Page 70 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

“If you stay here forever, that means I have failed you.”

I shake my head. “That’s not true.”

“Baby girl, it does.” He closes his eyes as if he’s praying, says, “I promise you, it does.”

He’s doing that thing he used to do, that thing that used to irritate us, but God, how I have missed it. He’s teaching me something that will make sense to me one day.

We sit in silence until the phone rings. When I don’t move, Dad nods to it. “Could be Tessa.”

I hurry to stand, rounding the table to kiss my dad on the cheek and whisper, “You can’t make me,” before hurrying to the phone

As I answer, I hear him chuckle.

“Hello.”

“Pretty Girl.”

I close my eyes and let the smile

“Hi, Tommy.”

His chuckle rumbles through the line. “Been thinking about me?”

“No, not really.”

He takes in a sharp breath, “Ouch.”

“Okay, maybe a little.” I concede.

“A little,” he repeats, sounding entirely too pleased with himself. “I’ll take that for now.”

I laugh and lean against the wall, twisting the phone cord around my finger.

I could get so lost in his voice, his smile, the way he makes me feel, well, pretty. But, right now, I just can’t.

“Hey, Tommy?”

“Yeah, Pretty Girl?”

I hesitate. The last thing I want is for him to think I'm trying to get off the phone with him specifically. Because I'm not. It has nothing to do with him.

“We’re kind of expecting a call.” The words come out awkwardly. “It’s not because I don’t want to talk to you.” Smooth, Jade, real smooth. I squeeze my eyes shut. “I mean, obviously because that call can’t come in while I’m on the phone with you, but not because of you. Just...”

His low chuckle cuts me off. “No worries.”

Relief washes over me. “I just don't want you thinking I'm brushing you off.”

“Pretty Girl, if you were brushing me off, I don't think you'd be this worried about me knowing it.”

I laugh. “Fair.”

“Call me later if you want.”

The smile immediately returns. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I can hear the grin in his voice. “My parents are in bed by nine anyway.”

“Good to know.”