Page 192 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

“I have plenty to say. I just don’t think I should release them from the verbal muzzle.”

She laughs. “What if I wanna hear what you have to say?”

“Fine. First question. Wanna fuck?” She glances at me, and I laugh. “But that’s not what I want us to be. I want our first time to be one you’ll never forget. One you’ll revisit in your head twenty years from now when my body isn’t this hot.” She pouts out her lower lip, fucking adorable. “I want to make love to you,” I say, then shake my head. “Like, really fucking bad. Really, really fucking bad. But we’re not rushing. We’re building.”

I see her gaze drop to my crotch. “You certainly are.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “Death by blue balls. That’s how it’s going to end for me.”

She laughs too. “Just because I’m not popping wood doesn’t mean I feel any less about wanting you.”

We’re at the stop sign, so I allow myself to reach over and give her hand a squeeze. “We’re endgame, pretty girl. You’re my endgame. I don’t want to do anything that could fuck it up. So, I want you to tell me when you really, really think you’re ready, and⁠—”

“Valentine’s Day works.”

I can’t help but laugh, and yeah, she laughs too.

She lowers our hands onto the console and takes a right, heading up 38A.

“You’re not at ten and two,” I remind her.

“I got this shit, Tommy,” she says with a smile.

I pull my hand away, open the glove box, and pull out a five-by-seven red wooden frame.

“I know it’s a given, you and I going to Homecoming together, but I still want to ask you. Jade Ross, will you be my date for our senior-year Homecoming?”

I hold the picture up. She glances at it, then her hand goes back to the two position. She flips on the blinker and pulls over to the side of the road.

“Oh my God. Look at us.” She leans in and kisses me before taking the picture from my hands and staring at it. “Look at us, Tommy. Look how happy we are.”

“I know, we haven’t said it yet.” I swallow. “I know it might seem too early. But those two people in that photo- you can see how fucking in love they are with each other, can’t you, Jade?”

Her smile grows as she looks at our picture. “I can’t just see it. I can feel it. They’re head over heels in love.”

Holding the frame to her heart, she turns and looks at me. And I know damn well I have to say it first. So, I do.

“Jade Ross, I am so fucking in love you.”

35

GET READY FOR IT

Jade

By the time we got to Ithaca, the four of us were laughing so hard my stomach hurt.

Becca had the radio cranked, the windows cracked, and Phoebe was singing into the hairbrush she kept in the center console. When a song —one I have picked for my brothers —comes on, she immediately turned the hairbrush toward herself like she is headlining Madison Square Garden.

“I’m too sexy for my shirt!”

Tessa burst out laughing. “Oh, God.”

“Leave her alone,” Becca giggles. “She’s feeling herself.”

“Damn right I am.” Phoebe points the hairbrush at me. “Tomorrow night, gentlemen, prepare yourselves.”

“You mean Alex?” I ask.