Page 202 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

“He’s close with his parents. We sat with his mom at the past two games. His Dad is supposed to be⁠—”

“Pretty girl, our best friends in the world are falling in love.”

“Scuba Sadi in the hot tub put an end to that.”

“I hate that bitch more than I can tell you, and that’s my point. Our best friends dating, or whatever, there is shit they have yet to divulge to each other, it’s not our place to take that away.”

He puts that friend clause right on the table.

“They’re our best friends, Jade. We can be there for them. We can guide them. We can listen to them. But they can’t fucking affect us. It can’t happen. What happens between Lucas and Tessa cannot become what happens between you and me.”

She looks at me, and I can see she’s still not convinced.

“And you can’t compare me to him. I don’t deal with my shit like he does. I don’t disappear when things get hard. I don’t go looking for someone else when I’m pissed off or hurt. And I can’t change him, Jade. I can only guide him.”

She huffs, and I shake my head.

“As a matter of fact, I got him to make a win-the-girl-back play instead of walking away from a girl who doesn’t just want Links status.”

Her eyebrows lift.

“I promise you, he did not invite her over, and he didn’t touch her. And that’s all I can say without fucking him over.”

She looks down at the bear in her arms.

“Now tell me, Jade Ross, can you trust in this?” I put my hand against my chest. “This love thing driving me to fucking sneak in a window the night before a Homecoming game because I can’t sleep without saying goodnight to my pretty girl?”

She looks at me for a second, and then her mouth twitches.

Before she can answer, Jack’s voice comes from the hallway.

“Yes, Jade. Could you just trust the man who broke in the window so the rest of us can get some fucking sleep?”

Jade giggles.

I lean toward her and whisper, “I’m so sorry, Mr. Ross. I would have called, but I didn’t want to wake you.”

“And how did that work out, Mr. Lane?” I don’t say anything. “Use the door when you leave. No more of that climbing-tree shit.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

37

HOMECOMING

Jade

“She’ll be here,” Phoebe says beside me.

“I know.” I nod up and down like a damn bobblehead.

“You’ve looked over there like twelve times.”

“I have not.” I lie.

“You have,” Becca confirms.