AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I looked up at his warm, brown eyes. “I’m yours?”
His body went rigid as he searched my eyes. “Is that okay?”
“Yes,” I said, and for the first time today, I started crying too.
He gently wiped my tears away. “Why are you crying, baby? Does it hurt?”
“No, well, yes, it does,” I snorted. “But I’m just… I’m happy,” I said, smiling at him through my tears. “So we’re not on a pause right now?”
“Fuck that. We’re never pausing again,” he said gruffly, pulling me into a hug. “I am still incredibly angry that you’re hurt, but I’m happy to be here for you.” He tipped my chin up and kissed my forehead.
I breathed in this moment, but then my phone started ringing. “Shit. That’s my parents. I really don’t want to be apart from you tonight, but they want me to stay over there to monitor me just in case I have a concussion.” His jaw popped again at the mention of concussion. “Would you… would you want to come over for dinner? You and Stevie?”
48. Tyler
When I said yes to dinner, I thought my biggest hurdle would be seeing her dad. I had no clue what the night had in store for me.
I stood on their front porch holding Stevie’s hand, and gripping flowers for Josie’s mother in my other hand.
Stevie arched a skeptical eyebrow at me. “You good, big guy?”
“Yeah, why?” I breathed out.
“You’re squeezing my hand,” she said, making a face and wiggling her fingers.
I loosened my grip. “Sorry, I’m a little nervous.”
The door swung open. My knees went weak. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, wondering if my brain was playing tricks on me.
“Mrs. P?” I rasped.
We stood there staring at each other, and it was like a time warp back to Northfield High School. The last time I saw her, I was feeling like a piece of shit for trying to break one of her art display cases.
Mrs. P broke into a warm smile. “Tyler Jettersen, it’s been so long. How are you?”
“I…”
“Hi! My name’s Stevie Haley,” Stevie said beside me, holding her hand out for a handshake.
She took Stevie’s hand and graciously ushered us in.
Inside their huge foyer, Mrs. P knelt down to Stevie’s level and her eyes went a little misty. “You said your last name was Haley, didn’t you?”
Josie came down the stairs then, and my eyes bounced between her and her mother.That’swhy Josie looked so familiar to me. Not that damn viral video, not her dad. It was because she was Northfield’s art teacher’s daughter. How had I not known that? I rubbed a hand over my forehead, feeling confused as fuck.
Mrs. P took Stevie’s cheeks in her hands. “Ohmygoodness. It is so wonderful to see you, honey. It was such a shame to hear what happened to Fiona. Such a beautiful soul, gone way too soon. Her art was just so beautiful.”
My neck snapped to Mrs. P.What did she just say? What the fuck did she just…
I fisted my hands by my sides, trying to physically grasp on to something. “Gone? No.” I shook my head. “She’s in rehab.”
My eyes fell to Stevie. Her chin quivered and then she took off running further into the house. Josie’s hand flitted to her mouth and her eyes widened before taking off after her.
I stumbled back, feeling like the floor was just ripped out from under me. I looked over at Mrs. P. “What do you mean?”
I forced myself to think back. Stevie said she had to go away. She was grumpy, so I left it at that.Rehab… Had my own mind placed her there? Was that just a story I told myself to move on? Was going away just the story Stevie told herself?
Mrs. P’s face morphed into confusion. “Honey.” She reached her frail hand out and patted my shoulder. Her face held sympathy. “She was in a car accident a few weeks ago. She passed.”
