Page 35 of Mr. Broody

“My girl,” I say in a soft voice. “You will always be my girl.”

“I’m not sure I can do this.” She turns completely away from me, but she doesn’t run this time. And I’m so thankful because I’m fucking this up.

We order hot dogs and drinks. I pay, and once our order is filled, the guys in the booth who would probably love if I joined them and we talked hockey for the rest of the day, raise their hands. “See you, Hensley, kick Colorado’s ass Monday.”

“Will do. Thanks again, guys. Have a great day.”

Jade is already on the sidewalk, having walked away from the line that’s forming outside. When I get to her, I clench the greasy bag in my hand.

“What should I have done? Just ignored what you were going to say?” I ask, unsure how to handle this new us. This is why I haven’t messaged her in three years, and even before that, I only saw her when she came home. Who am I to her now? I have no clue.

“I don’t know. I really don’t, but I think it’s too easy for us to fall back into who we were. I told you, Henry, I’m not here permanently.”

I place my hand in hers, guiding her across the street to a park bench. We both sit, and I place the bag of food and my drink at my side. “You might not agree with me, but I can’t know you’re in Chicago without wanting to be with you. Not wanting to see you. I’m usually at your house a lot, but I’ve been trying to stay away out of respect for you. But most of all, you’re all I think about. And if I don’t get my shit together, I’ll never help the team win the Cup. We have a real shot this year with Rowan and Conor.”

“I can’t leave yet, Henry.”

“That’s not what I’m saying.” Not even close. “I’m saying let’s just talk. Have lunch and a conversation and see where it goes. I promise I won’t say anything like that again. It was wrong, but God, having you here has made me kind of crazy, and I’m really not myself lately.”

She stares at me for a moment, and I’m shocked when she nods. “Okay. After all, I am your son’s teacher, so… we have to try something before he feels the awkwardness between us.”

“Especially since I’m volunteering in a few weeks.” I raise my eyebrows.

“Really? That’s… awesome.”

I chuckle and grab the bag and hand her her hot dog. “So, lunch?”

“Lunch.” She opens up her paper where the hot dog is covered with fries. Then she ruins everything I just said when she moans around her first bite. “Nothing like it,” she says when she finishes chewing, going in for a second bite immediately.

I watch her, and I have no idea what I was thinking. We’re going to try to be friends? I can’t be her friend. Especially since there’s only one question I want her to answer.

“Tell me about the guy,” I say.

Yeah, I really suck at taking my own advice.

Fifteen

Jade

I place my hot dog on the wrapper and sip my soft drink before setting it back down on the bench. I knew when Henry said let’s just talk that this was a question that would come up, which is only part of the reason I’ve tried to avoid this conversation.

I’m not even sure how he knows about Ramsey. And I’m sure what I’m going to say might hurt Henry because it would hurt me if he had someone serious in his life. Maybe he did, and I just don’t know it. That thought stings like the lash of a whip.

“Really? That’s your first question. The boyfriend?” I ask.

“Yeah, and I’m not sorry either.”

A laugh bubbles up unexpectedly from him owning his question.

“You sure? It might hurt.” I arch an eyebrow.

He nods and finishes his hot dog. “Shoot, I can tolerate a lot of pain.”

“All right. Well… his name is Ramsey. I met him in Hawaii and… I lived with him and then he cheated on me. That’s pretty much the whole story.”

I don’t want to tell him the cute way Ramsey picked me up at the beach. I don’t want to tell him about Ramsey teaching me to surf or the way he just kind of moved in with me without much of a discussion about it. And I especially don’t want to tell him that I never took Ramsey on my photography trips. That I’ve never shared a sunset with him or any other guy.

“Who?”

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