You Can't Go Home Again Page 5

  “Thank you.” Dani took Nicole’s purse, catching the brief, quizzical look she directed at Jace before she smiled shyly back at Dani. She didn’t know what Jace had told Nicole about their past relationship, but she seemed confused over the burning hatred emanating from Jace. Well, she wasn’t the only one! She watched Jason lead Nicole back to the kitchen. His face and muscles seemed tight, stiff. Probably from all that barely controlled rage. After one quick sigh, Dani decided to count her blessings. Apparently Jace was going with the old philosophy… if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

  That was just fine with her!

  Dani waited by the door, knowing that everyone would be arriving shortly. She also needed a couple minutes to compose herself. She hadn’t thought she would be so upset at seeing him again. Yesterday she had expected it; it had been five years. But tonight, she’d been startled by the intensity with which she reacted to his mere presence. She felt a strange combination of fury, pain and, unfortunately, desire rage up just because he was there. She figured she would do best to ignore him as much as possible through the coming week. If she could just get through the wedding, she could hide out here and dog sit Dakota without having to see him at all.

  Everyone arrived within just a few minutes, the last one being Zack. Zack swung Dani into a hug with a quick kiss on the cheek. “You look good enough to eat. How about you and I skip dinner and run away somewhere?” He waggled his eyebrows, adding a lascivious grin, causing Dani to laugh loudly as she hooked her arm through his.

  * * * * *

  She had opened the door wearing a purple T-shirt and jeans with some weird pattern down the side. She’d been barefoot, and he couldn’t help but notice the bright purple toe polish. She looked adorable, and completely at home in Jenn’s house. He’d felt the anger rush through him once again

  He’d stood at the door like an idiot, torn between cursing her and grabbing her. What he’d have done with her once he got hold, he had no idea. Shove her backwards, toss her over his shoulder…kiss her. When he’d realized that his girlfriend was standing right next to him, he’d opted for the silent treatment. .

  Now, she was prancing into the kitchen, smiling and flirting with Zack. Again. . He found himself crushing the soda can in his hand, so he quickly downed it and headed out to the garage. Time to replace the soda with a beer.

  Chapter 9

  Dinner was wonderful; simple food, good wine and easy company. Toward the end of the meal, Jenn clicked her spoon against her glass, calling for everyone’s attention. As the table quieted down, Jenn glanced over to Brian.

  “First, thank you all for coming. This is our first official dinner party in our own home, and we very much look forward to many more like it. Secondly, most of you are going to be in our wedding here in just over a week. We wanted to give you your gifts now rather than at the rehearsal dinner. I know it breaks custom, but tonight it’s just us, without all the chaos and hoopla that will be going on then.”

  While he was speaking, Jenn was walking around the room handing out gifts to each of the bridesmaids and groomsmen. When she reached Dani, deliberately making her last, she stopped.

  “We also have one more favor to ask,” Brian began.

  “Dani, would you sing the song for our first dance together?” Jenn’s eyes were beseeching, warm and smiling. “I know you don’t perform in front of…well, anyone, but it would mean so much to us both if you would do this.”

  Dani felt a sudden rush of panic. Jenn wasn’t kidding when she said she never sang in front of anyone. Not since freshman year in high school, when she had been the understudy for the role of Maria in West Side Story. She had made one performance and had never been on that side of the curtain again. As she looked up at her friend, she saw nothing but love in her eyes. How could she say no?

  “Of course. Of course I will. What song did you want me to sing?”

  Jenn leaned down and hugged her. “You choose. You know us both really well. We wanted you to pick one that you thought would suit us.”

  Dani smiled softly. “I know just the song.”

  As Jenn headed back to her seat, the noise resumed, with Zack asking, “You sing? Really? How did I not know that?”

  Dani nodded and shrugged all in one motion. She scrunched her nose a little as she answered, “Yeah, I just don’t like to sing in front of people. I get a little…mmmm…well, nervous would barely begin to cover it.”

