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Nixon just blinks, dumbfounded. “Gone? As in,gonegone?”
Jade nods. “Dr. Hendriks just called. The results have come back clean. I’m… I’m cancer free.”
“Dammit, Jade,” Nixon croaks, going for her, but since she’s still clinging to me, it ends up being a weird three-way hug of sorts. “I knew you’d do it.” His eyes meet mine over her shoulder, and I can see tears shining in them.
The disbelief.
The hope.
Therelief.
They’re written all over his face, and they’re like a punch to my gut. Too much. All of this is too much. Too similar to my own feelings the first time we found out Gabriel’s leukemia was gone.
“I don’t know why I’m crying. I shouldn’t be crying. I should be celebrating.”
“You should feel whatever you want to feel.” I brushed the strand of hair that got stuck to her cheek from tears. “There is no right or wrong way to feel after hearing this news.”
“It just…” She sniffs. “It feels surreal.”
Her fingers slide over my shoulder where her head was only minutes earlier. “I messed up your shirt.”
“It’s just a shirt.”
Nixon clears his throat as he pulls back, effectively bursting our bubble. Slowly, I let out a shaky breath. “I think I should get going.”
Jade blinks as if she just now realized where we’re at, that she’s still in my arms, clinging to me.
“Right, sorry.” She jumps to her feet, turning her back to me as she rubs the back of her neck. “I’m sure you have other things to do.”
Fuck other things. I want to stay. Ask me to stay.
But she doesn’t.
Of course, she doesn’t.
I’ve messed up. Time and again, I messed up.
And after everything we’ve been through, everythingshe’sbeen through, getting back together is the last thing she probably wants.
I give her a small smile, struggling to keep my arms firmly by my sides when all I want to do is reach for her and never let her go. “I’m sure you want to go and tell your friends the good news.”
“Yeah, of course.”
Unable to resist it, I move closer. Lifting my hand, I cup her cheek, brushing away the last of the tears still clinging to her skin. “I’m so happy for you, Jade.”
Letting my hand drop, I grab my things and walk away.
CHAPTERFIFTY-THREE
JADE
My heart thunders in my chest as I watch Prescott walk away.
Again.
It shouldn’t hurt.
Dammit, it shouldn’t hurt.
