Page 39 of Worth the Wait

His words pierced holes in my heart.

I struggled to… well, do anything.

“How’s Dad?” I asked, and we started walking toward the tiny parking lot.

Change of subject accepted.

“Stubborn as ever. I should probably get you over there before he figures out a way to hobble down here himself.”

I spotted Patrick’s truck. It held so many memories of us.

“You still have this?” I asked as Sarina made an unimpressed face.

She’d probably never even seen a truck like this driving down the busy streets of Manhattan.

“Is it safe?” she asked as he took our bags, tossed them in the bed, and went to work on securing them with some bungee cords and rope.

“It’s safe, New York. You’ll be fine. Get in.” He opened the passenger door and held it as I slid in first, not allowing my sister to be the one next to him on the bench seat.

It had always been mine.

“Is this nail polish?”

I watched as Sarina leaned toward the glove compartment and tried to scrape at the stain with her nail.

Patrick hopped in at the same time and saw what she was doing. “Don’t. Leave it be,” he demanded, and she stopped picking at it to look at us.

“Is it yours?” she asked me.

I nodded with a lump in my throat, my head dizzy from all the memories currently slamming into me.

He hadn’t tried to erase me.

“She was always painting her toes on the dash,” Patrick said, and I huffed.

“One time,” I said, holding up a single finger. “I did it one time.”

“And look what happened.” He waved his hand toward the stain.

The truck grumbled to life, shaking the three of us as the heater kicked on. Patrick’s leg brushed against mine, and we sat there, touching the way we always used to. I could have shifted my body away from his, but something wouldn’t let me. I liked the connection between us. I’d longed for it more than I ever realized since being away.

“I swear, Patrick, if you kill us in this thing—” Sarina started to complain, her eyes wide.

Patrick laughed. “You’ll what? What will you do? Post about it online?” he mocked, and she made a face.

“Hey. I’ll have you know that I make a lot of money posting online.” She crossed her arms across her chest and started to pout.

“I bet you do. It suits you,” he said, and she relaxed.

“Thanks. I’m not sure if you’re teasing me or not, but I really do love it.”

He let out a sound that was half amused and half bewildered. “I wasn’t teasing. It does suit you.”

“I’m nervous,” Sarina suddenly blurted out, and I turned to stare at her.

“About what?” I asked.

Her head swung in my direction, and her glossy eyes met mine. “I haven’t seen our dad in ages. What if he hates me?”

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