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“What about names?” I asked her.
“I have no idea, honestly. I can’t decide on a single one.”
“Oh, come on, Bridge. You have to be leaning toward a few.”
“I’m serious,” she laughed. “I think I’m going to have to look in the baby’s face and decide then.”
I smiled. “Wow, gutsy.”
“I like to live dangerously.”
“I know,” I said, exasperated a little.
She huffed and rolled her eyes. “Get it out.”
“Well, I mean, you and Jonah. What’s really going on there?”
She looked at the next bench down from ours and eyed the subject of my question. “I-now don’t get mad…”
I sighed. “Bridge, any time someone prefaces a sentence like that, I most definitely get mad.”
“Well, just listen then,” she began before taking a deep breath. “I like Jonah.”
“I had that kind of figured out already.”
“A lot,” she said, agony written all over her face.
“I think he likes you a lot too, Bridge.”
“I think so but, well, I’m so perplexed. I’m having someone else’s baby. I’m not quite eighteen. I know it should feel inappropriate but I-I just feel so lost because I don’t feel that way.”
My heart went out to her. “You’re punch-drunk.”
“Extremely.”
“Why don’t you just follow his lead?”
She furrowed her brows at me. “Are you seriously talking to me about this?”
“Yes, Bridge, he’s a good friend to me and, to be honest, you have to be a rare kind of person for your friends to be okay with them dating your sister. You feel me?”
“Yeah, he’s a gentleman. And I know that sounds so stupid in this day and age, but Jonah is so kind to me, so considerate and thoughtful. I don’t think I’ve ever felt uncomfortable around him, and lately I’ve found myself watching his every move when he’s around or wondering where and what he’s doing when he’s not.”
I considered everything she was saying. “Just tread carefully,” I advised. “Follow his lead, don’t rush, and guard the shit out of your heart, Bridge.”
She nodded, taking everything I said seriously. I wondered why I couldn’t follow my own advice.
Halfway through dinner, Cricket shocked me walking into the hall. Her hair was back in one of her hair scarves and her eyes were red from crying, although I could tell she tried to cover them up.
My hands stilled on the table as she made herself a plate. I wanted to jump to my feet, run to her and pick her up. If I could have, if she would have let me, I would have carried her away. I wanted to kiss every inch of her swollen eyes and promise her that everything was going to be all right. Oh God, she makes my chest ache.
It took everything in me not to jump up when she approached the table. She made a move to sit next to Ellie, who happened to be sitting next to me, but changed her mind and sat at the complete opposite end of the table.
Damn it!
I watched her every single move, not caring at all if people thought I was psychotic. It wouldn’t have bothered me if they did, not when she was so obviously hurting.
When dinner was over, everyone sat and chatted for a while when the phone rang. Emmett got up to answer and Cricket used the opportunity to try and sneak off, but I followed her and caught her in the main living area.
