Jere's POV

The drive to the beach house weas quiet, Amanda didn't talk much and that was not like her. When we pulled into the driveway, I nudged her. "We're here."

"I haven't been here since the wedding," she said in a sad tone. Maybe she was regretting getting dragged into my mess.

"Well, we'll make up for the lost time, boo." I nudge her again and she smiles. "So, we didn't talk about the rules."

"Rules?" She squints her eyes at me.

"Are we PDA or no PDA, do we kiss?" I start listing off things that couples would do.

"I don't know about kissing," She laughs. "But you can hold my hand, sometimes if the spirit moves you."

I nod, "Fair enough."

I get out and open her door before grabbing our bags. Before I can close the trunk, Belly and Taylor have already run outside.

"Amanda!" Taylor hugs her. "It's been forever!" Belly is awkwardly off to the side, just waving. "Hi, it's nice to meet you."

Amanda being the outgoing charmer she is gives Belly a hug, "So nice to really meet you!"

Belly gives me an approving smile and I feel happy, this is going well. "Do you still drink?" Taylor asks her.

"Like a fish," she replies with a laugh. Taylor is three months pregnant; I am curious if she's going to be making mocktails or shooting patron.

"Great, Jeremy you put the bags away we'll be in the kitchen!" Taylor calls to me as she drags Amanda inside.

Belly doesn't follow behind right away, she comes to me and looks at the bags. "Need help?"

"No," I throw a duffle over my shoulder. "Isn't like mandatory I carry my girlfriend's heavy stuff around?"

Though I did not mean for it to, I flashback to helping Belly move into her dorm at finch. Her face says she might have too. "I'm going to go drink with your lady," she says turning on her heel.

After throwing the luggage in my room I trot down to the pool area where the guys are making BBQ. Conrad is wearing an Apron that reads 'Dad's make the dogs' and I feel myself gag. "Jere!" He pulls me into a bear hug, and I can smell the beer on his breath.

"Drinking before five," I say with a raised eyebrow.

"Taking a page out of your book," He cracks.

I didn't normally get drunk in the middle of the afternoon, maybe a few times in college. Steven walks up holding beers for everyone.

"Look," he says ominously. "I never said this, but Amanda is HOT!" He says slapping me on the back. I take a beer from his hands.

"Oh, she came?" Conrad looks around, as if she'd appear in the backyard out of thin air.

"Oh yeah she did," Steven makes a low whistle. I find myself more uncomfortable than before, feeling a twist in my stomach. This is my best friend they're talking about. Sure, I know she's hot, but it is gross to hear Steven talk about her like that!

"Enough," I cringe.

Conrad eyes me, "What you don't think your own girlfriend is attractive?"

"Don't be stupid," I roll my eyes. "I know that Amanda's gorgeous, I just don't like hearing Steven say it."

"Gorgeous, eh?" I didn't realize Amanda had walked outside. She walked over, her flower summer dress swaying.

Both the guys went from teasing me to sitting upright and smiling. "Amanda, meet the idiots."

She comes over and shakes hands with them both, a big grin on her face. "I was just coming out to check up on you," she said with a wink.

Conrad and Steven exchange a look that I don't like. "He's just telling us how you two finally got together," Conrad says with a slight slur.

I could have laughed from the expression on her face, because we hadn't discussed a backstory to this. "I actually wasn't."

"But we would love to hear," adds Steven.

"Me too," Amanda says folding her arms. I want to wipe that grin off her face!

I give her an unamused glare.

"I mean, I've never heard him tell the story, it's usually me."

"Well," I try to buy myself time by pulling Amanda close to me. "It started about a month ago," I start nodding my head repeatedly.

"Yup."

I see Belly and Taylor walk out, making their way over to us. Great. I take a sip of beer. "It happened pretty fast," I am at a loss for words.

"I guess this is why I always tell the story," Amanda laughs. She pats me on the arm, "Good try."

I just nod again, like an idiot trapped in my own body.

"So, about a month ago Jere finally realized I guess he's been in love with me all these years," She takes a deep breath in and gives me a almost sad look. I smile at her, admiring how she's just so effortlessly awesome all the time.

"In love?" Taylor wiggles her eyebrows.

"Yeah, well I haven't-" Amanda puts a hand up.

"He's in denial still," she says, and everyone chuckles. "But we were having one of those raunchy hook ups, our weekly routine." She's smiling so big now, I can tell she's enjoying this. "When I open the door to send him on his way, he finally asked me out." It's funny to hear her talk about us like that considering we've only made out about twice in our long friendship, both times happened over five years ago.