  Jace and Nicole were sitting across the table from them, so Nicole asked, “Are you any good?” When Jace looked at her funny, she backpedaled a little bit. “I just meant, do you sing like karaoke sing, or really sing, sing?”

  Jace answered for her. “She sings. Very well, if I remember correctly. And you do sing in front of some people. Or at least you used to.”

  Dani glared at him. She had sung for him, many times in college. But only when it was the two of them, when Jenn and Brian were busy.

  Jenn asked, “Really, you’ve heard her? When?”

  Jace smirked, glancing at Dani before facing Jenn. “Didn’t she sing in that school musical one time?”

  Dani felt the air whoosh out of her lungs, a giant sigh of relief. Just as everyone turned to face her for more details, Jenn, her natural gift of gab taking over, answered for her.

  “That’s right. Freshman year. You were someone’s understudy, and she got the flu, and you had to do the Saturday night performance. What was that play? Oh, yeah. West Side Story.” She glanced around the table at everyone. “She was amazing. You guys will love her. Her voice is beautiful. I’ve never understood why she didn’t perform, instead of staying behind the scenes in drama.”

  Zack looked toward her again. “You were in drama?”

  Dani smiled. “Still am, for the most part. But, yes. All through high school and college.”

  “You know,” Beth said, “I’m not sure I’ve ever heard how you and Jenn met. I know you guys knew each other in high school, but really, how did you cross paths? At our school at least, the drama group never really hung with the cheerleaders?”

  “Oh, we grew up next door to each other. Jenn didn’t move until she was almost eleven. She lived in the house across the street until then.” Dani shrugged. “We just kind of stayed friends.” She glanced toward Jenn, sharing a look that let everyone know just how real that friendship was. How deeply it ran.

  Jenn grinned. “On that note, let’s all head into the living room. We are going to play some games.”

  Brian led everyone into the living room while Jenn and Dani did a quick sweep of the table.

  “Don’t worry about the dishes, I’ll deal with them tomorrow.” She glanced around, scrunching her nose while she did. “And the kitchen. For now, let’s go hang out.”

  They all settled around the room, snuggling on the couches, the guys yanking the girls onto their laps. Dani sat down on the floor, leaning against the side of the love seat while Jenn pulled out Charades. Everyone groaned, but it was all in good humor. Everyone sucked at Charades, which was what made it so fun. Brian ran and grabbed beers for all the guys, and Dani had brought in the wine for the ladies. She helped herself to a third glass. She never drank this much, and never two days in a row, but this was a party after all. And, as they had discussed earlier, they were grown-ups now.

  * * * * *

  It was guys against girls, and the girls were winning, much to the guys’ chagrin. When Zack plopped down on the floor next to her and started flirting again, Jace watched Dani smile and flirt back. He was already angry, had been since he’d walked in the door, and he felt the fury start to simmer again. When Jace saw Zack lean in and whisper in Dani’s ear, his anger leapt from simmering to murderous. He glanced over at Nicole, giving her a tight smile as he stood. “I need another beer. You want anything?” When she shook her head no, he all but ran from the room.

  When he came back, he saw that Nicole had moved to the other side of the love seat and was leaning over talking to Sara. He pl
opped down next to her, very aware of the stunning brunette head right by his knee. The next time Zack got up to act out his movie, he couldn’t help but lean forward to talk to her. She was making him crazy, driving him mad, and he hated her for it.

  “You know, I always knew how you and Jenn met; what I never understood was how you managed to stay friends.”

  * * * * *

  Dani had been trying to ignore him, even when he leaned toward her, but at the sound of his voice she had to look up.

  His question had been meant for her and her alone, but as often happens, the quieter a voice, the more attention it draws.

  “What do you mean?” Dani asked, honestly confused.

  “Well, how did you stay friends? I wondered that even back in college.” He glanced over, looking at Jenn bouncing up and down on her toes, trying not to shout out the answer since it was the guys’ turn. “Seriously, how did the drama geek and the homecoming queen ever manage to stay friends?”

