Page 37 of Entangled

“That’s what they tell me,” I quip with a halfhearted shrug.

“Seriously.” His fingers brush my hair softly. “Not many people could have…”

He pauses, brows pulling down slightly, eyes flicking to mine before he drops his lips to the top of my hair with a soft kiss and continues speaking.

“You should be proud. Not many people could have faced what you did today, myself included.” With that he steps back and gives me a small grin before turning to walk to the passenger side of the car.

Oh, yeah. So not equipped to analyze that one in my current state of mind.

But as I walk to the driver’s side of the car, I can’t help the soft smile that pulls at my lips because of the happiness his words spark inside of me.

Chapter 9

Present Day

The drive back to Gram’s is as silent as the ride out to my parents was. Me, silently processing everything and Jace being that calming presence by my side. My body feels drained and energized all at the same time. As if I’ve run a marathon and then been pumped full of speed. It’s a terrible combination, leaving my thoughts sluggish but unable to stop churning.

To put it simply, I’m a wreck.

I pull into the driveway and glance at the dash, surprised to find that it’s almost one p.m. Putting the car in park, I turn it off but don’t open my door, fidgeting with my hands as I’m struck by the unsureness of what to do now. Fuck, as much as I hate to admit it, I don’t want him to leave. It’s terrible but after what I just went through… I don’t want to be alone and haunted by all the ghosts I faced today. It’s such a foreign experience for me that I don’t know how to handle it.

I’ve always been fine being alone.

You have to say something, El.

“So—”

“What—”

We both start at the same time and look at each other, quiet laughter escaping us both and I watch him duck his head, reaching down to pull on the lip of his brown boot before turning to grin back at me.

“You want me to take those in for you?” He nods his head toward the back of the car.

“Please,” I answer, grabbing our leftover breakfast plates before pushing open my door.

I walk to the front door of my gram’s house and unlock it, running in to throw away the trash before coming back to hold the door open for him as he brings in the black box.

Ha. Black box. Fitting considering it probably contains all my mother’s secrets.

Jace sets down the box in the entry beside my suitcase and stands, brushing his hands against his jeans and tilting his head at me. “You planning on diving into those now?”

I hesitate, taking stock of my mental state before shaking my head. “No… no, I think I’ve had enough for today.” I give him a small smile. “Plus, if I’ve learned anything recently it’s the importance of taking things one day at a time. Her secrets will still be there tomorrow and I’ll be more ready to hear them then.”

He nods, leaning back against the wall and eyeing me consideringly. “And look at that. She’s wise on top of everything else.”

I can’t help the laugh that escapes and cock a brow at him, pushing away the twinge in my heart his words bring. “Now that’s something I haven’t been called a lot in my life.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

“No.” I sigh. “Probably just means I’m finally learning actually.”

“Want to tell me more about that?”

“What do you mean?”

He pushes off the wall and takes a step toward me, reaching up to tug at my hair in that playful way of his, as if we’re still children. “Feel like coming over and hanging out? I would say we could stay here but…” He raises his brows. “I’m hungry and your inventory leaves something to be desired.”

“True.” I grimace.

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