A/N Thank you for your patience, I am updating Chasing Fire and I hope to update the least travelled soon. The last week has been an emotional whirlwind as I have spent every waking hour organising my Mother's funeral, when she was finally put to rest last Friday. Thank you for your patience and I hope to update more regularly. I have so many P/J stories in my head that I have begun and want to get them all finished.
Please R&R
I have used one of my fave songs - very 'on point' for this chapter, please check it out if you don't know it.
Chasing Fire
Chapter 3
I look up from the ground
To see your sad and teary eyes
You look away from me
And I see there's something you're trying to hide
And I reach for your hand but it's cold
You pull away again
And I wonder what's on your mind
And then you say to me you made a dumb mistake
You start to tremble and your voice begins to break
You say the cigarettes on the counter weren't your friend's
They were my mate's
And I feel the color draining from my face
And my friend said
"I know you love her, but it's over, mate
It doesn't matter, put the phone away
It's never easy to walk away, let her go
It'll be alright"
So I still look back at all the messages you'd sent
And I know it wasn't right, but it was fucking with my head
And everything deleted like the past, it was gone
And when I touched your face, I could tell you're moving on
But it's not the fact that you kissed him yesterday
It's the feeling of betrayal, that I just can't seem to shake
And everything I know tells me that I should walk away
But I just want to stay
And my friend said
"I know you love her, but it's over, mate
It doesn't matter, put the phone away
It's never easy to walk away, let her go
It'll be okay
It's gonna hurt for a bit of time
So bottoms up, let's forget tonight
You'll find another and you'll be just fine
Let her go"
But nothing heals the past like time
And they can't steal
The love you're born to find
But nothing heals the past like time
And they can't steal
The love you're born to find
"I know you love her, but it's over, mate
It doesn't matter, put the phone away
It's never easy to walk away, let her go
It'll be okay
It's gonna hurt for a bit of time
So bottoms up, let's forget tonight
You'll find another and you'll be just fine
Let her go"
It'll be alright
It'll be alright
It'll be alright
It'll be alright
It'll be alright
Be Alright - Dean Lewis
Pacey eyed Joey as she and Dawson made their way over to the table he, Jen and Matt sat at. He let out a breath of exasperation as she sauntered over, head held high and sat next to Jen in a seat furthest from her arch nemesis. Matt gave a sidelong glance before extending his hand to Joey.
"G'day, i'm Matt." He smiled warmly. Joey offered a lopsided half smile, something Pacey caught out of the corner of his eye and managed, with difficulty, to ignore the way his stomach somersaulted at her shy expression.
"Joey." She said, shaking his hand. Jen turned to Pacey and they engaged in polite chit chat about work and the end of college for another year, Jen elated by the idea of only having one year after the summer. Pacey glanced to Dawson who was yet to speak or acknowledge him, not that Pacey cared as he hadn't spoken a word to him either.
"You spoken to Jack lately?" He asked the small blonde. Jen sighed and nodded.
"Yeah, a few nights ago. You?" Pacey nodded slowly.
"Yeah, late last night." He spoke cautiously. "I'm worried about him, I was thinking the next chance I get I might take a trip to Capeside and see how he's doing." Jen nodded solemnly, she had planned to do the same over the summer as well. Dawson having overheard Jen and Pacey's conversation snorted in derision causing Pacey's head to snap up and look to his former best friend.
"You got a problem Leery?" He spat. Dawson shook his head.
"I just don't really see how you would care is all Pacey, you only ever think about yourself." Pacey rolled his eyes at the comment.
"Go fuck yourself Dawson." He snapped at him, downing the last of his beer and slamming his glass down. Their argument now getting the attention of the other three at the table. Joey narrowed her eyes at Pacey, wondering why he was such an ass. Dawson had not long lost the woman he loved, she didn't understand what was going between the two men but being an insensitive prick Pacey obviously was she couldn't stand it.
"What the hell is wrong with you Pacey?" She sneered at him. "Are you really that much of an unfeeling bastard that you can't at least be civil with someone who just lost someone he obviously loved very much." Her eyes narrowed at him "Not that you would ever know what real love is considering your cold heart that probably doesn't even beat inside that chest of yours." Jen moved her arm to rest a hand on Joey's forearm in silent warning, Joey looked to her briefly, preparing to ignore her and go into an even bigger angry spiel at Pacey.
