granted. I suck. We doomed ourselves to fail by pretending we were different people. Or are we only different from what time did to us? I want us to be the real Jillien and Liam.

I open the back door, and I’m almost knocked out by the smell of him. Of this house that’s so familiar from my youth. All the parts of me are mixed up in this house and in him. How do I get him to talk to me?

“What the fuck are you doing in my house?” I swivel quickly back toward the back door.

“Lisa.” I’m pure fury as I screw up my face trying not to punch her.

“Answer me.”

If Fletch and I were together when we were younger, we would have worked through all of this before now. I never would have become so closed off. But we both bought into her bullshit. I’m filled with so much rage about so many things, but Lisa’s about to take the brunt of it, and I’m cool with that.

“Not answering shit for you, old friend. But you certainly have some explaining to do. Christ, Lisa, telling Liam lies about me simply to get your own way again. We’re not kids. What the hell is wrong with you? I’ve never done anything to you except try and be your friend.”

“You were never good enough to be my friend. You were always too busy. You were too concerned with making sure everyone liked you. Surrounded by friends and cheerleading and boys who adored you.”

I shift my weight and stare at her. She steps farther into the kitchen.

“How did you know I was here?”

“We have cameras on the front of the house. When I saw you acting like a lunatic, I called the police and rushed right over.” Lisa’s perfect white tennis outfit flutters slightly as she stamps her feet. We’re circling each other like lions fighting for their pride.

“Police? For knocking on your door?”

“You know you’re in the house, right? Breaking and entering.”

I lose it. I fling my bag onto the counter and open my arms wide.

“Give it to me. Fuck. Tell me why you systematically made me think I was crazy when my friends stopped calling. You called them and told them I said horrible things about them. You got me put on a psych watch. You fucked my boyfriend in my parents’ house. You fucked him and showed no remorse. And why aren’t you at home with your family? Go screw up someone else’s life! Leave me alone.”

She adjusts her dress, then pulls her purse in front of her like my grandmother used to do. She leans her arms on it and cocks her head. “Why I’m not at my home is none of your business.”

My eyes flash and eyebrows lift. “He left you.”

“Lies,” she hisses.