Page 120 of And Now, Back to You

Jackson’s eyes spark in interest before mellowing into a patient sort of caution. “I’m not going to intentionally destroy station property, Delilah. The van is safe with me.”

I snicker. “I know that, but—” I glance toward my house. Imagine my flannel sheets with Jackson in between them. My belly gives a happy little swoop. “Come inside. Stay with me.”

His hands flex on the wheel. “You’re tired.”

“So are you.” I saw my teeth against my bottom lip and unbuckle my seat belt. “We take care of each other,” I remind him. “Come inside with me. Get some rest.” A thought occurs. “Unless you want to be back with the girls tonight, then—”

He shakes his head. “With how quickly we left this morning, I haven’t told them I’m back yet. Besides, they were excited about doing snow things with Maya. I’d break their heart if I brought them home early.” He reaches across the console and cups my jaw, fingers fanned wide across the side of my face. “You’re sure?” he whispers.

I nod. “Very.”

The engine cuts out. It feels like I can hear each individual snowflake land against the windshield. I get a glimpse of the clock on the dash. 10:02 p.m. God. It feels like it should be two in the morning. A hundred years from now.

Jackson creaks open his door. “Wait there.”

“For wha—” I start to ask, but his door is already closed, shaking the cab of the van. I watch through the windshield as he crosses in front of the hood, and then Jackson is in the frame of the passenger-side door, gripping my knees, turning my body, handling me like I’m some precious thing.

“You didn’t put on your snow boots before we left,” he says in explanation, walking backward over the small patch of grass to the sidewalk while he holds my waist, keeping me levitating two inches off the ground. He reaches back into the van and grabs my bag, easing it over his shoulder, all while he keeps me snug against his body with his other arm. “I don’t want you to fall.”

“Very efficient.” I loop my arms around his neck, punch-drunk. “I should make you carry me like this everywhere.”

“I’m sure no one would have questions.”

He turns toward my house with one hand braced under my ass to hold me steady, slow as he navigates the stairs. I rest my chin against his shoulder and hold on to him, hanging like—

“What are those fish called?” I rub my nose against his neck. “The ones that dangle off the bellies of sharks and whales?”

“You’re delirious, baby,” he huffs against my temple, brushing his lips there once. He sounds amused. “And those fish are called remoras. They have a modified dorsal fin that acts like a suction cup.”

I grin. “I knew you’d know that.”

“Where are your keys?”

“In my pocket.”

His hand slides over the curve of my ass, feeling across my back pockets. I snicker into his ear.

“My jacket pocket, Jackson.”

He jostles me slightly as he reaches into my jacket pocket instead, pulling out a key ring with a tiny fuzzy bunny on it. He laughs, low and soft, before pressing the key into the lock.

My house is warm and quiet and I feel myself slipping further into exhaustion as familiarity curls around me. Jackson toes off his boots then tugs at mine, leaving both of our jackets in a discarded heap on the floor. He navigates silently through my house while I stay wrapped around him, my nose in his throat and my hands clasped behind his neck.

“Where’s your bedroom?”

“Second door,” I slur. “Mm, that’s the one.”

I’m grateful I cleaned before I left, the sheets on my bed soft as Jackson sets me down on the edge. He stays in front of me, his body between my knees, his hands cradling my face in the dark. I close my eyes and lean into his touch as he traces his thumbs under my eyes. The same way I did to him at the lodge.

His thumb catches a tear, and a sigh rattles out of him.

“Baby,” he whispers, sounding so impossibly sad. “Don’t cry.”

“Just a long day, you know?” I sniff, feeling everything like a boulder strapped across my shoulders. “He’s okay, I know that, but I’m just—I’m having some trouble with—”

I don’t know what’s going to happen with my grandpa. I don’t know what’s going to happen with my job. I don’t know what’s going to happen with Jackson. All of it twists and braids together until a knot sits heavy over my heart.

Jackson hushes me, his hands pushing through my hair. “You’re all right,” he says, voice low, and I nod because yes, I am. With him here, everything feels manageable. I don’t have to hold it alone. He’s here to help. He squeezes my neck and tilts my face back, eyes searching in the dark. “Let’s get you to sleep.”