I turned my back to her, intent on going around the back of the aisle, or someplace else, as long as I escaped this girl.

A hand closed around my bicep. “I’m not done with you, bitch,” Caryn said.

I jerked my arm free, but she was ready to grab me again. Her inch-long nails scratched my upper arm, and I hissed as sharp pain spread through my muscles. Shocked, I looked down. Three red lines marked my skin—the middle one even drew a few drops of blood.

“What the hell?” Rachel snapped. She pushed Caryn back. “Get out of here right now.”

Caryn raised her chin. “Or what?”

Two guys with the grocery store T-shirt approached us.

“Everything all right, ladies?” one of them asked. The label on his T-shirt read Carter.

“Not really,” Sophie said. “This woman just attacked us.” She pointed from Caryn to my arm.

Carter turned to Caryn. “Ma’am, I have to ask you to leave.”

Caryn started arguing with the guy, and Rachel steered us around them. We paid for our stuff as both guys escorted Caryn out.

“Are you all right?” Sophie asked. “Does it hurt?”

I looked down at my arm. It had stopped bleeding, but the scratches would stay there for a few days. “A little.”

I couldn’t wait to get home and scrub some antiseptic on my entire arm. She had called me a bitch, but she was the bitch here. And she was even a bigger bitch for being there for Ryan when I wasn’t.

***

Ryan

I wasn’t so sure about going to Rachel’s house for a barbecue, but after the three evening visits from Jessica while I was working on my bike, I thought I could handle being around her at a small party.

When I arrived, Jason was already in control of the grill. Ethan was beside him, instructing like a boss, and I had no idea where Luke was. I could see Rachel and Sophie through the kitchen window; they seemed to be arguing about how to prepare something. Seated alongside the pool were Jason’s friend Marvin and his girlfriend, Lara, and Shana and Natalie, two girls from Sophie’s school.

I told myself I wasn’t looking for her, but I didn’t see Jessica anywhere.

I made my way across the yard and stopped beside Jason and Ethan.

“Don’t burn all of it,” I teased.

Jason tsked. “I’m the grill master.”

Ethan chuckled. “He wants to be one, but so far, our barbecue has been overcooked.” He offered me a beer, but I shook my head and grabbed a Coke from the cooler behind him. “Sorry, man. I keep forgetting you don’t drink much anymore.”

“I don’t drink much,” I repeated his words. “Sometimes, one sip here and there is nothing. But today I think I’ll stick to this.”

Jason looked at something over my shoulder. “I think that’s a good idea.”

I followed his line of sight and the air fled my lungs. Jessica walked into the backyard. She looked amazing. Her flowing golden hair shone with the rays of the setting sun, and her summer dress hugged her in all the right places. The skirt was a little flowy though, and it did wonders for her legs every time she took a step.

She was holding a big bowl of something, and I instinctively moved to help her. But Ethan cleared his throat and I snapped from the trance.

Smiling, Jessica set the bowl on one of the tables set up around the pool. She greeted the others then turned to us. Her eyes met mine and her smile died.

“Hi,” she said, her tone a little low.

Jason nodded at her and Ethan said, “Hey there.”

“Hi,” I answered, feeling like I was nineteen again.

She rushed back inside the house and appeared in the window with the girls.

“Earth to Ryan,” Ethan called.

I whipped my head back at him. “What?”

“I would ask what bug bit you if I didn’t know,” he said.

Jason watched me with a frown.

“What is it?” I asked.

Jason turned a few hamburgers before setting his eyes on me again. “I love you like a brother, you know that. But I swear, if you break her heart again, I’ll punch like I should have the first time.”

“Break her heart? What are you talking about? I don’t intent to get that close to her again.”

“Right.” Ethan nodded. “Because having her at your garage while you work on the Harley is, what? Acting like friends?”

Shit. Of course they knew about it, even though I hadn’t said a word to anyone. Even Officer Mike hadn’t found out about it, since Jessica always left before he came by to check on me.

It wasn’t Mike’s business if I got close to her, but I knew what he meant. My parents meant the same thing when they asked me to stay away from her. Because of my feelings for her, I had lost my mind and had blown my future. They were afraid I would do it again. Even though Mike would love to see my parole extended, I didn’t think he actually wanted me to go back to jail.

“I’m just saying, man,” Jason continued. “Don’t play with her, please.”

“I’m not playing with her. I’m not doing anything with her. Relax.” I finished my Coke, wishing it were a double dose of Jack.

“You outta talk to Caryn too,” Jason said.

I frowned. “And why would I talk to her?” Jason and Ethan exchanged another look. God damn it, they were making me crazy. “Just spit it out.”

“Because she scratched Jess this morning,” Jason told me.

“She what?” My voice rose and the other guests turned their heads to us. I lowered my voice and asked, “What happened?”

The guys told me about the girls going to the grocery store and bumping into Caryn. How Caryn accused Jessica of stealing me from her, and when Jessica tried to leave, Caryn grabbed her hard enough to leave a mark.

Stupid bitch. If I could, I would get a restraining order against her. And maybe one for Jessica against her too.

Luke finally showed up carrying a rectangular white box.

“Aunt Corrine sent it,” he said, dropping the box on the table. He opened it and inhaled. A three-layer caramel coffee cake. My third favorite from Corrine.

Rachel came out of the house and plugged in a stereo, starting the party.

I stayed by the grill with Jason, Luke, and Ethan most of the time, but I couldn’t help glancing to the side occasionally. All right. I couldn’t help glancing at Jessica every few seconds. She looked beautiful. She was beautiful. But those scratches on her arm. Anger rushed through me every time I saw them. Three nasty red lines on her smooth skin.

An hour later, the guys had already downed half of the beers, and I had drank four Cokes. I searched for a fifth in the cooler, until Rachel told me the guys didn’t put many in it, but there was more in the fridge in the kitchen.

I went inside and took a deep breath. All right, I had underestimated being at a party with Jessica. In addition, the guys were drinking and talking about the next bike race, and I simply felt lost.

I grabbed a Coke from the fridge, opened it, leaned on the counter, and took long swallows.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were in here,” Jessica said, entering the kitchen through the back door.

I raised the soda can. “I came in for a Coke.”

She nodded, walking to the nearest counter. “Rachel asked me to get more napkins and plastic cups from somewhere in the cabinets.” She opened the doors and three seconds later closed them. “It would have been helpful if she had told me exactly where.”

“I’ll help you.” I set my Coke down and turned to the cabinets behind me.

“Thanks,” she said, opening another set of doors.

On my second try, I found one of the items. “Here are the cups.” I turned to her at the same time she turned to me. My elbow bumped her arm, right on the scratches. She flinched and hissed. Anger assaulted me again. “I’m sorry.”

A big knot set between her brows, and her hand hovered over the scratches without touching them. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay.” I took her hand in mine and pulled it away from the wound. The middle line had a few drops of blood. After a deep breath, I cupped her elbow and guided her to the sink. “I can’t believe Caryn did this.”