Kit wrung her hands. “I just really meant it when I said you deserved to be happy. I still… I don’t know. Maybe it’s naive, but I still think you could find that happiness with Sam. I just know he’s not a flake. He can’t be.”
He wasn’t. I felt bad that I’d painted him that way, knowing now why he never stuck in one place long, or why he hadn’t sorted out his career. I could find happiness with Sam—right now, with what was right in front of us. Then we could have a future together where none of the intense feelings going on now were an issue.
“You’re right, Kit.” I hooked arms with her. “Thanks for being an amazing friend.” I felt light. Weightless.
Kind of like how I felt around Sam.
“I want the best for you,” she said.
We’d reached my place. I hugged her extra hard. “And I want the best for you,” I said back. “You deserve to be happy too, Kit.”
She pulled away, laughing. “I am happy. Totally happy.”
This time I was the one who lifted an eyebrow.
CHAPTER 25
Runaway
SAM
Tommy was in a shit mood when I pulled up to his school that afternoon. And that was saying something. I opened my mouth to call out to him as he approached the van, but thought better of it when I saw him shoulder check some other kid coming down the front steps. They nearly got into it—I was preparing to get out to intervene—then the other kid yelled something and darted away.
I leaned back against the seat, tapping the steering wheel in three long taps, thinking about the best way to see what was bothering him, because I couldn’t let him bring this home to his mother.
The other day when we’d gone to get pizza and I’d wanted to get him to open up a bit, I’d come at it sideways. I told a story about making an ass of myself in high school—I tripped on the stage lights during a play and fell onto the audience. True story. Tommy had actually chuckled. Then he told me about some kid in gym class who’d tied his own shoes together and fallen on his face onto the bench press. I laughed. I wished Tommy would have told a story about himself, but it was progress. Also, poor other kid. Tommyeven wondered out loud about the mystery of why falling was funny, when it could actually be super dangerous. I loved it when I got him to talk—he was smart and thoughtful, when he wanted to be.
But today? Tommy’s face when he saw me could have melted stone. I couldn’t help feeling a little punched in the gut. I thought we’d made so much progress. He stopped on the sidewalk in front of the car.
“Happy project presentation day!” I said. I picked up the little noisemaker I’d got at the dollar store yesterday, blowing in it. The funny sound it made had Henry laughing in the back. But Tommy just glared harder. “How’d it go?” I asked weakly.
“Where’s Elizabeth?” Tommy demanded.
I lowered the toy. He called his mom by her first name when he was pissed off. It wasn’t even the version she liked. I knew it crushed her.
I smiled calmly, resting an arm on the open window. “You mean your mom, right?”
Tommy’s expression grew even fouler.
O-kay.Maybe I’d just have to focus on letting him calm down. “She said she was so sorry she couldn’t be here, but she’s going to take you out after. Just the two of you.”
“Nah.”
I frowned.Nah?
“I’m sorry, Tommy. I know it sucks, but it’s not personal. She probably would have come if I hadn’t insisted on coming out and getting you myself.”
“So why did you?”
Ouch. “Because it would help her out. And I thought maybe you and Henry and I could hang out a bit.”
“Nah. You know what? I’m good. We don’t need your help. I’ll take the bus.” With that, he started walking.
Fuck. His words stung, but I was too busy trying to recalibrate.I didn’t have this in my playbook. And I couldn’t run after him with Henry in the back.
But before I could think of what to do, Tommy started jogging. The bus was coming.
I couldn’t stop him from getting on. But Icouldmake sure he stayed on.
