CHAPTER TWELVE
JACK
I’ve been sitting in my truck outside Beth’s apartment for over an hour, replaying every reason I shouldn’t be here. Patience has never been my strong suit, but waiting like this, not knowing if she even wants to see me, is its own kind of torture.
When Lori texted earlier about Beth struggling, I didn’t hesitate. I threw clothes in a bag and drove straight here, not even sure what I’d say when I arrived. Now, parked in the fading light, I start to doubt myself. Maybe I should have waited for Beth to reach out. Maybe showing up out of the blue is one more thing she doesn’t need.
But I keep thinking about the last time I saw her, how she paused before driving away, the way her hands shook as if she knew she was making the wrong choice. That memory refuses to let me go.
She shouldn’t have left. She belongs with me.
I scroll through my contacts, thumb hovering over her name, then pressCallbefore I can overthink it. Two rings before she answers.
“Hey,” she says. Her voice is so tired that it makes my chest ache.
“Hey, yourself.” I try to keep things light, teasing, like we usually do. “How’s your day?”
She lets out a humorless laugh. “Oh, you know. Just another disaster starring Beth.”
My gut twists. “That bad?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. Not yet.”
That tells me everything.
I glance down the block and see headlights swing into the lot. Her car. My heart kicks up.
“I get that,” I say. “But maybe you should.”
“Jack—” She stops when she spots my truck. Her car jerks to a halt. Through the windshield, I see her eyes go wide. She still has the phone to her ear, lips parted in shock.
I grin, even though she can’t see it. “Surprise.”
The next second, she’s out of the car, keys rattling in her hand. I do the same, standing beside my truck, eyes fixed on her. She nearly trips but recovers and rushes toward me. Before I can speak, she throws her arms around me.
I catch her. She clings to me hard, holding on like she’s afraid I’ll disappear.
“I’ve got you,” I say quietly, breathing her in. Her hair smells like vanilla and something floral; I’ve never smelled anything better.
For a long time, I hold her. She shakes, silent tears hot against my neck. I want to tell her everything will be okay, but I know better than to make promises. I just hold her tighter.
Eventually, she pulls away and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand.
“What are you doing here?” Her voice is rough, but there’s hope in it.
I lift her chin so she’ll look at me. “Lori called. She was worried. So was I.”
Beth groans, half-laughing. “Of course, she did.”
“She did the right thing,” I say. “I wanted to see you.”
She studies me, searching for something. “I quit my job.”
I nod. “Good.”
She raises her eyebrows, waiting for me to elaborate.
“That’s it? Just ‘good’?”