  By now, everyone was staring at them, and Jace’s voice was rising. When Dani answered, she could hear the escalating anger in her own tone, even as she struggled to control it.

  “I guess women are just different than men. We don’t dump our friends over one little dispute.”

  “Really? So you don’t think it’s odd that you’re here? Look around the room, Danielle. Which of these things doesn’t belong? You’ve never fit, never been like the rest of the group. Sara and Beth were on cheer with Jenn. All of us guys were in football and basketball. You don’t play sports, don’t cheer. Hell, you won’t even perform in front of people.”

  By now everyone had stopped moving, and just like the night before they were listening in silence, stunned by Jace’s odd behavior. And he wasn’t nearly done.

  “Admit it. You knew you didn’t fit, that you were different. That’s why you hightailed it to L.A. and never looked back!” Jace knew he was yelling, or just shy of it, but couldn’t seem to stop himself. He didn’t even realize the room was silent until he heard both Brian and Nicole shout.

  Chapter 10

  His head snapped around, taking in the audience, and the horrified expressions on their faces. The flash of movement caught his eye as Danielle very slowly got up and walked out of the room.

  Right then, Jenn, angrier than Jace had ever seen her, shoved his shoulder, pushing him back onto the couch. She had tears in her eyes when she screamed at him, “She saved my life, you son of a bitch!”

  She turned, ran from the room, and headed down the hall to their bedroom with Brian hot on her heels, tossing one last glare over at Jace.

  Jace stood up, grabbed his beer and started to walk away. After a few steps, he stopped, glanced back at Zack and nodded toward Nicole. “Could you…”

  “Yeah, I’ll get her home.”

  Jace nodded and stalked off without another word. He walked out the front door, hoping against hope that Dani wasn’t out there. Then he wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed when he didn’t see her. He walked around the block, across the neighborhoods, through the park and into the empty field about a mile away. When he thought he’d gotten control again, he turned back. He had to go apologize to Jenn.

  When he got back to the house, he saw the lights were out and all the cars were gone. His apology would have to wait until tomorrow, it seemed. As he turned to walk to his bike, he heard Jenn’s voice from the porch swing.

  “Tell me you didn’t really mean that. Tell me that my memories of those years aren’t that wrong. That you’re not really the judgmental asshole you seem to be right now. Tell me that my soon-to-be husband’s best friend, his best man, is not really like that.”

  Jace stepped back onto the porch, coming to sit in the swing next to her. “Jenn, there are no words for how sorry I am.”

  She glanced up, and in the glow of the moon, he could see the shimmer of tears still in her eyes. “I don’t want to hear sorry, Jace. I want to know what the hell is going on. And neither of you will tell me. Is this going to happen at my wedding? Are you and your nasty temper going to ruin that, too?”

  She watched as Jace hung his head, scrubbing across his face with his hands. “No, it won’t happen. I promise. I’ll…figure something out before then.”

  “Jace, we were friends in college, right? I mean, that was real, wasn’t it? All of us?”

  “Yeah, we were friends, Jenn.”

  “Then why would you even say that to her? Are you really that mad that she left? Phones work both ways, you know, and I never saw you ask for her number either. Besides, she left town, not you.”

  Jace’s shoulders tightened, almost imperceptibly, but Jenn saw it. “You think she left you? But…why? Because she didn’t come back when you were in the hospital? Jace, she didn’t…”

  Jace jumped off the swing. Jenn saw too much; she always had. How she’d missed this for so long, Jace would never know. “It doesn’t matter. You’re right. I had no right to say any of that. I didn’t even mean it. Look, I’m really sorry. I will get this under control before your wedding, okay?”

  Jenn nodded. “Okay.”

  “So…are we good?”

  Jenn was quiet for a moment, letting Jace stew in his own worry. “Yeah, we’re good. But you need to talk to Brian tomorrow.”