"You know what Princess, I don't give a fuck what you think. Anything you have to say really means shit to me." He said and stood to make his way to the bathroom.
The door to Hell's Kitchen swung open and Audrey stepped inside, offering a quick wave before making her way to the women's rest room quickly, Joey watched at Jen stood abruptly and walked with detirmination as she followed her.
"Oh dear there goes momma bear." Matt joked. Joey stood up wondering what the problem was and made to follow. She pushed her way into the women's bathroom, hearing part of an argument between the two although she couldn't see them.
"...either you tell him you're cheating on him or I will" She heard Jen's voice, dripping with hatred toward the other woman.
"You wouldn't dare."
"Try me." Joey bit down on her lip and quietly backed out, not wanting to intrude on a private argument she knew nothing about or who else it involved.
By the time Joey had made it back to her seat Dawson looked up to her with a questioning look.
"What's going on?" He asked, Joey shrugged.
"Jen's having an arguement in there with some woman about how she's cheating on her boyfriend." She shrugged. Matt closed his eyes, Dawson let out a breath and Pacey who was back at his stool furrowed his eyebrows.
Joey looked around her in confusion and was about to ask when she noticed Pacey's face fall as Jen and Audrey made their way back towards them. Pacey stood abruptly and turned to Joey.
"Happy, maybe the cold heartless behaviour is catching eh?" He sneered at her. "Screw you bitch." He snapped and pushed his way from the bar out onto the sidewalk.
Silence fell over the small group, Joey looked around in surprise.
"What'd I say?" She asked innocently.
Pacey sat against the wall just outside of the bar, trying to keep his emotions in check. He shook his head in disbelief, maybe he had done something completely heinous in a past life to warrant such treatment by others in his life, especially those of the female variety. Pacey looked up as he heard the sound of the door being opened and chuckled, shaking his head.
The hits just keep on coming.
Joey walked up to him slowly, her hands in her back pockets. Pacey sat, his knees bent and his forearms resting lightly over them.
"What the hell to you want now Ivy League?" He looked up to her finally, Joey could see hurt in his eyes, something she hadn't seen since the funeral. She carefully tucked a loose tendril of chocolate brown hair behind her ear and chewed on her lower lip, she took a deep breath and slowly stepped forward.
"I-I'm sorry Pacey, I didn't know."
"Oh really, why is it I just don't believe you?" He spoke with accusation, his tone cold and void of emotion. Joey frowned, not knowing what to say to him. Pacey turned to look out across the road, trying to ignore her. "Just go back inside because neither of us likes the other enough to want to even try to fake civility." Joey sighed and nodded, turning she made her way back into the bar. She watched Pacey stand up out of the corner of her eye. He moved slowly to the curb and walked across to the building on the other side without a backward glance.
Joey's eyebrows knit as she watched him, surprised the man she had come to hate actually appeared as though his heart might actually beat.
The feel of hands grasping onto her shoulders pulled Joey's eyes away from the windows to an angry blonde in her face.
"You fucking bitch!" She spat, her face an inch off Joey's "What the hell did you think you were doing, you've ruined everything." Joey could see tears welling in the woman's eyes, her blue eyes glistening within her despair. Joey opened her mouth to speak, wanting to apologise, for what exactly she had no idea, at least not to this woman. Audrey shoved Joey hard and took off out of the bar in the direction of where Pacey had disappeared to.
Joey made her way over to Matt, Jen and Dawson, a look of contrite on her face as she looked to Jen.
"I'm really sorry Jen, I didn't know.." She said, feeling tears sting at her own eyes for the problems she had inadvertently caused. Jen simply shook her head and held a hand up. She motioned to the seat beside her where a fresh drink sat.
"It's okay Jo, I know. It's my fault really. I mean I had my suspicions for a while. I didn't find out for sure til a couple of weeks ago." Dawson stood up with a huff.
"Look, I'm going to take off." He said, Jen looked up to him and rolled her eyes.
"Okay, I'll give you a call during the week. Maybe we can get together for dinner sometime." She offered. Dawson nodded and lent down to kiss her cheek softly before moving off.
"And then there were three." Matt smiled softly, glancing over the road before looking back. Jen simply shook her head at what a mess this was. Jen, Joey and Matt finished their beers until Matt stood up and made his way to the door with Jen and Joey following. The night proving that high drama was never to be left to the angst of their formative years back in high school.
