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He told me he loves me.” I sit on Jacob’s bed, folding his shirts, phone on speaker.
“Yeah?” Shay says.
“I wanted to tell someone. Couldn’t tell mom; she already thinks we’re rushing things. We should take it slow, especially with the kids.”
“What do you want me to say, Lace?”
“Nothing much.” I really didn’t expect her to say much of anything. I already know she’s not thrilled about Landon and me getting back together, but I know she’ll be happy for me if I’m happy. “I needed to say it out loud to someone other than myself. He loves me, and I love him.”
“Did you ever really stop?” she snorts.
“I guess not.” I smile, putting a set of shirts away.
“I’m happy if you’re happy. But you don’t sound it.”
“He just called me to make plans for a day together. Can you watch Jacob for me on Saturday?”
“Sure can. You know I love spending time with my nephew. I’ll take him to the garage with me. Maybe we’ll go to the movies that night. I promise he won’t come back with any tattoo you didn’t authorize this time.” She laughs.
“Thanks, I can always count on you to knock a year off my life.” I shake my head.
“No prob.”
Prob. The last time she took him to work with her, she thought it would be funny to let her co-worker, a talented tattoo artist, give Jacob a very realistic temporary tattoo. I was livid, while she and her little co-conspirator, who’s supposed to be my loving son, laughed their heads off. I guess it was sort of funny, after I found out it was fake.
If Landon was there, he would have laughed his head off too. His sense of humor was always better than mine. I sigh, closing the drawer.
“What’s up?”
“Bree fell off a chair yesterday.”
“Bummer for her. I’m not the biggest fan of blondes, you know, but bummer.”
“She broke her ankle and sprained her wrist. She’s getting a cast for her leg. They’re at the hospital now. She needs help getting around for the next week or two, until she’s able to use crutches.”
“I see.”
“When he’s not with her, he’ll be at work. We won’t be seeing much of each other.”
“You’re worried. He’s going to be spending all his time with her. Things may spark between them again.”
I swallow, sitting down on Jacob’s bed. “I know how you feel. You didn’t have to say anything.” Silence reigned. I wasn’t surprised. “You think him moving back home full-time is bad.”
“You don’t know what I’m thinking. He said he loves you, believe him,” she says, surprising me. “Don’t spend your time thinking about him helping her out. Now you know—if you ever break your leg, he’ll be there.”
“At least.” I smile at her attempted humor. “Anyway, could you please call first if you’re going to bring him back early the next morning?” I cringe, remembering my mom and him seeing us half-dressed the morning after our date.
“Of course. Wouldn’t want to put a monkey wrench in you and Landon getting your love freak on.”
“You have a way with words.”
“I know; it’s a gift.”
Like a sledgehammer to the head.
We spent all day atthe hospital getting X-rays and then finally getting her fitted for a cast. It’s been an exhausting day for Bree and Jackson. He was worried about his mom. She woke up in excruciating pain. He saw her crying, and I knew this was more than a simple sprain, no matter what Bree was trying to convince me of because she didn’t want to go to the hospital.
After her X-ray, the doctor confirmed what I already knew: she broke her ankle and sprained her wrist. Crutches are useless to her. For two weeks, hopefully less, I’ll have to be her crutches. When I told Lacey, I heard the reservation in her voice over the phone. I tried to reassure her it was going to be nothing more than me helping her get around, the usual routine of me picking up Jackson from school when she couldn’t, and running errands she can’t. I don’t know how well it worked to put her mind at ease.
