Crash and Burn

•24•

Hope
November

     Jackson and I felt like an entirely new couple after he surprised me last month. We were healthier, we spoke more, and we were planning more time to see each other. Jackson mentioned coming back to California for thanksgiving which would make me surprising him in Florida a little hard. I was thinking we could all surprise Parker, but I'd never voiced the thought. I was all for the new no drama thing we had going and trying to force Parker into this friendship would be the opposite. I understood if we wanted to start new and be an adult, but I never thought he'd be the one to totally ghost us all.

Speaking of ghosting, Declan hadn't spoken to me since that dinner. He didn't say anything while he was still here or since they'd left. I felt awful for almost spilling the fact that Maya was pregnant, but it was so close to happening.

I love my brother, but I haven't been able to see him the way Jackson saw him when we had our argument. Kennedy wasn't Parker's fault—I blamed her life in general at the moment—but also Declan.

And I don't know who I would've been more afraid of my brother, who as a history with rage and violence. Or my parents, who are one hundred percent set in waiting till marriage for sex. Well, guess what, mom, dad? Your son didn't wait, and now the wedding is being moved up so they can hide it. Responsible and mature decisions my ass.

The drive back from dropping Grace off after dinner had been . . . eventful.

Jackson stood by the door a few moments after Grace had gone in, just staring. I watched him from the passenger seat of his Jeep. He'd insisted taking Grace home was purely for the catching up, but I knew he missed his Jeep.

When he got back to the driver seat he continued to stare at the Kennedy's apartment. His hands were holding the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

I put a hand on one of his and rub circles around his knuckles. "Hey," I whisper. "Jackson, look at me. Grace is going to be fine. And if she isn't, then we'll take care of Kennedy. It'll all work out."

Jackson was just shaking his head and then he was telling me a story of Jace's friend, Dan. By the end, he looked like he was about to cry, which almost made me cry. Jackson was such a carefree guy. The nicest, most caring person at best. And the nicest, most caring man-whore at worst. I'd never seen anything make him cry.

"What is it?"

"Do you know a Matthew? Kennedy said you guys met him at a bar last month." I nodded and I watched his shoulders slump. "Kennedy is seeing that prick. And—and messing around with him." He motions to his lower stomach. "She had hickeys all over the place."

My heart stopped. This is how she copes with everything? She dumps me and calls the first guy who gave her a number?

"No. Kennedy wouldn't. The entire time I've know Kennedy she's always sworn she'd never turn out like Grace. She wanted a more stable life! She didn't want sex!"

"I thought you'd tell me that this was all a mistake or that you knew about this. You're acting like you haven't spoken to her a month."

"It feels like it. She said she needed space and that she had to distance herself from things. I was one of those things. And now she's sleeping around, oh god." I scrub my face with my hands, Jackson starts the Jeep. "Does Grace know?"