"Would have been great to be able to catch up with you without the drama." Jen smirked at Matt, he offered a light chuckle and kissed Jen on the cheek.
"I know but, there is always something that happens to throw a spanner in the works with this little group." He grinned. Jen shrugged. "It's about time I got home to the wife anyway." He nodded, offering a wave to Joey before sauntering off to his car and driving off.
Jen and Joey waved until Matt had disappeared around the corner before heading on foot to their own place.
Pacey remained at the window where he had stood for the past hour or so, completely ignoring Audrey's presence in his apartment. She had attempted to explain and even begged him for a second chance when she knew she couldn't lie her way out of the hole she now found herself in. Finally, Pacey found himself acquiesce with a sigh and turn to find Audrey slumped on the couch, her head in her hands. She looked up to him upon hearing him clear his throat audibly, her eyes bloodshot and puffy, her mascara smudged across her face and her normally silky well groomed blonde mane now in shambles around her.
Pacey drew in a deep breath and polished off the last of his beer. He set the empty bottle on the bench and folded his arms across his chest, lifted a brow. Now he was ready to hear whatever bullshit she would inevitably conjure up in her head.
He'd heard it before, twice.
Here he stood again, silently waiting.
"I'm sorry Pacey." Pacey closed his eyes and shook his head, he laughed lightly.
"That you were caught, I'm sure you are Audrey." He spoke, his tone distant and uncaring. Void of any emotion. Audrey blanched at Pacey's indifference, she stepped forward on shaky legs as she drew herself to standing and made her way to him. Audrey placed her hands on Pacey's upper arms. She felt his body tense beneath her touch.
"For everything Pace, you have to believe me i -"
"I don't have to do anything Audrey, least of all believe you. You are all the same." He scoffed and pulled himself from beneath her tough roughly to find his way to the front door, opening it for Audrey. "Get the hell out. You can collect whatever you had left here tomorrow. I'll be out to lunch with Jen so that would be the best time."
"Pacey please don-"
Pacey cut her off as though he had not even noticed she had begun speaking to him. He nodded. "That would definitely be the best time, out while I see the one person who truly cares about me. Because Audrey I do not wish to ever see you again." Pacey waited for Audrey to leave, she dropped her head and made her way out. Pacey closed the door behind her with a resounding click.
Pacey turned and leaned against the closed door, he closed his eyes, feelings over a similar event coming to him in a rush of anger and pain.
It was late spring and work had been relatively easy that day, tiring but he'd enjoyed it. Pacey made his way up to the small apartment he shared with Andie, it was halfway between Harvard and Boston Fire Department so they had chosen it for their equal commute, not that Pacey really cared. He would have lived anywhere if it meant he could come home to Andie at the end of his shifts. He had not felt this happy in quite some time and it was thanks to a few things; he was out of Capeside, working and doing well and he shared his life with the one woman he could easily see it being forever with.
The moans of pleasure pulled him up short as he closed the door behind him. His stomach twisted within him in agonising realisation as to what he would find on the other side of his and Andie's bedroom door. Pacey took a breath, wanting nothing more than to turn and leave, to never discover what was behind the door. Being the glutton for punishment that he appeared to have a proclivity for Pacey reached out a hand and opened the door. He stopped in the doorway, along with his heart.
Finding Andie in bed with another man was devastating, when that man was Dawson, his best friend since they were toddlers, certainly something else entirely. Not only had one person betrayed him but two had. The two people he thought were the most important people in his life.
Now he simply had nothing.
He had no idea if they noticed before or after he stormed into the room, he was enraged and saw nothing beyond the two who had caused his anger. Pacey picked up the clothes belonging to dawson and Andie from the floor and bent down to grip the sheet in his hand they held clutched to their naked bodies in surprise. Pacey tugged at it swiftly, the light cotton snapped in the air. He made his way down the short hall to the front door and tossed it along with their clothes outside of the apartment. Moving back into the bedroom where Dawson and Andie barely had time to stand Pacey bent to grasp the bottom sheet from the bed and tugged it free from the mattress, he then tossed it out of the front door too. His last trip back inside and he gripped both Dawson's arm and Andie's, dragging them, they had begun to protest. Andie was crying and telling him she was sorry, Pacey didn't speak a word, instead he pushed them out of the apartment where they tumbled to the floor. Pacey slammed the door shut and locked the door behind him, turning to lean against the back it, slowly sliding down to slump upon the floor beneath him. Pacey's body, along with his entire world crumpled in a heap, broken upon the floor.