I noticed Belly take a large gulp of her margarita when Amanda mentioned hook ups. Taylor and the guys both look surprised and yet excited to hear the news. I want to ask Belly why she's downing her cup so fast, but I know the reason. She's having issues with Conrad and it's making her drink, something I've seen her do before.

Amanda charms everyone, like she always does. We have a nice quiet dinner because the kids were wiped out from playing in the pool. After helping clean-up, she pops a squat next to me on the love seat. Everyone cuddled beside their significant others. I take a glance at Belly and Conrad and even they look cozied up.

I wrap my arm around her shoulders, giving her a mischievous grin. She rolls her eyes at me before settling into my chest. I notice she takes a deep breath, holding in it for a moment before releasing a low sigh. "You, okay?" I whisper into her ear. She nods, just staring off at the movie on the TV.

I glance to my left; Belly is staring at us. Her eyes fixed on Amanda. Conrad doesn't notice, he's also watching the thriller. We lock eyes for a minute, I instinctively kiss the top of Amanda's head before looking away. I didn't do that to make her jealous. I told Amanda I wouldn't pull that kind of shit. I glance at Belly again; she's not looking anymore; she nestled herself into Conrad's neck and he's got the biggest smile on his face.

My chest sinks. It's happening again, that twisted energy that moves all three of us to just hurt the other one. Nope. I promised it would die on their wedding day and I will not let this happen again. I squeeze Amanda again, glad to have my best friend with me to keep me company. I look down at her and she's smiling too, I raise an eyebrow at her. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Amanda whispers. "I'm just enjoying the movie."

"You hate action movies," I nag. She looks at me, annoyed almost.

"I've never said that!" with a slap to my arm. "You just assumed that because I always want to watch Rom-coms."

She loves Rom-coms, I mean I do too, but she could only watch one genre and be happy with that. Steven shushed us, "I can't hear man!"

Amanda threw a pillow at him and Taylor, "This isn't the library, Steven!"
Taylor and Steven both looked surprised at her outburst, they then cracked smiles. "I like her," Taylor said to Steven who was rolling his eyes. When the movie was over and everyone was going up to their rooms, it was then I realized there was no extra guest room available.

"So, you'll be sleeping with me." I said nonchalantly. We were climbing the stairs, Amanda stopped and stared at me.

"So," she dropped her voice. "You'll be sleeping on the floor tonight."

Have we hooked up? Yes. We made out a few times when we were drunk in college. No sex, not even close to that. We'd never slept in the bed together either. Though I'd never seen the big deal in it, she never wanted to stay over, and I respected that. I've always tried to respect her as more than just a girl I made out with before. As hot as she was, I know for a fact she did not have sex with every guy she's dated. Even that one dude she dated for three months. Amanda has always told me how being intimate with someone is special and you can't just go around letting everyone in your temple.

"It's a comfortable floor," I chuckle. We get into the pink room, and she looks at me confused, I finally explain to her about Belly and Conrad and how this is not really my room anymore.

"That makes sense." She pops open her luggage, gesturing for me to turn around. "I see how she's been looking at you."

I'm facing the wall, trying not to focus on the fact that she's naked behind me. "How's that?"

"I can't explain it, but she's been staring at you like you're a white horse." She touches my arm and I turn around. She's wearing pink flower pajamas, the shirt is a little short and I can see her stomach a little, instinctively I want to touch her waist. I'm clearly a horn dog. This isn't the first time I've found myself attracted to her, I'd be an idiot if I weren't.

"I'm not saying you're wrong, but I do think maybe you are over thinking it." I am trying to change the subject because now I can't stop picturing Amanda's bear skin against mine.

"She feels something," Amanda sighs. "I don't know what, but she does."

"Well if that's true its gross because she's the mother of my nieces." I reject her idea, finally pulling my thoughts back into a friendly and fully clothed place.

"I agree." Amanda pulls me to sit on the bed. "But I remember watching you cry at a random frat party; I didn't know your name, but you were telling me about Belly." Not my best moment sure, but it was only a few week after our wedding that didn't happen.

"I'm not proud of that," I say dryly. "I'm not going to steal my brother's wife."

"See," she pushed hair from my face. "I know you're a great guy Jere, but I know that woman has some kind of witchcraft on you two."

"It's not like that anymore," I say standing up. "I promise, it's really not."

She nods. "Hey, it's not my business." I just sigh. I have no words left for her. "It's late, let's sleep." She looks down, I can feel her shame for me. She thinks I am capable of committing that kind of sin against Conrad.

I fix my bed on the floor, nice and uncomfortable. I stare up at the ceiling. I don't think Belly wants me, but I know how sometimes she can get when things aren't all shiny and perfect. I know she doesn't love me, she never really did. I will stick out of this.