Page 92 of Be Mine Forever

“Walsh, hey.” Jo smiled at Shaundra when she walked in with some papers for her and Peter to review. Peter started reading while she was on the phone.

“Hey, cuz. How you holding up?”

“He didn’t die, Walsh.” Jo subdued the waspish note in her voice. “Sorry. It’s just people keep asking me that.”

“Because we love you and we’re concerned.”

Jo swiveled her seat around so Peter would only see the high back and would hear less.

“Concerned enough to tell me where he is?” She warned her inner weakling not to beg.

“He’s smart enough to know that you have your ways of getting information from the informed.”

“I can’t believe he has gone dark on me again.” Jo snapped her teeth together to stop herself from growling. “That he’s running again.”

“He just needs a little space. Give it to him.”

“You don’t understand what it’s like having the person you love running in the opposite direction. Having them shut you out. Having them make you wait.”

Silence gathered on the other end while Walsh allowed her space to hear what she’d just said.

“Jo, do I even need to remind you of the shit storm my life was because Kerris did pretty much everything you just said?”

Jo tapped her nails on the arm of the chair.

“I know, but this is different. Kerris didn’t hold a gun to your head and run off without a word. What if he’s hurt himself? Or depressed? Every time I think I’m in, he blocks me out again, and I’m sick of it.”

“I get that. I am familiar with that feeling.”

“Then you know.” Jo pressed her lips together so they wouldn’t tremble. “You understand that this is torturing me.”

Walsh let out a weighty sigh.

“I can’t bring him back, but I can at least alleviate some of the worry. He hasn’t hurt himself. He called Kerris.”

Jo sat straight up in her seat like a hot poker had been shoved down her Alexander Wang dress.

“What’d she say he said?”

“He asked her about Dr. Stein.”

“Kerris’s therapist?”

“Yeah. That’s all I know, Jo. I probably shouldn’t have told you that much, but I know you’re going crazy.”

“I wouldn’t saycrazy. Who says I’m going crazy?”

“Well, Meredith may have mentioned something about you sleeping at Cam’s place and refusing to change the sheets.”

“That was a private moment, and those sheets were barely used.”

Their scents had perfectly mingled on those sheets, and she’d wondered if they’d ever get to do that again.

“Yeah, well, I think it’d do you some good to get out of Cam’s place and out of Rivermont for a little bit.”

“Funny you should say that. Peter and I are headed to Haiti tomorrow.”

“I was thinking more like a vacation.”

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