  “I will, I’ll call and take him to lunch and let Dave open up for me. And I’ll go by and apologize to Dani.”

  He saw Jenn shaking her head. “Don’t, Jace. Just leave her alone. Unless you’re sincere, I don’t think an apology will help right now.” She stood up, preparing to go back in the house. “You know, when I asked her how she was, before she left, all she said was that you were right.”

  “She said I was right?”

  There was a slight hitch in his voice. He coughed, trying to cover it, but he saw the quick tilt of Jenn’s head. When her voice softened on the next words, the anger finally giving way, Jace knew she’d heard it.

  “Yeah, Jace. She said you were right. Not about screaming at her in front of everyone, but in what you said. When you’re calm enough to talk to her, to make her believe that you were lying, then go and apologize. Until then, just leave her alone.”

  Jace nodded, and Jenn shut the door.

  * * * * *

  Dani woke up the next morning, her eyes feeling like she’d poured sand in them, her mouth tasting like she’d eaten an entire field of cotton. As she grabbed her pillow and rammed it over her head, it occurred to her that two weeks around Jace might be enough to make her into an alcoholic. Oh, wasn’t that a lovely thought.

  She was lying in bed debating whether to roll over and go back to sleep, or just lie there and die, when her cell phone rang. Why had she brought the damn thing upstairs? And why was it so loud?

  Pulling the pillow tighter around her ears, she stuck one hand out of the blankets, slapping around blindly on the nightstand to find her phone. As her fingers finally seized on it, she yanked it under the pillow, pressing it to her ear.

  When it rang again in her ear, she pulled it away. While she was cussing at it, she finally found the green button to answer the damn thing.

  “What?”

  Jenn laughed on the other end. “Morning, sunshine. Feeling the aftereffects of too much wine, I take it?”

  “Why the hell are you calling so early, and so perky?”

  Another laugh. “It’s not early, it’s almost ten. And you promised to help me clean up this god-awful mess. Whoever thought eleven people for dinner was a good idea ought to be shot.”

  Hearing Dani’s answering groan, Jenn continued. “So, get up, get some coffee and take a shower. I’ll be there to pick you up in a while. You can bring your car home, since you left it here.”

  Dani groaned again.

  “Get up, Danielle, or I will bring my perky ass over there and throw water on you.”

  Knowing that Jenn would do exactly that, Dani finally sat up in the bed, pressing her hand to her forehead and growling into the phone. “I’m up. And when you
get here, you’d better bring me something to make me happier! Something greasy and bad for me.”

  “Fine, now get in the shower. I’ll see you in a bit.”

  Chapter 11

  When she heard her doorbell ring around eleven, she figured Jenn had finally gotten tired of cleaning the kitchen by herself and had decided Dani was done sleeping. She flung the door wide, a huge smile on her face, anticipating the greasy tacos or burgers and French fries Jenn had surely brought with her.

  “It took you long e…nough.” Her voice trailed off, getting quieter as the wind was sucked from her lungs.

  Jace was standing there, not Jenn.

  She watched the quick play of emotion across his face, feeling somehow exposed, as he eyed her skimpy shorts and tank top, from head to toe and back again. She was wishing she’d had the forethought to put on a bra when his eyes stopped, leveling one long look at her breasts. .

  His voice was tight when he asked, “May I come in?”

  Jace, in her house. Alone with Jace, in her house. She felt her body heat right down to the tips of her toes just from looking at him, and he wanted to come in. She took another look at his face, forcing herself to make eye contact. He didn’t look angry. And she did need to talk to him. They had to work this out, for Jenn and Brian if nothing else.

  “Look, Dani, I just came by to…”

  “Sure. Come on in.” She stepped back, allowing him entrance.

  * * * * *

  He walked through the door, surprised to find that it still looked very much like it had over six years ago. The last time he’d been to this house was for her parents’ funeral. Other than all the missing knickknacks and personal touches, it was still the same.