Pacey slowly stood and made his way the the fridge for another drink, this time he knew it was different because this time he had prepared himself, prepared his heart. This time was completely different because he didn't love Audrey, yes he was angry. Yes he was hurt and felt betrayed. But, with Andie he felt as though he couldn't survive the betrayal, that he was lost and he would be nothing without her. This was different, he didn't love Audrey and he knew he could get past it once the initial anger abated he knew he could dust himself off again.
Pacey sighed and made his way over to sit on the couch knowing his need for self preservation may have very well driven Audrey to be unfaithful but he was not willing to risk it again, not after Andie. His heart would not take it if he gave it away only to get it back shattered.
If that meant living the rest of his life never experiencing love as wholly and complete as he did when he was with Andie well then it would just have to be enough. The alternative would kill him.
Pacey sat in silence until he decided he had drank enough to silently mourn the loss of another relationship and went to ben, his heart a little bruised and his head aching. Overall something he would definitely get over by the time morning came around. He had done it before with other short lived relationships since his break up with Andie two years before.
He would also, more than likely do it again with others in the future.
Joey lay on her bed in the dark, thinking over the nights events. She had thought about asking Jen about the rife between Pacey and Dawson and why they hated each other but thought better of it. She decided she would leave it alone, she didn't need to get into other people's dramas. Certainly not the dramas of a man, while nice and sweet enough he had just lost the love of his life and the other guy, well he was an ass and she hated him.
Joey slipped beneath her sheets and closed her eyes, she couldn't remove the look she saw in Pacey's eyes. It was a pain in them she had not seen before, something she never expected he of all people could possibly portray because quite simply he was a man who had no feelings, he had proven that countless times in the short time she had known him. While she attempted to convince herself of this, she could stop but find herself intrigued by him. Joey sighed, wondering why she cared. He was an ass and she shouldn't care. Joey rolled over in her bed and groaned. Maybe she would tag along with Jen on her weekly lunch with Pacey, if nothing else she could at least try to apologise to him again, just because he was a cold hearted person didn't mean she was and he certainly didn't deserve what had happened that night.
Hoping Jen would let her accompany her to lunch Joey closed her eyes and finally found herself content, she would apologise and hopefully all would go a little better than the first one she offered. Maybe he might accept it.
The warmth of the late spring weather helped to lighten the feeling of anxiety Joey was beginning to feel, Jen walked alongside her as they made their way into the cafe to meet Pacey. Looking around her with anxious eyes Joey didn't find the familiar piercing blue eyes and surmised he hadn't arrived yet. Jen nodded to a table by the window. Joey and Jen moved between the chairs, happy it was less crowded now the popular hangout for young twenty something year olds had left for the summer. Joey was certainly thankful they would have less of a crowd when she was the subject of Pacey's certain diatribe with her as the sole subject. She was beginning to think she was crazy for willingly putting herself in this position.
Jen and Joey sat themselves down to wait for their lunch companion, Joey could feel her pulse quicken beneath her skin as she caught sight of Pacey out of the corner of her eye through the window. Her eyes sort him out as Jen talked about taking a drive up to see Jack in Capeside the following week, Joey nodded absently. Her eyes drawn to the way Pacey moved across the street, he walked with a confident swagger Joey had previously took be that of arrogance, now after seeing the sincerity of pain in his eyes the night before Joey saw him differently, at least while he wasn't shooting his mouth off with acidic insults.
Pacey caught Joey's eyes behind the window as he approached, he closed his eyes briefly and cursed under his breath. His day had now taken a turn for the worse. He thought about walking right by and not entering but knowing Joey had now noticed him he couldn't very well do that, Pacey capitulated and made his way to the entrance.
Joey found, she had not only agreed travelling to Capeside was a wonderful idea but she would also accompany her as well, her attention pulled toward her friend when Jen had also divulged she planned to have Pacey accompany them.
