Page 60 of I'll Carry You

The crowd at the Depot was clearing. Jen waved to Bunny, who gave her a thumbs-up. She’d have to thank Bunny later. Without her tips and tricks, she’d never have pulled it off. “I had no idea the whole town would be here.” Jen shook her hair out of her ponytail, a feeling of exhaustion sweeping over her. “That was intense.”

“You did amazing. And—um. We seriously need to grab some drinks and talk about that man you had at your side. This whole text exchange we’ve had going on about that situation does not do him justice.” Lindsay nodded toward him. “I think he looooooves you.”

“Stop.” Jen couldn’t stop the smile that came to her face. “We’re...friends.”

“Friends who can’t keep their hands off each other?” Lindsay looked skeptical. “Whatever you call your little arrangement, you two have some serious chemistry.”

Jen bit her lip. She hadn’t had the chance to update Lindsay on what had happened with Jason the previous night. “Actually”—she lowered her voice—“we slept together.”

Lindsay’s eyes widened, and she smacked Jen on the arm. “See? I told you. When did this happen? How did you not tell me about it! How was it?”

“Last night. And I didn’t have a chance. And amazing.” Jen squeezed her hand. “I promise to send you the full details later. And I don’t know about drinks because my life is completely upside down right now. I’m moving back in with my parents this weekend, so maybe you want to come by?”

Lindsay’s cheerful expression faded. “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Jen didn’t want to think about it. “It’s going to be fine. If I can win this competition, then I can pay off the rent I owe and the preschool and have some left over.”

“You’re going to win for sure.” Lindsay gave her another hug. “Call me later, okay?”

Jen left her by the stage area and made her way over toward Jason. She came up beside him, and Colby turned to her. “You win, Mommy!”

She lifted him into her arms. He was growing so tall it was getting hard to lift him. “Not yet. There’s one more round, and then we have to wait a whole week to find out who won during Mr. Peter’s Christmas special. Then hopefully Mommy can win.”

“Do you two want to go out and celebrate your success?” her father asked Jason. “Betty and I can watch Colby if you do.”

“I don’t have a lot of time before I have to get to the cabins for work.” Jen exchanged a look with Jason. He’d spent his whole evening on her so far. Would he want—

“That would be great,” Jason said, slipping his arm behind her. He did the role of boyfriend well.

Her mom took Colby from her. “I’ll give him a bath.” She kissed her grandson’s sticky cheek. “Candy canes this time of year—they seem to end up on faces more than in stomachs. Oh, don’t forget, Jason. Sunday dinner at five. If you can make it, we’d love to have you.”

After saying their goodbyes, Jen watched them leave, then turned to Jason with a frown. “It’s occurring to me that I need to think of some better way to handle this with Colby. He just saw us kiss up there—and I don’t think he’s ever seen me kiss anyone like that.”

“That makes sense. What do you want to do?”

Despite the dying crowd, it still felt a bit too crowded for this conversation. “Probably no PDA in front of him, but we can talk about it more when we go.”

A sudden pulse of noise and activity drew her attention away. Jason straightened, looking in the hubbub's direction, by the backend of the folding chairs. His face paled. “Oh, shit.” He started toward the small group of people who had made a circle.

Jen followed him. Someone was lying on the floor beside the chairs, but she couldn’t quite see over the people gathered there.

Jason pushed his way through, then bent beside the figure. “Mildred. Mildred, can you hear me?”

Jen got past a few people, then got close enough to see. She froze. Millie Price lay there. “Oh my God!” Jen dug through. “Millie!” Was she okay? Kevin’s grandmother had always been an enormous source of support for her and Colby...

She paused, staring at Jason. Millie had opened her eyes now and lifted her hand to pat Jason’s cheek with familiarity and tenderness that stole her breath.

She lifted a shaking hand to her forehead, then squatted a few feet from them. Her chest felt as though someone had tied a belt around it, pulling it tighter and tighter.

How had Jason known Millie’s name?

Dan was there now, but her head buzzed with such ferocity that she could hardly absorb the scene in front of her. She’d seen her brother in the crowd, but he’d seemed to come out of nowhere. “We’ve called an ambulance, Millie, okay?”

Millie sat up, shaking her head. She touched her forehead. “I don’t know what happened. Everything just felt dizzy.” She gave a sharp look at Jason, holding his hand with a tight grip. “I’m much better now.”

“I think we should still have you checked out at the hospital,” Jason told her. His face was flushed, and he didn’t look at Jen.

“No, no, I’m fine.” She let go of Jason’s hand and held her hands out to Dan. “I’m sure Sergeant Klein can see me back to my house.”

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