Page 52 of Run to Me
Nate
Jace does everything he promises he’ll do—everything he used to do before we were torn apart. He holds my hand on the way to the theater, singing with me to all our favorite songs from that summer. He distracts me with kisses whenever a scene is too gory or scary. I don’t need to hide from them as much as I used to, not with how safe I feel secured in his large arms, and with his strong scent flooding my nose.
We share a Slurpee and our hands occasionally bump each other as we reach for the popcorn. I get his smiles again. His laughter. I get him. It really will hurt when he leaves me again but we have a deal. I’ll have to learn to get past it—I’ve done it before—but it feels so much harder this time, like I’m about to lose more of myself.
“What did you think of the movie?” He swings an arm around me, steering me toward the parking lot.
His fear of cars has been nowhere to be found. At least, it’s what he wants me to believe, and he’s doing a good job at hiding the truth if this really is some act of his. I don’t think so, though.There are many things he handles easier now that so much time has passed. No guilt is visible in his eyes when he drinks a Coke. He doesn’t second guess shoving handfuls of candy in his mouth and the dark areas of the parking lot don’t faze him.
It makes me smile at how much he’s healed. Has our being apart really been for the better? He’s getting along just fine without me—better even. My stomach knots. He’s right, isn’t he? Going our separate ways is the right step to take. But fuck, it’s painful. I’m dreading the day he walks out of my life again.
“It was good,” I finally answer before hopping into the driver’s side. “Did you like it?”
“Yeah. It was entertaining enough. Although that twist was a little annoying.”
“Sometimes they can be. I kind of figured which one was supposed to be him, though. Expect the unexpected.”
He laughs, nodding and strapping on his seatbelt as he settles beside me. “I can’t believe you still have the same car.”
“She still runs perfectly so why wouldn’t I?”
His shoulders lift one at a time. “I don’t know but I’m glad you do. I’ve missed being in here with you. I’ve missed being everywhere with you.”
“Yeah me too.” I lock my fingers around his, smiling lazily. “Where should we go to next?”
He looks up, rolling his head against the seat before meeting my eyes again. “Ice cream?”
A smile forms on my lips and I drive out of the parking lot. “Sounds perfect. I could go for some more sugar today.”
“Me too,” he says, wagging his eyebrows, and lays a quick kiss on my lips for the brief second I have my head turned.
His fingers stay intertwined with mine the whole drive, and I hate when our hands separate for the short time it takes for us to get out of the car. But my hand is quickly being swept up by his as soon as we both step onto the sidewalk. He holds the dooropen for both of us, and relief washes over me at how empty the place is. Fewer prying eyes.
We order our ice cream—his three scoops and my two—and with our cups in our hands, we find a table that’s kind of hidden out of sight. Whenever more people start swarming in, he drops my hand and links his ankle around mine. I smile, shoving a spoonful of ice cream between my lips.
As I’m swallowing down my last bite, he reaches over and wipes the corner of my mouth with his thumb. “Still can’t keep your food in your mouth, huh?”
“No, but that’s what I have you here for.” I wink. “Feel free to wipe my mouth later tonight too, in case there are other things I can’t keep in my mouth.” I bat my lashes and he sputters a laugh.
“Still got that dirty mouth too.”
“What? I was talking about when we have dinner.”
“Sure you were. I want to kiss you so bad right now.”
“Then take me home so you can do it as much as you want.” My breaths stutter.
“Your house?”
“Yes. More privacy there. We don’t have to worry about Mom walking in on us again either.”
Heat reddens his cheeks and he ducks his head. “You just had to bring that up, huh?”
“You know you’ve been worried about the same thing.”
He sighs. “Maybe a little. She’s finally acting somewhat normal around me. Not sure I’d get that back a second time.”
“You’re her son and she loves you. She’ll always want to be there for you. You should have seen how many times she looked at her phone when she was waiting for your calls. She always had the biggest smile as soon as she heard your voice on the other end.”
