“I got back in town earlier this afternoon. I was planning to come see you.”
“But why are youhere?” He pointed to the ground. “At the hospital?”
“What a ridiculous question,” Claire began with a forced chuckle. “I’m here because I care about your family.Ourfamily.”
He eyed her. “How’d you find out my dad had an accident?”
She waved him off. “That’s an even dumber question. Did you forget my best friend is a nurse here?”
Jessica Watson! Why hadn’t he thought of her earlier? He’d spotted her in the ER, but he was so worried about his dad that he hadn’t made the connection. “Isn’t she breaking some privacy law by calling you every time my dad’s in the hospital?”
“Well, I’m not planning to report her. I hope you’re not either.” She sank down onto the bench and touched the empty spot beside her. “Sit.”
“I’m fine standing. Say what you need to say, and then I’m going back inside to be with my mom.”
“Fine.” She cleared her throat. “I’m not only here to comfort you and your family.” She took a dramatic breath. “I’m here to beg you for another chance. Let’s work this out.” She dabbed her eyes with her fingertip, careful not to mess up her makeup. “I’ve lived without you for the past few weeks, and I just feel sick. All the time. I can’t stand the thought of losing you after all these years.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know how else to say this since you haven’t been listening.” He paused. “There’s nothing to work on. Our relationship is over.”
“How can you give up on us so easily?” Her voice was throaty, and her eyes filled with tears.
He grimaced.Great, the waterworks. Here we go.
“I’m not giving up,” he began. “We both need to face the fact that we’re not kids anymore. We want different things, and that’s okay. We’ve grown up and moved on.”
“I haven’t moved on. You’re the love of my life, Jake. And I’m ready to fight for us.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t getting anywhere with her. She wasn’t listening, and he didn’t have the emotional strength to deal with her after all the events he’d endured today. “Now is not the time to have this conversation.”
“But when will be?” she asked. She grabbed a tissue from her purse and gingerly dabbed her eyes and nose.
He threw his hands up. “I don’t know, Claire, but it’s not right now.”
“This isn’t over,” she said, sniffing. “You’re like my family.”
“If I’m supposedly like family to you, then I need you to respect what I’m saying. Now isn’t the time to try to talk about us. My dad is my focus, not you. So back off.” He held his hands up like a traffic cop. “Just... just give me some space, okay?”
She nodded, but the hopeful look in her green eyes felt like a warning.
Clearly, she had no intention of backing off whatsoever.
Emily stalked over to the vending machine area and slumped against the wall while trying to swallow her heartbreak. It was bad enough to have Claire show up and then ask for a moment alone with Jake. But having Jake ask Emily to give them privacy was like a slap in the face. It was clear that he wasn’t over Claire, and that knowledge nearly ripped Emily to shreds.
But Emily was here for Jake and his family, not for herself. She was being selfish, thinking about her own heart instead of Diane and Leon, who had treated her like their bonus child since she was five years old.
Squaring her shoulders, Emily pulled her wallet from her purse, purchased two bottles of water from the vending machine, and then hurried back to the waiting room, where she sat beside Diane. The woman’s face was crumpled in a frown while she stared at the muted television on the wall.
Emily held out the bottle of water. “I thought you might need this.”
Diane gave her a weak smile. “Thanks, sweetie.” She took a long drink from the bottle and then gave Emily a glum expression. “I don’t know how I’m going to tell Ally that Leon broke his arm. She’ll be so upset that she’s not here with us.” Her lip trembled.
Emily’s heart squeezed, and she touched Diane’s arm. “I can call her if you want,” she offered.
Diane shook her head and wiped her eyes. “Thanks, but no. I’ll talk to Jake about it. He might want to call his sister.”
The door opened with awhoosh, and Jake strode toward Emily and his mom. Emily hugged her arms to her middle while she tried to decode his dark expression.
He came to stand behind them and shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. “Any news?”
