Page 68 of Crossing the Brooklyn Briggs
First, I have to get myself out of Jordan’s arms. Much as I would love to stay here all morning, I have to face today with my head held high. But I would rather avoid waking him if I can help it. With him being such a terrible sleeper, dealing with my nonsense last night can’t have been good for him. He’s always been protective, and I can imagine some of the things he wanted to do to Mark last night. If the way he held me was any indication, Jordan Torres is the kind of guy you don’t want as an enemy.
Rolling slowly, I put one hand on the floor and the other on the coffee table and maneuver one foot down to hold up the rest of me. I wish it wasn’t my bad ankle, but I deal with the pain until I’m completely free and Jordan is left breathing gently on the couch by himself.
He looks less peaceful than he did when I found him the other morning, like even in sleep he’s worried about me. Frowning, I reach up and brush my fingers through the tight curls on his forehead, wishing I had spent more time over the last few days learning about his problems instead of burdening him with mine.
Why is he putting so much energy into comforting and helping me when his mom is going through chemo and his brother is ditching classes? I think his other brother might be in the military in some capacity, which is stressful on its own, and then he’s got his business he’s trying to build. I shouldn’t be putting more on his shoulders.
I used to take care of myself, and it’s high time I start doing that again.
Leaning up, I press a kiss to Jordan’s forehead and then head to the shower, making a plan as I go. Mark DeNiro is going to regret crossing me.
I’m halfway to school when Jordan finally calls me, and he sounds half-asleep still.
“Why didn’t you wake me up, Queens?”
I can’t tell if he’s worried or hurt, but I try not to dwell on either of those things as I drive. “You needed the sleep.”
“But—”
“Don’t try to deny it. You were exhausted.”
He’s quiet for a second. “I don’t remember the last time I slept that long.”
“Ha! I told you.”
“How are…” He sighs, and I picture him running a hand down his face as he tries to wake up. “How are you doing?”
I’m fluctuating between vindictive and terrified, which, let me tell you, is not a great combination. “I’m dealing,” I tell him. Maybe not in the best way, but I’m doing what I can.
Jordan grunts. “What are you going to do when you see Mark?”
“If,” I correct. “I’m actually really good at avoiding him, which should have been my first sign that he wasn’t the right guy for me.”
Honestly, this morning I’ve felt so much clarity that it’s almost laughable how long I was hung up on the stuffy math teacher who probably wears clip-on bow ties because he doesn’t actually know how to tie a tie. What was I thinking?
“It probably isn’t your best option,” Jordan says through a yawn, “but I recommend punching the guy if you do have to interact with him.”
I laugh, which is a miracle unto itself. A week ago, Mark would have broken me. Or maybe I still would have woken up and seen the light, but I’m not sure how I would have come out the other side if I didn’t have Jordan to hold me together. “While I don’t love my job, neither do I want to get fired, so I’ll go with a different plan.”
“You have a plan?” He sounds nervous about that.
He shouldn’t be surprised. I used to be full of plans and backup plans and backups to my backups. Jordan and Houston never pulled a prank without me having one to throw right back at them.
I pull into my parking spot, and the nerves start to settle in more permanently as I look at the building in front of me. Mark’s in there somewhere, and there are no rulebooks or guidelines for the situation I’m in right now. I have no way to prepare, and I hate that.
“Tell me I’m strong enough to get through this,” I say, my voice breaking a little.
“Brooklyn. You don’t need me to tell you anything.”
“Tell me anyway.”
“Of course you’re strong enough. You’re one of the strongest people I know.”
“Thanks, Torres.” I don’t know why I call him by his last name. I’ve never done that before. But I smile at the way it rolls off my tongue, feeling a strange sense of camaraderie with him as if we’re in this together.
Jordan’s voice comes out a little strangled when he responds. “Anything for you, Queens.”
By some miracle, my day passes without any sign of Mark. It’s harder to avoid Jaydin, who doesn’t know Mark even asked me out, but I know I’ll fall apart if she asks me how my day was yesterday, so I eat lunch in my car and leave my classroom the instant my contract time is over. Yes, I have a plan for Mark, and yes, I’ll tell Jaydin everything that happened, but I need some time to breathe.
