Jenn's POV
I leaned against the side of the car, trying to act unbothered, but my chest was tight. Jas stood beside me, arms crossed, eyes flicking between me and them.
From a distance, I saw Isabelle talking with that signature calm confidence. Andres mostly listened, occasionally shaking his head. His body language wasn't warm. If anything—it felt like he was done with the conversation before it even started.
After a few more tense moments, she gave him a small nod and walked away—her heels clicking dramatically against the pavement. As she passed me, she didn't say a word. Just offered a glance that held too many unsaid things.
Andres turned toward me. His shoulders dropped, his expression unreadable, and for a second, I thought maybe I didn't want to hear what he was about to say.
But then he walked straight to me, stopped just close enough, and said, "She's my ex."
I said nothing.
"She showed up uninvited. We haven't spoken in months. We ended things for a reason, Jenn."
Still, I didn't respond. My face probably said more than I meant it to. He noticed.
"Hey," he said gently, reaching out to take my hand. "Nothing about what just happened changes anything between us. I need you to know that."
"You didn't tell her to leave at first," I said, barely above a whisper.
"Because I needed to end it properly. I didn't want there to be a 'what if' lingering around."
I looked up at him, finally meeting his eyes. "And what now?"
He stepped even closer, lacing our fingers together. "Now, I focus on what's right in front of me."
My heart fluttered.
"You sure?" I asked, voice soft.
He smiled that smile—the one that always made me weak. "I've never been more sure."
And before I could say anything else, he leaned in and kissed me—right there, in front of the world, like he didn't care about anything or anyone else.
It wasn't rushed. It wasn't wild. It was calm, sure, and full of intention. Like he was sealing the promise between us.
When we pulled away, his forehead rested against mine.
"I don't want to mess this up," he whispered. "You make things feel… different."
I squeezed his hand. "You already kissed me twice, Andres. I think we've passed the point of 'different.'"
He laughed softly, and I couldn't help but smile.
From the back, Jas cleared her throat loudly. "Ahem. Sorry to interrupt, but if you two lovebirds are done having your moment, can we please get food? I'm starving and emotionally exhausted."
We both burst into laughter, the tension finally dissolving.
As we got into the car again—this time, with me sitting comfortably in the front beside him—I looked at Andres from the corner of my eye.
He caught me staring and whispered, "You're really bad at hiding it."
"Shut up," I muttered, smiling like an idiot.
And in that moment, I knew—we were just getting started.