Page 100 of Lovesick
So why wouldn’t JJ and I also figure it out?came the thought. I pushed it away for now, but it hovered in the back of my mind.
When she wiped off her cheeks again, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. She sagged into me for a moment, all limp and sisterly against me, until she pulled away and pressed a kiss against my cheek.
“Thank you. You’re just what I needed.” She scrutinized me. “Are youokay?”
“Fine,” I said a little tooquickly again.
“Liar.”
“Not now,” I whispered. “Neither of us are ready for this conversation now.”
“Yes, now. Why did you refuse JJ?”
My eyes widened.
She gave me apleaselook. “Of course I know,” she said before I could ask. “Ellie tells me everything. I’ve worked for years to get her to trust me, and now it’s rock solid. She’s worried about you. I’m worried about you.”
“I didn’t tell you because Shane—”
She cut me off by putting a hand on my arm. “It’s okay, but it’s time to tell me now.”
Bethany had been my rock for the last five years. Not telling her about Mama and JJ and my broken heart had been eating away at me. While I was glad I could be home to help, in some ways I couldn’t get away fast enough.
Home wasn’t the same, because it wasn’t Adventura. My homesickness for that stupidly perfect office—and JJ’s smell—shook me.
“I’m afraid I’m turning into Mama,” I whispered.
She reared back. “What?”
With a weary sigh, I said, “It’s a long story, but I don’t want to do to JJ what Mama did to Dad. I—”
The door creaked open, and a familiar woman with spiraling black hair and a warm expression peered inside. A white mask covered her face. Bethany lit up.
“Jada,” she whispered. “You’re here.”
Bethany stood and embraced our town doctor. Jada moved to me next, warmth in her chocolate-brown eyes. The yellow gown that she wore over her clothes crinkled when I returned her hug.
“Lizbeth. So good to see you,” Jada said.
“You as well.”
Jada motioned to Shane with a tilt of her head. “Just here to listen and write some orders for the nurses. X-ray is concerning but not terrible. With oxygen and supportive care and time, we’ll get him out of here just fine. Okay?”
Bethany nodded with a teary smile. Her hand clamped down on mine. “Thanks, Jada.”
“I’ll let you talk with her,” I said to Bethany. “I’ll be back in the morning. Let me know if I can bring anything back.”
I gathered my things, murmured a quiet goodbye, and gave Shane a quick kiss. Visiting hours would end in fifteen minutes, and Bethany looked exhausted.
“You going to be okay?” I whispered to Bethany. Despite the years behind us, I still had a burning need for her to always be okay. For her to be safe, solid, and ready to bear everything, even if that wasn’t fair of me to ask of her.
“Of course. I’ll talk to Maverick when he gets back in here, I promise. We just ... need to communicate our expectations better. This will all blow over. It always does. It’s all normal.”
“Really?”
She smiled and ran a hand down my face. “Of course.”
“You and Maverick will be okay?”