While Jen knew Pacey and Joey didn't get along very well, in actual fact they happened to abhor each other Jen still considered it to be a great idea the three of them travel to Capeside to help Jack with the healing process. While the idea of asking Dawson instead of Pacey would certainly be safer and there was little chance of blood being shed Jen knew she could not spend too long in Dawson's presence. She found she was forcing herself to try and remain civil with him, being incredibly close to Pacey over the years she knew where her loyalties lay.
Pacey dropped into the chair across from Jen by the window, his scowl matching the expression Joey now sported.
"Hey Lindley" He smiled warmly at his friend, choosing to ignore Joey altogether. Jen said her hello and without wanting to think long enough to back out Joey spoke.
"How are you Pacey?" Was it really hard for her to just ignore him, Pacey let out a breath knowing he couldn't simply ignore her now could he.
"Fine." Offering the brunette nothing more than a curt reply. Joey chewed on her lower lip and dragged an errant lock of hair behind her ear nervously. "Pacey, I-" Pacey only held his hand up to stop her and shook his head. Ceasing any more words that may escape her lips. Joey opened her mouth to argue but quickly shut it once she caught the glint of malice which flashed across the perfect blue of his eyes.
She instead sat in silence while Pacey and Jen spoke, allowing the two old friends to chat happily while she sat in silence, occasionally speaking when Jen attempted to pull her into the conversation. They were eating their recently delivered lunch when Jen dropped the proverbial bomb.
"So, Joey's going to be joining us on our upcoming sojourn to Capeside." Jen grinned. Pacey's fork clattered to the table, he looked to Jen in horror and then to Joey who nodded meekly.
"Well great, that's just great." He said with sarcasm. Jen rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"I don't know why you two have to be so nasty with one another." She said. "You'd think after everything you both would realise life is too short to hold onto anger and, well fuck I have no idea what it is between you two seeing as you don't even know each other." Jen snapped, her fuse becoming much shorter by the minute in the company of the pair of brunettes she considered two of her closest friends.
Pacey frowned, glancing up to Joey briefly before looking back to Jen. She held his stare, steadfast. Pacey sighed and nodded.
Jen was his closest friend and she had stood by him through a lot, the least he could do is do something for her too. Jen now looked to Joey, silently challenging her to argue.
"Hey, don't look at me. I already agreed to this."
Jen grinned as they went back to their meals to finish in silence.
Joey left soon after to put on a load of laundry before she needed to get ready for work. With two Hell's Kitchen employees away for the summer, Joey was offered a couple of extra shifts per week which she was happy to take.
She needed the money after all, which naturally was the only reason.
It wasn't the prospect of seeing a certain blue eyed brunette more regularly.
She needed the money.
It wasn't as though she knew how often he drank at Hell's Kitchen.
She hoped to get home for Christmas which took money.
Sure, Pacey lived right across the street.
Christmas would mean she could spend time with her family.
The Apartment was thrown into darkness while Pacey wasn't paying attention, instead he sat in his own quiet reverie, his thoughts over the events of the last twenty four hours now trudged around inside of his head. It wasn't even about Audrey, not really. He had noticed she had stopped by and collected her things, Pacey had certainly noticed that and while he knew he wouldn't feel the stab of pain and despair at her adulterine behavior, he did expect to feel at least something.
He didn't, at least not as far as Audrey was concerned. He felt betrayed and that was pretty much it, he didn't feel heartbroken either. There was something and it was the memory of Andie and of how he felt when Andie had betrayed him; both times. This is what truly hurt, this is why he kept his heart guarded.
He still missed Andie and he loved her, he thought the ache inside him would never leave at the loss. While he hadn't loved Andie anymore when she had taken her own life he did still feel the residual pain of how she had tore his heart out without a second thought. Without delving into possible consequences or ramifications.
Pacey thought back to a conversation he had with her when he returned to their apartment after work to retrieve his belongings, deciding she should keep the apartment because he simply could not stand to be in there any more.
"I'm sorry Pacey. I am so, so sorry." Pacey felt numb, he only nodded. He had no idea what to say, what could he say. He was sorry too.
He was sorry he had allowed himself to allow her to break his heart again, it had not healed quite right after the first betrayal, the scars were still there and now she had cut them open again. She had now left him to try and find a way to reseal those wounds, knowing full well the scars which would now be left behind would be much larger and more noticeable than they were before. "But, it didn't mean anything." She said this quickly, did she mean this or was it a knee jerk reaction to manipulate him.
