Page 146 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

I cut her off. “She comes from a good family. Her cousin’s the one I went to church with last Sunday.”

She pauses. “Will I meet her someday?”

I smile as best I can, and instead of saying fuck no, I would never put her through that, I tell her, “This is the first date. We’ll see how it goes.”

She makes a noise and looks toward the door to the office where she spends every night counting her money, doing the budgeting, controlling every fucking thing in our lives.

“Please make sure you do your dishes before you go to bed. Goodnight, Thomas.”

“Goodnight, Mom.”

After scarfing down my food, washing the fork, and plate, I head up to my bedroom and drag Amy’s pink phone out from under my bed. No reason why I have it hidden there, but I do, and call Jade.

“Hi,” she says and I think there’s a smile in those two letters.

“Hey pretty girl, I drove by the farm and saw Lucas is at Tessa's.”

There's a beat of silence.

“I know.”

“You know?”

“Alex told me when I called.”

I smile a little. “Of course he did.”

She laughs softly. “Thank God they're okay.”

“We okay?”

“We're fine, Tommy.”

“Fine?”

“I promise, we’re good.”

I let out a breath. “Okay.”

There's another quiet second between us.

“I'll see you tomorrow,” she says.

“Yeah. See you tomorrow, pretty girl.”

“Oh, and Tommy?”

“Yeah?”

“Pick us up at Tessa's before the date. I'm getting ready there.”

I smile. “I will.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

By the time Lucas and I are on our way to pick up the girls, my back is fucking killing me.