JACKSON RODE AROUND Dodge Cove to clear his head Monday evening, searching for ideas. He rode without any real destination. The Harley-Davidson Daytona had served him well on so many midnight rides. Only about a thousand of them were ever made. The bike was distinctive for its front wheel sticking out, curved handlebar, and yellow chrome finish. When the rest of the guys got cars, he got a badass bike. He’d found it at a junkyard for next to nothing and spent a summer putting it back together.
His home might have stayed the same, but everything else in his life seemed different. Especially Natasha. She looked good. Damn good. Maybe even better. A year without him had changed her, and he didn’t know how he felt about it. All he really knew was that he needed her back in his life. How he’d lasted a year without her was impossible to make sense of. The last six months had certainly been hell.
Confused and more than a little lost, Jackson rode to the Grant Estate at the crack of dawn. Leaving the bike on the gravel path, he snuck into the detached building of the indoor pool like a thief in the night. Splashing drew him to the water.
Since Preston and Nathan had decided to live together in Colorado, Jackson envied them. Their love story had started right around the same time his and Natasha’s did. They might not have figured out their feelings for each other as fast, but Jackson knew Preston felt for Nathan the same way he felt for Natasha. How Jackson had ever let go of that kind of love was completely insane.
Stepping to the pool’s edge, Jackson waited until its occupant reached him.
“Jesus!” Preston yelled, slapping the water in surprise. He yanked off his goggles and cap and glared up at Jackson. “Fuck you for scaring the shit out of me.”
Jackson laughed. “Hello to you too.”
Preston gripped the edge of the pool with both hands and hauled himself out. Jackson stepped back and grabbed a towel from a stack beside one of the lounge chairs. Grinning, he tossed the towel over to Preston. The swimmer caught it without flinching. Then Jackson stretched out onto one of the chaises, cradling his head in his arms.
“You need to teach your boyfriend to curse better,” Jackson said. “He called me a shitface when he and Tash were talking. Not that I didn’t deserve it.”
“You have to admit, you are kind of a shitface.”
“I don’t remember you being this cranky after a swim. Does this have to do with the fact that Nate is staying in DoCo?”
Preston wiped the towel down his face and said, “How did you know about that?”
“The balcony doors aren’t that thick. I’m sorry, man.”
“He thinks you’re here to hurt Tash again.” Preston took a seat on the lounge chair to Jackson’s right. He slung the towel over his shoulders and leaned forward until his forearms rested on his knees. “I keep telling him that you want her back, but he doesn’t believe me. Even chewed my ear off because I’m still in contact with you.”
“Thanks for sticking by me,” Jackson said. He closed his eyes for a second and sighed. When he opened them again, he stared at the purplish-pink sky over the glass ceiling. “To be honest, if you hadn’t knocked some sense into me in those texts, I don’t know what I would have done. I left because I thought I was doing the right thing. Going on tour? That was the dream, man. But seeing Tash in Amsterdam was a reality check. No matter how many gigs I do, none of it makes sense without her.”
The swimmer sighed, shaking his head. “Honestly, I didn’t think you would listen to me, but I’m glad you did. I think she needs you just as much as you need her.”
Rubbing his face with both hands, Jackson asked, “How can you tell? Because from where I’m standing, all I can see is I hurt her and she hates me.”
Preston punched him playfully on the arm. “That doesn’t mean you should give up, right? I grew up watching you two. If there are people who fit together best—besides me and Nate—it’s you and Tash. I’m pretty sure that behind all that hate and hurt, she’s just as lost as you are.”
“Caleb told me that Tash was a total mess after I left.”
“It was bad. She’s come a really long way since then.”
A corner of Jackson’s lips tugged up. “Yeah. Not being with her for a year was hard enough. I didn’t realize being in the same room with her without being able to hold and kiss her would be worse.”
Preston’s eyebrows pushed together. “What do you expect? Of course there’s some blowback. Just hang in there.”
“Things have to change, man.” Jackson meant every word. “I have to change or I’m looking at a dead end.”
“Care to elaborate?”
Jackson sat up. “When I left, I thought I was living the life. You know? Then I realized all that means crap without my friends. Without…”
Preston studied him intently. “So what do you plan to do about it?”
Swinging his legs over the side, Jackson faced his friend and said, “She actually told me that I will have to stop time, defy gravity, and bring down the stars before she will consider forgiving me.”
A low whistle followed Jackson’s words.
“Yeah.”
“That’s tough, bro.”
Jackson rubbed his jaw. “Tell me about it. I just wish there was something more I could do, you know? She doesn’t want to talk to me, so I’m going to have to show her that I’m serious about getting her back. It has to be something big. Flowers and chocolate just won’t cut it.”
Preston frowned. “I can’t help you there. I’m not much of a romantic. Nathan is the fan of grand gestures.”
“Don’t say that.” Jackson smacked him on the arm good-naturedly. “What about that time you confessed your feelings for him?”
“That wasn’t a grand gesture. It was telling him the truth. Plus, I had some help.” Then Preston’s eyes grew wide. “But you already have all the help you need.”
“What do you mean?” But as soon as the question left Jackson’s mouth, Preston’s words clicked in his head. “Stopping time. Defying gravity. Bringing down the stars.”
“Exactly!” Preston frowned. “But it’s all impossible.”
“No…” Jackson cracked his knuckles. “No, it’s not. I just have to really think about it. Can you imagine? If I pull all this off, maybe she’ll actually forgive me.” He jumped to his feet and started walking toward the door. “This is going to be awesome!”
“What are you going to do?” Preston asked.
“Three grand gestures to win back the girl I love.”