Page 65 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

The section about unicorns was marked with a bookmark that saidReading Is Magical. He’d added a slip of paper that said, “I think maybe you haven’t tried the right kind of chocolate.”

His dark, bold handwriting sent a bright warmth fizzing through her chest, suffusing her limbs with pleasant heat.

That man’s coming for you.

The meaning behind Yuka’s words sent a flare several inches lower, sending complicated sensations of guilt and want searing through her. She’d just told Stephen she couldn’t handle dating right now, but clearly her heart found that irrelevant when it came to Jamie.

She put down the book and her things and settled on the couch with her phone.

Elliott:??Love the book, still hate chocolate. All kinds.??

Jamie:??But you’re missing out on so much??

Elliott:??Yuka tells me so every day??

Jamie:??I’d like to meet this Yuka. I think I’d like her??

Elliott:??You would. Everyone does??

Jamie:??Hey, I have a favor to ask??

Elliott:??Okay??

Jamie:??I wanted to see if you’d be interested in watching Hank this weekend??

Elliott:??Sure. Are you going somewhere???

Jamie:??Wichita for a tree-climbing competition??

Elliott:??A what???

Jamie:??Arborist thing. We compete to do movement in trees and learn about new techniques and equipment and stuff??

Her lips quirked. How adorable was that?

Elliott:??Wow. That’s??. . .??interesting.??

Jamie:??It’s all very tough and manly, if you must know??

Elliott:??You say that, but all I can picture is a bunch of kids fighting over who has the best tree house??

Jamie:??Mine was for sure??

Elliott:??Yeah? Build it with your dad???

Jamie:??No??

It had taken nearly a minute for him to respond. That single unpunctuated word seemed to pack a lot of weight, and Elliott got the feeling maybe she’d said something wrong. She scrambled to think of something else to say, but another message came through.

Jamie:??I leave pretty early Friday morning, could I bring him over Thursday???

Elliott:??Sure, I’ll be home after five.??

Jamie:??You’re sure you don’t mind???

Elliott:??Are you kidding? I’d love to have him. I’m honored you trust me with him.??

Jamie:??Honestly I’m worried he won’t want to come home??

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