“Do you plan on confronting him?”

“I don’t see the point. He has a family now, and I’d do nothing but screw that up for him.”

“I’m sorry that my sister put you through all of this. You’re a good person, Emma, and you don’t deserve this kind of hurt.”

“It was a long shot, and we both knew it. You tried to prepare me for the worst, but I didn’t listen. I’m just going to pretend like I never came here to look for him, so I can move on with my life. That’s all I can do. I need to forget him once and for all.”

He nodded. “If that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do. I found a decent job, so I’ll stay here for as long as you need me to.”

“That means a lot. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”

“You’re my friend, Emma. I’d do anything I could to help you.”

“I guess one good thing came from Jesse and me.” I smiled down at him. “I never would have met you if I hadn’t been with him.”

He grinned. “I am pretty awesome.”

We both stood and walked to the door.

“You can stay here tonight if you need to.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m going to go home and sleep all day tomorrow. You still have time to call your girlfriend back if you want to. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Nah, I’ll have babies on my mind now. That takes all the fun out of it.”

“You always know just what to say.”

“I try, Emma. I try.”

I stuck to my word and spent the next day in bed. It was Saturday, so I had no classes to get up for. I knew I was moping, but I couldn’t help it. I’d had this whole plan to make things right with Jesse, and it had completely blown up in my face.

I couldn’t believe that Jesse was going to be a dad. Hell, I couldn’t believe that Ally was going to be a mom. She’d never struck me as the maternal type, and I hoped that Jesse would make up for her lack of parenting. There was no way someone as mean as her could be a good parent. It just wasn’t in her genes.

While it shocked me that Jesse was going to be a dad, I didn’t think that he’d be bad at it. I knew how much it’d hurt him that his dad had abandoned him when he was little. There was no doubt in my mind that Jesse would spend his entire life making sure that his kid never felt unwanted. I still believed that Jesse was a good person despite the situation he was in. Besides the time when I thought he’d cheated on me, I couldn’t think of a thing that I didn’t like about him. He was a genuinely good person.

The next morning, I forced myself to crawl out of bed. I hadn’t showered for two days, and I was starving. After showering, I pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top, so I could go find some food. The school cafeteria was closed on Sundays, but there were plenty of places to eat at in Morgantown.

I drove around town until I found someplace that didn’t make my stomach turn. Instead of going through the drive-through like I’d originally planned, I decided to go inside.

My hopes of being with Jesse were gone, and it was time that I started to move on. I didn’t care if it made me pathetic to start looking at a fast-food restaurant on a Sunday morning. I ordered my food and sat down at a table facing the entrance. That way, I could see everyone who came in as soon as they walked through the doors.

I quickly realized that I wasn’t going to find anyone unless I was hoping to get a date with an eighty-year-old man who liked to drink the tar they called coffee here. I sighed as I finished my food, and then I threw away my garbage. I didn’t even bother to look up as I walked to my car. I need a life.

I knew where Andy worked, so I decided to stop by and surprise him. He said that his boss was pretty easygoing, so I didn’t think Andy would complain if I stopped by for a few minutes to chat. I knew he was worried about me, and it would help put him at ease if he saw me freshly showered and out in the real world.

I drove downtown and parked in front of the building. A bell dinged above the door as I opened it and stepped inside. Andy was sitting on a couch with another guy, and they were watching an old football game that had happened earlier in the week.

“I see you’re working hard,” I teased when he looked up.

“Emma! What are you doing here?” Andy asked as he walked over to me.

“I thought I’d surprise you.”

“Well, you did. I’m glad to see that you crawled out of bed.”

“Is this your girlfriend?” the guy on the couch asked.

“Nah, this is Emma. Emma, this is Sam. He’s my boss’s younger brother.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Sam,” I said politely.

“Likewise.” He looked at Andy. “Where have you been hiding her?”

I blushed as Andy rolled his eyes.

“Back off, jackhole. She’s like my sister.”

“Too bad,” Sam said as he stared at me.

I started to look away, but then I stopped myself. Wasn’t I just looking for a way to move on while I ate a hash brown?

Besides, Sam was kind of cute. He looked to be around the same age as me, too. His dirty-blond hair was styled messily, and his eyes were a pretty pale blue. He wasn’t as built as Andy, but Sam’s body suited him.

“Quit staring at her like you want to lick her. It’s nasty. I’ll say it again—she’s like my sister,” Andy groaned.

“Shut it, Andy,” I scolded.

“So, are you from around here?” Sam asked.

“Nope, Andy and I moved here from California together.”

“I should have known that you’re a California girl. You just have the look. Why the hell did you move from California to West Virginia?”

I glanced at Andy. “I just needed a change, and Andy did, too. Besides, I like West Virginia. People are so nice here.”

Sam laughed. “You’re nuts, but whatever. Do you go to WVU?”

“I do. I’m a freshman.”

“I’m a sophomore.”

“Cool,” I said, unable to think of anything else to say.

I was terrible at this. It had been so long since the last time I tried to flirt that I didn’t know how anymore. This used to come so naturally to me.

“I live with a couple of guys, and we’re having a party this weekend. You should come,” Sam said.

“She’s not interested,” Andy said.

“Ignore him. I’d love to come,” I said as I glared at Andy.

“Great. Let me give you the address.”

I ignored Andy’s disapproving glare as Sam wrote down his address for me.

“Thanks!” I said.

Andy grew more and more agitated as I talked with Sam. I knew Andy was trying to protect me, but it wasn’t his job. I had to move on, and I wasn’t going to waste any time.

After about an hour, I decided that I’d stayed long enough. Andy walked outside with me to my car.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.

“Nothing. Why?”

“Don’t play innocent, Emma. Why did you let him think you were interested?”

“Maybe I am!”

“Bullshit. Look, I know you’re hurting, but jumping to some guy who you don’t even know will not fix things. You need to take time to heal.”

“I’m tired of being alone.”

“You’re not alone, Emma. Besides, I never took you for one of those girls who needs a guy around constantly. You’re better than that.”

“I guess I am one of those girls. I’m so sick of being alone all the time. It’s been two years, and I think it’s time that I started trying to find someone who wants me, someone who doesn’t have a kid on the way.”

“So, what are you going to do? Sleep your way through Morgantown until you don’t feel alone?”

“I never said that! Just because I want to date doesn’t mean I’m going to sleep with every guy out there!”

“You’re hurting, and you’re vulnerable. I don’t want you to do something you will regret later.”

“Like last time?”

His mouth dropped open.

I took the chance to get in my car and drive away. I hated fighting with Andy, but I didn’t need someone to tell me how to live my life. If I wanted to live like that, I would have stayed back in California with my mom.