Page 78 of Home in Nevada

He says something, but it’s buried in my shoulder, so I pull back slightly. “What? What did you say?”

“I said, ‘I don’t want you to be my Nichole...’” His voice is still soft, but clear enough now.

I laugh, maybe a bit too loud, and hug him tighter. I accidentally call him “baby,” which I’ve never done before. Normally, he’d tease me about it, but this time he doesn’t. Instead, Jamie starts crying into my shoulder, and the sound of it shatters what little composure I’ve got left.

“Why are you crying?!” I ask, my voice cracking as I pull him away gently to look at him. His face is streaked with tears, and seeing him like this makes my heart ache.

“Dude, stop,” I say, but it comes out softer than I intended.

Jamie wipes his face with the sleeve of his fancy white dress shirt, sniffling as he takes a deep breath. His hair is a mess—he skipped brushing it after his shower—and somehow, it makes him look even more endearing.

“Stop it,” I say again, smiling a little despite myself. “I’ll text you when I land, and you can call me on your lunch break, okay?"

He nods, trying to pull himself together.

“I love you, Jamie.”

His hand goes back to his face, and the tears start all over again. I feel my own eyes sting as I blink back tears that are definitely not staying down.

“Stop."

But I can’t stop either. The tears spill over, unstoppable now, and I pull him into another hug, clutching him like letting go might break me. My voice cracks as I sniffle, my throat tight, and my vision blurs completely.

“I just wish I could see you every day…” Jamie’s voice shakes, raw and vulnerable, muffled against my shoulder. “I just… I love you so much, Jeff.

His words hit me hard, and I hold him tighter, as if that could somehow fix the ache in both of us. “I love you too, Jamie.”

I pull back just enough to look at him, his tear-streaked face making my chest ache even more. I lean in, kissing him one last time, slow and deep, pouring everything I can’t put into words into the way my lips move against his.

When I finally pull away, I rest my forehead against his, our breaths mingling in the quiet, charged space between us.

“I promise we’ll see each other soon,” I whisper, my voice trembling but resolute. “This isn’t forever."

Jamie nods against me, his eyes glistening. “Okay,” he whispers, his voice shaky but steady enough to make my chest feel a little lighter.

“Jamie, I promise.”

His lips curve into a small, hesitant smile. “I believe you.”

He takes a deep breath, finally catching himself, and I wipe at my own face.

“Go to work,” I tell him, giving his butt a playful smack as I grab my backpack.

Jamie gasps dramatically, pretending to be offended, but I can hear him laughing as he scrambles to lock the door behind me.

“HEY!” he shouts, but I’m already halfway to the front gate.

Before I can leave, Jamie catches up, running over to kiss me one last time. Then he jumps into his car and drives off, waving goodbye out the window.

I stand there on the curb, watching until his car disappears down the street. Even though it wasn’t quite the dramatic goodbye I’d pictured, my heart feels like it’s breaking all the same.

Chapter 19

The one where Jeff gets homesick.

Thedinerisbuzzingwith background noise—clinking plates, the low hum of chatter, and the hiss of the espresso machine. The air smells like burnt coffee and maple syrup, but it’s comforting in its own way.

"Hey, what do you think would happen if a zombie apocalypse broke out right now?" Lucy asks, casually spitting her gum into her palm and tossing it into her lipstick-stained mug.

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