Page 107 of The Plus One
They were quiet for a moment before Jude cleared his throat. “I, uh, I can’t tell you how thankful I am to know you.”
Collin beamed at him, a few tears rolling down his cheeks as love and tenderness radiated between them.
“Oh fuck, I’m not supposed to cry on my honeymoon,” Collin said at last, breaking the tension as he waved a hand in front of his face.
Jude laughed. “No, you’re not. So you better get back to Jeremy and all that sunshine and perfect beaches. What a trial for you.”
“Truly,” Collin said, clearing his throat. They were quiet for another moment. “Love you,” Collin said, smiling at Jude.
Jude smiled back. “Love you back.”
CHAPTER 37
Jude
“All you can do is be honest,” Indira said in bed a few hours later as they talked about the next day’s evaluation. She was lying on him with her deadweight, stretching out her arms and legs to match his. The world’s loveliest weighted blanket.
“I’m scared honesty won’t be enough for them,” Jude admitted, sliding his arms out from under hers to wrap them around her waist.
Indira shifted her head, resting her chin on Jude’s sternum and looking up at him. “I’m trying to think of something really profound and poignant to say right now to take all your stress away,” she said at last, a small smile dancing on her lips. “But none of the metaphors I’m coming up with make much sense.”
“Shocker,”Jude whispered, plucking at one of her curls as he teased her. Indira bent her head and bit his pec, making him laugh.
“Okay, ass,” she said, rolling off him. Jude rolled too, both of them lying on their sides, facing each other. “I’ll leave it at: no matter what happens tomorrow, we’ll figure out what comes after.”
Jude nodded, dragging his palm to her lower back and pulling her closer.
“And,” Indira added, threading her fingers in his hair, “I’m really fucking proud of you.”
Jude let out a deep breath, pressing his forehead against hers. “I love you so much,” he said, kissing her. She was his safe soul. His happy place. His tether.
“Love ya back, Jude the dude with the attitude.”
“Thank you,” he said after a few moments.
“For what?”
Jude brushed her curls off her cheeks, tucking them behind her ear, then dragging the backs of his fingers across her skin.
“For everything.”
Indira insisted on driving Jude to the hearing. She pulled up to the large, intimidating building in the center of GHCO’s industrial park, cutting the engine and staring straight ahead. Jude watched her, memorizing her profile, the soft curve of her nose, the intricate folds of her ear, the way her lashes swept her cheeks every time she blinked. Tiny examples of perfection that he’d hold on to—use to center himself—when the next few hours got hard.
Indira and Jude walked into the building hand in hand, their steps echoing across the marble floors. They waited on the bench outside the conference room, both stealing glances at each other, eventually smiling and letting out an uncontrolled snort of giggles like two tweens caught making heart eyes. The moments ahead felt far too serious for Jude not to laugh at least once.
It wasn’t long before his name was called, and he stood, heading toward the receptionist who had called him.
“One sec,” Indira said, standing too. She couldn’t go in with him, but she was stubbornly determined to wait for him there. “I love you,” she said, pressing a kiss to his cheek and a piece of paper into his palm. Jude closed his fingers around the slip, blinking rapidly to stop the onslaught of emotions.
Love you too, he mouthed, before turning and walking through the door. He followed the woman down a series of hallways, Indira’s note still clutched in his hand.
“Right through here,” the woman said, stopping in front of a large set of dark, wooden doors.
Jude nodded, but turned away from her. He needed to steal one more moment with Indira before he walked into the lion’s den.
He unfolded the piece of paper with shaking fingers, eyes tracing over the familiar shape of her handwriting, every swoop and curve of a letter like a map to his heart.
You’re so brave
