Page 86 of The Wrong Promise

“I need you to breathe slowly. In and out,” he says in a calm voice. “I’m here for you, Zara.”

“You’re not. You’re over five thousand miles away,” I moan.

“I’m a phone call away if you need me. You can talk to me anytime. I care about you.”

Nice. “I care about you too, but my heart is broken, and I need someone to hold me in their arms and reassure me everything is going to be okay,” I croak on the last words.

“Imagine my arms around you. I’m holding you ti?—”

“I gotta go,” I say quickly, interrupting him. I need to cry alone. “I’ll talk to you later, Jobe.”

I turn my cell to silent, unable to speak to anyone else today. I curl up in a ball, crying myself back to sleep.

The following day,I briefly speak to George.

Everyone at work is a mess. Understandable. I wish I were there to mourn my friend with them. My heart is hurting so bad. Overwhelmed with uncontrollable emotion, Piper’s death has triggered me to think about loss on other levels. Like what I’ll be like when Jobe decides I’m no longer fun.

I wipe my nose with the back of my hand. It drips as much as tears fall off my cheeks. I’m on a downward spiral, and I’m at a loss to protect myself from the pain. I keepseeing images in my head of Piper. My heart hurts in a way I have never felt before.

I haven’t checked my cell all morning. I don’t want to see any more messages or be obliged to reply. I can’t look at social media with a flood of images of Piper smiling and enjoying life. I don’t want to speak to anyone, not even my friends.

We leave for the airport in an hour, and I hope getting away will clear my head.

Dad comes and wraps an arm around my shoulders. He pulls me close and plants a kiss on the top of my head. “Is there anything I can do?”

I shake my head. It’s a common question, but what can anyone do? A heart transplant free of pain and a brain without memories, thanks.

The entire way to the airport, my parents peer over their shoulders, stealing glances and checking on me. I fake being asleep on the flight, then hold a book in my lap on the drive to the beachside resort. Yet I don’t read a single word.

25

JOBE

What a fucking Christmas Eve.

My sister is walking around like a ghost after having her heart trampled by Brandon. Their relationship came as a surprise to all of us. We all loved the Aussie. He was part of our family. Now he’s fucked off to Chicago, and Franklin signed the contract for the transfer. Business is business. I know it better than most. But when it comes to family, I presumed Franklin would have prevented the deal from going through.

Franklin has barely said a word about it. Maybe he knows more than he’s willing to reveal. We’re on tenterhooks, but it’s nothing compared to how Zara is feeling.

Brandon is alive and scored a great NBA deal. Piper will not get another Christmas with her family, and when I think about that reality, it fills me with gratitude for what I have.

Mom hands out the ghastly sweaters we all pretend tolike. I slip it on over my shirt and watch Mom and Charlotte decorate the tree. Byron is on crutches, his injury healing, but he’s lost as much as Charlotte since Brandon was his best friend.

Why the fuck did Brandon want out?

Franklin and Dad have their glasses full of whiskey, and I overhear them discussing business. That’s the last thing on my mind, so I take Summer from Penny’s arms and give my niece a big kiss on the cheek. She squirms, and I place her on the floor, watching as she crawls over to my father, and he sets her on his knee.

“Have you spoken to her?” Penny asks, taking the seat beside me.

I shake my head. “Not since I told her about Piper.” I stare at Penny. “Have you spoken to her?”

“No. We talked after she heard the news, then everything was in text. She’s stopped replying now she’s in Mexico.”

“I’m worried about her.”

“So am I.” Penny gives me an understanding look, and it confirms my concern.

“The day after she gets back, I’m driving down to see her. It won’t be until the afternoon. Then Summer and I will stay the night at Mom and Dad’s, and we’ll drive back to LA the following morning.”

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