It didn't really matter what it was, the outcome was to be the same. He wanted to get as much distance between he and Andie as humanly possible.
Pacey laughed bitterly at her while throwing clothes into a duffel bag, he shook his head in disbelief.
"I really don't get it Andie." He moved into the bathroom to collect his razor and other toiletries. "It must have meant something Andie." He said, brushing past her to collect a few Cd's from the living room. Andie shook her head, tears began to sting at her eyes, she sniffled as they trickled down her cheeks. Pacey glanced to her and for an instant his initial reaction was to move to her and hold her. He stopped himself because he wasn't that person for her. He was not that man who could comfort her, be with her or love her. She had made that impossible now.
Andie opened her mouth and stepped toward him. Pacey looked away from her, his body tensed beneath her fingers as she reached out to place a hand over his heart. Pacey recoiled from her contact, he shook his head to clear his thoughts, his eyes averted from hers. Finally on a breath he allowed himself one last look, one glance into the eyes of the woman he always thought everything would begin and end with.
"No Pacey, it didn't. It didn't mean anything" She said, her voice faltered, her desperation evident as she spoke. Pacey closed his eyes briefly and stepped closer to her.
"Andie, if it really didn't mean anything we'd still be together. It meant everything to me." Pacey tossed the last of his belongings and heaved his bag up over his shoulder. He moved with deliberation with his back to her, not daring himself to look back. He paused in the doorway and placed the apartment key on the hall stand. Walking out for the last time, never again would this ever happen, not with Andie and not with anyone else. His heart was too fragile to ever risk it again. "Take care Andie."
Joey yawned, it was unusually quite for a Saturday night. Her shift was a lengthy one but if she had to admit it she would have much rather be run off her feet with drinks than the slow torture of boredom she was now faced with. Joey worked with another woman a few years older than her, Joey didn't really know her as she had only started working the shifts with her. Melanie was certainly nice enough from what she could tell. Long blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes and dimples in her cheeks.
Joey and Melanie stood leaning against the bar looking out over the tables occupied by a few patrons.
"Is it possible to die from boredom?" Melanie cocked an eye brow at Joey, Joey snorted her response.
"While nothing has been scientifically proven i am beginning to wonder, i think if we used ourselves as a case study we could quite possbly have a paper published on the very likeliness that boredom can kill you." Joey nodded, eliciting a soft chuckle from Melanie.
The two woman looked up from their game of condensation hangman on the bar game to the familiar voice.
"Hey gorgeous." Pacey lent over to kiss Melanie on the cheek.
"Hey yourself hot stuff." She smiled
"How's my favorite girl going tonight?" He asked her, Melanie grinned her face beamed.
"You should see her Pacey, she is trying so hard to get up and crawl." Pacey grinned. Melanie moved off to get Pacey his usual while he stole a glance at Joey without so much as a nod of his head in acknowledgement. "Do you know Joey?" She asked him. Pacey scowled and took a drink from his bottle.
"Yeah." Melanie looked between the two curiously and frowned at the tension between them, feeling the temperature drop below freezing in the bar suddenly.
"Okay then." She spoke warily. Joey rolled her eyes and moved off to clear a recently vacated table. "Could you be anymore of a jerk Pace?" Melanie questioned him, Pacey shrugged.
"I have no time for stuck up spoiled ivy league brats." He said, ignoring the frown his remark had caused over Melanie's features. She shook her head.
"Pacey if she's just another rich ivy league brat why the hell would she be slaving away behind a bar and not off have a wild summer sailing somewhere?" Her eyebrow quirked in question. Pacey's eyes narrowed at his friend before he looked back to Joey wiping tables down.
Melanie certainly did have a point. Why was she stuck in Boston working in a bar if she came from money and didn't need to work?
While Pacey was open to conceding his initial thought with regard to her current status of family money he still found her irritating as hell and bitchy beyond all belief. You certainly didn't need money to be any of those things.
That was not something he would change his opinion on anytime soon or possibly ever. He didn't like her and that was something he was not going to budge on.
While Jen had said to him this upcoming trip to Capeside with all of them there might help him get to know Joey a little better, Pacey didn't care because he couldn't think of anything worse that getting to know her, not amount of 'bonding' on the Cape was likely to change his mind on the matter. He had said that to Jen.
He did not like Joey.
He didn't want to get to know her.
That was not going to change.
Ever.