Page 17 of All I Feel

“Because I probably should’ve considered what taking you out in public so soon after what happened might be like. Even though you have no reason to feel embarrassed, I understand that breaking down in public isn’t exactly fun for you. So, we came here.”

She nodded slowly. “Alright. But can I ask why you didn’t just take me home?”

“Because it’s still morning, and that guy could show up at your place,” I reasoned. “Now, kick off your shoes.”

“I can’t stay here forever, Ace. And I’m going to have to face him at some point.”

“Tessa, kick off your shoes.”

“But—”

I pressed my finger firmly against her lips. “Princess, kick off your shoes.”

Her eyes held mine for a beat before she acquiesced and kicked off her shoes. Then I removed my finger, took her by the hand, and led her into the living room.

“How long do you plan to keep me here?” she asked.

Forever,I thought.

“I’ll take you back later. I know you’ve got to work tomorrow and that a woman like you wouldn’t survive without having all her beauty products at her disposal when she wakes up to face the day.”

She narrowed her eyes and glared at me, but I carried on.

“For now, I want you to stay here, rest, and take the time you need to clear your head. We don’t have to talk about anything. You can watch TV or sleep. I’ll even leave you alone if you want. But I want you some place that’s safe for your heart right now.”

In a flash, the glare was gone. Her features softened, and her body relaxed. “I can’t cry again, Ace. I think I’ve reached my limit for the day.”

I stepped close and reached for her hand. “You can cry whenever you feel the need. But I don’t think it’s necessary to cry over this. Now, tell me, how much sleep did you get last night?”

She shook her head. “There’s a reason I was still in bed when you showed up this morning.”

“Alright. So, how about you grab a nap?”

“I can’t.”

“You can’t?”

“Once I’m up, I’m up. I can’t sleep until it’s bedtime.”

I narrowed my eyes on her, attempting to determine ifthat was the truth. Based on what I saw, Tessa wasn’t making this up. “Okay. Then, I’ll leave it up to you. A movie or a game?”

She licked her lips and considered her options. I fought against focusing on her mouth. “Can we do a game, and then a movie?”

I grinned. “We can do anything you want.”

With that, I urged her to grab a seat while I pulled out the games. Then I spent the rest of the day doing whatever I could to help Tessa forget all about her broken heart.

FIVE

TESSA

“If I wasn’t so devastatedfor you, I’d be angry with you.”

“Angry?” I replied.

“This happened on Saturday night, and you’re just now telling me,” Lark clarified.

This was going about as well as I expected.