Page 142 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

“I heard all of it.”

She finally stops fighting me, and I loosen my arm but don't let go completely, not yet. Lucas stands there with his arms crossed, watching the BMW disappear.

I know him; he's not angry anymore, he’s hurt.

Tessa sees it, too. She glances between him and the road.

Then she shrugs out of my arm.

“I'm gonna go.”

Lucas looks at her. “Tessa⁠—”

“No.” She points at him. “You need to go home and figure your shit out.”

He opens his mouth.

She turns to me. “Can you give Jade a ride?”

I look at Jade. “Sure thing.”

Tessa walks away, Lucas stays where he is, and Jade moves closer to me.

For a second, neither of us says anything.

Then she says, “He's hurting.”

“Yeah.”

“I don't think he expected that.”

“Neither did I.”

She looks up at me. “Are you okay?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

She gives me a look. “Really?”

I smile. “Mostly, you?”

She reaches for my hand and I take it. “Yeah.”

“You wanna check on him?” she asks.

“I know my boy, he needs a minute.”

She nods to Tessa leaving in the truck, “And she needs home.”

When we get to my ride.

“Which one is you?” she asks.

“Navy Acura,” I say.

“Nice.”

“Yeah, well, it was my parents, then my sisters.” I say as I open the door.