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“How about I stay longer?”
Surprise flickers in her eyes. “What’re you talking about?”
“I’m going to stay here,” I say, smiling nervously. “Jake and I broke up a while ago.”
“Oh, honey.” A concerned look comes over her immediately as she rushes forward to hug me. “I know how much you loved him. I’m so sorry things didn’t work out between you guys.”
This time, I don’t hold back my tears. They freely stream down my cheeks as Heather comforts me.
“No wonder you’re all skin and bones,” she says, rubbing my back. “Have you been blaming yourself for the breakup?”
“No. I just realized he’s an asshole.”
“Aww, sweetheart! You deserve so much better than that bonehead alpha with an overblown ego. It might be painful now, but you’re going to meet someone who’ll treat you like a queen. Just mark my words, honey.”
Seth’s face flashes in my mind. Warmth floods my chest, comforting me at once.
Taking my hand, Heather leads me to the scrubbed table in the corner. “Come on. Let me make you some lunch.”
She makes me sit at the table and starts bustling around the kitchen.
Within minutes, she’s served me a big bowl of creamy tomato soup and a plate of Rueben sandwiches.
A smile comes onto my lips as I stare at the fat sandwiches. They’re my dad’s favorite and the most common thing that gets cooked at home for lunch.
Picking up a sandwich, I take a big bite. The familiar taste of smoky meat spreads on my tongue, making me moan. Next, I spoon some hot soup into my mouth.
“You make the best tomato soup,” I declare, taking another hungry bite of the sandwich.
Heather watches me with a kind smile on her face. “It’s a good thing you’ll be home now,” she says. “I can feed you four times a day and make you gain back all that weight you’ve lost. Seriously, honey. It’s not worth losing yourself over a guy who didn’t treat you right.”
I nod, continuing to wolf down the delicious food.
“There’s some carrot cake in the fridge,” she says after a while. “I’ll be out for a couple of hours, so if you feel hungry later, just have some slices of that.”
“Sounds great,” I say through a mouthful of bread and meat.
Moving closer, she bends down and gives me a one-arm hug. When she breaks away, I catch her wiping her tears.
Heather doesn’t throw a fuss but she cares for me deeply. I’m ashamed to think of the numerous times I’ve been rude to her because of Jake. It aches to realize how badly I mistreated her and took her affection for granted.
My throat closes up with a choke but I don’t stop eating. Heather will get suspicious if she sees me getting too emotional over a plate of sandwiches.
“Are you going to be okay on your own, sweetie?” she asks, holding a flask and a lunch bag.
“I’ll be fine,” I say, forcing a grin on my face. “You should hurry up and take Dad’s lunch to him or he’s going to get cranky with everyone around him.”
Heather lets out a loud chuckle. “That man sure loves his lunch.”
I join in her laughter, hoping she’d see that I’m fine despite feeling the total opposite.
“I’ll get going, then,” she says, waving at me.
I wave my spoon at her and watch her hurry out of the kitchen.
After finishing lunch, I drag my suitcase into the hallway and start the journey up the staircase to reach my bedroom on the second floor. The case is small and not too heavily stuffed, but my thin, weak body has trouble carrying it all the way up.
By the time I reach my room, I’m panting and wheezing for air.
