Page 140 of Stay for Me
“I am resting. I’ve been in bed, let you feed me, and watched movies.”
I huff. “And you’ve done things that have made you wince, your bruises are still horrible, and you want to brave the press so you can go to the play.”
“The play is a big deal.”
“Yes, but you being okay and not hurt yourself more is a bigger one.”
Jacob gets his shirt on after quite a bit of exertion. He’s huffing and puffing, and I feel zero sympathy for him. Tonight is the last night of the play, and Jacob refuses to miss it, especially because I went to the play last night without him.
Sebastian was fantastic.
Jacob was jealous.
So, when I told him that Devney and Sydney were coming to babysit him while I went to the show tonight, he decided that didn’t work for him and that he was going too.
“I worked my ass off on that play, and I’m going to watch those kids. It starts in two hours, and I don’t give a shit if the pain is so bad I pass out, just prop me up so I look like I’m awake. I’m going, beautiful, and there’s not a damn thing you can do to stop me.”
I raise my brow. “Want to bet?”
He grins. “I may be a bit broken, but you won’t physically hurt me.”
“No, but I am pretty sure there are three Arrowood men who would help make sure you can’t escape.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Wouldn’t I?”
He steps toward me, his green eyes focused on me in a way that makes my stomach drop. God, he’s sexy. Even bruised and battered, Jacob is all strength and power. “Brenna, I love you, but I didn’t live through all that to let Sebastian and the other kids down.”
I touch his face. “You’re not letting them down.”
“It feels like I am. Not being there opening night was fucking torture. I want to go there early and see them on their final night.”
He’s right. I won’t physically hurt him or call his brothers—not that I’m sure his brothers would actually land on my side, but I’m not willing to find out. He’s going to find a way there no matter what I say. Stubborn man.
“You shouldn’t wear that shirt,” I tell him.
Jacob’s smile is victorious. “Which one should I wear?”
“One that doesn’t match mine.”
I’m wearing a green sundress, and we look like we were trying to match. The minute we step near that school, flashes will go crazy. Catherine, who I swear is inhuman, gave me instructions on what to do if we went out. What to wear, how to walk, and how to sit—apparently, posture was everything. She promised the buzz would die down very soon, but until then, I had to endure it all with a smile.
Thankfully, I’ve stayed home with Jacob the last few days, only fielding calls from Cybil.
“You’re so beautiful,” Jacob says as I’m laying out the blue shirt from the approved clothing selections. “When I was out there, all I did was picture your face, your smile, your eyes.”
I look up at him. Since he’s been back, he’s barely spoken of the actual crash. He said it was scary, but that was about it. “You know, if you want to talk more about what happened, I’ll listen.”
“I don’t want to talk about the past. I only want my future, Brenna, and that means you.”
“At some point, you’re going to have to open up more and talk about how you felt, not just the actual event.”
He looks crestfallen. “Why? Why do I have to?”
“Because it was traumatic. And this is what I know.”
“Please don’t be my shrink, not when I’d rather make you something else.”
