Luckily, I’m not the only one concerned about Jude.
Celeste leaps into action the quickest, gently linking arms with Jude. “Hey, check it out, the couch is free! Let’s sit.”
Jude’s gaze lingers on the front door for another moment before nodding and following Celeste’s lead. The two flop onto the sectional, and Jude’s eyes fall closed as they lean back into the cushions.
Without missing a beat, Celeste waves me over. “Have they had any water?”
“Yeah, let me go grab their cup from Grace’s room,” I reply, practically sprinting down the hall to retrieve it.
“Oliver?” Wren appears behind me in the doorway, watching me warily.
“I have to get this to Jude,” I explain, holding up Jude’s half-full cup of water.
“Okay, but are we going to talk about what just happened?”
“Later,” I reply flatly, scooting past them and rushing back to Jude.
“Really, guys,” I hear Jude say as I approach. “I’m fine! She wasn’t feeling good, so she had to leave, and it’s okay!”
“Okay, hon,” Max replies, handing them a plate with a variety of crackers and chips. “But I still want you to eat something.”
As I arrive with their cup, Jude smiles up at me. “Oliver!”
I blink, glancing between Celeste and Max. Celeste shrugs and accepts Jude’s cup from me. When I meet Jude’s gaze again, they’re watching me expectantly.
“Oliver?” I ask. “I hardly know her.”
Jude giggles, and it calms my nerves. They pat the empty spot on the couch on the other side of them. “Couch time! Come sit.”
I happily comply, collapsing into the cushions beside Jude. They grab my arm and link it with theirs, leaning into me affectionately, which kicks my heart into overdrive.
“Missed you,” they whisper.
My chest feels like it might explode. “Missed me? I haven’t gone anywhere.”
Jude lets out a little groan. “I mean, from before. I missed you before we met.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“I didn’t know it was you that I was missing before we met, but I knew I was missing someone. Now I know it was you. I’ve missed you.”
As understanding dawns on me, my breath catches in my throat. If I had been standing, my knees would have gone weak.
God, I love them. I love them, I love them,I love them.
“I missed you, too, Jude.”
“That’s hella cute and all, but you should drink some more water, Jude,” Celeste interjects.
With a huff, Jude obeys.
“You should have heard them earlier,” Max mutters to Celeste from the ottoman in front of us. “Jude said that if they had known Oliver in high school, they would have had a huge crush on him.”
“Jesus Christ,” Celeste grumbles. “How did we let them get this blasted?”
“We shouldn’t have let Nikki be in charge of their drinks.”
“Guys, I’m right here,” Jude exclaims.
