Page 9 of Always Us

“She’s never liked it. But she eats the other stuff. Mashed potatoes. Sweet potatoes. All that stuff.”

Jade turns to face me. The smile she fell asleep with is still there. She gives me a kiss. “Did you get some sleep?”

“Yeah,” I lie.

“You still look tired.” She puts her hand on my forehead, then down the side of my face. “You’re not getting sick, are you?”

I take her hand off my face and kiss her palm. “I’m not sick. I feel fine.”

“Good.” She hugs me. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” I hug her back, probably too tight again but I can’t help it. I know my grandfather said she was safe until the end of the year, but I still feel like I can’t let her out of my sight. I just want to keep her in my arms like this until I know she’s safe.

“I think I heard Ryan come home,” Jade says. “We should go help with dinner.”

We both get up and Jade goes in the bathroom. While she’s in there, I check my phone to see if my dad called back. He didn’t. But I notice a call coming in. It’s Sean.

“Hey, Sean. Are you at your parents’ house?”

“Yeah. Got here this morning. My sisters are here, too. They’re in the kitchen with my mom, making pies.”

“You still going tomorrow?”

“Yeah. I’ll be there Friday morning.”

Sean’s going to LA for Harper’s shoulder surgery. Even though she broke up with him, he still loves her and wants to be there for her. The surgery is on Friday and he’s taking the red eye tomorrow night to get there. The guy has no money since his job is shit and he maxed out his credit card buying Harper’s engagement ring, so I don’t know how he’s paying for a hotel. I tried to give him money but he wouldn’t take it.

“Where you are staying?” I ask him.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Sean, you better not be planning on sleeping on some fucking park bench or in your rental car.”

“Rental car? I can’t afford that. I’m taking the bus.”

I sigh. “Did you get a hotel or not?”

“I’ll figure it out when I get there.”

“Dammit, Sean. I’m giving you my credit card number and you’re going to stay at a hotel.” I get my wallet out and take out my card and start reading off the numbers.

“Garret, stop. I don’t want it. I know some people out there. I’ll see if I can stay with them.”

“I swear, you’re as annoying as Jade was last year.”

“Did you just call me annoying?” Jade’s laughing behind me.

I turn around. “I was telling Sean how annoying you were when you wouldn’t let me give you money. Now he’s acting the same way. What’s the deal with you people not taking money?”

Jade takes the phone from me. “Sean, are you okay?” She puts the phone on speaker so I can hear.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Sean. How are you really?”

“Yeah, it sucks, but there’s nothing I can do. She won’t even talk to me. She won’t take my calls.”

I give Jade a look, reminding her not to interfere. She can’t fix this thing with Sean and Harper. Kiefer will soon officially join the organization, and when he does, Harper and her sisters will only be allowed to date men who are members. Jade is desperate to do something, but I made her promise me she wouldn’t. We are not getting involved in anything even remotely related to the organization.

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