Page 44 of Made For Me

He turns to walk to his car with my hand in his. “We?” I question when he stops to open my door.

“Yeah, we,” he repeats, stepping up to me now. “There isn’t time right now.” His voice comes out in almost a whisper. “But later we need to talk.” He steps with his chest against mine, pulling up our joined hands and he kisses my fingers. “If I don’t get you to your sister…”

“I don’t know if I can do it,” I admit softly, the tears coming again. “I don’t know if I can face anyone.”

“You did nothing wrong. Nothing, there is not one thing that you did wrong and we are going to prove it.”

I swallow now, not sure I can say another word, not sure I have it in me. Instead, I look up at him. “Thank you.”

Both his hands come up to touch my cheeks right before he holds my face. “There is nothing you have to thank me for,” he says, almost in a whisper, and his hands still on my face make my whole body heat. He’s about to say something else when his phone rings from his back pocket. He laughs now. “That’s twice now we’ve been interrupted before I can kiss you.” His thumbs move over my cheeks. “There isn’t going to be a third.” I don’t think I have any words left for a comment like that. To be honest, I want him to promise me that kiss. Maybe even dare him. The phone stops for a second and then starts up and I have to laugh. “Do you want to get into the car?” His hands fall from my face as I get into his car. He pulls out his phone and hands it to me.

“I don’t think Jillian has ever called me in my life,” he says and I grab the phone. He closes the door as I answer, pressing the red button.

Chase: I’m on my way, see you when I get there.

Jillian: Okay.

He gets in and looks over at me. “That was fast.” He starts the car.

“I didn’t answer her.” I put the phone in the middle console, turning to look out the window. “If I hear her voice, I’m going to crack, and I can’t show her.” He doesn’t say anything to me the whole ride there. My eyes burn from being up all night, my stomach tightens from the nerves or maybe not eating. My head throbs from everything that is going on inside of it. We pull up in the driveway and I see there are only two extra cars here. “How many people are in there?”

“I have no idea.” He looks over at me as he turns off the car. “I mean, it’s my family.”

I laugh now, trying to push away all my feelings. “Only your family would have a party for someone who just got bailed out of jail.” His jaw gets tight and I take a deep breath before grabbing the handle of the car. “Here we go.”

I have enough time to close the door before the front door is swung open and I see Jillian. She stands there with tears streaming down her face. She runs to me and I see that her nose and eyes are both red. “Julia,” she says, throwing her arms around my neck and I hug her as she cries. I push away the tears, knowing that if she sees me in tears, it’ll be worse for her.

“I’m okay.” I rub her back. “I’m okay.” I look over her shoulder seeing Michael there, and if I know him the way I know him, he’s freaking the fuck out. He’s a tough guy to his core but if he sees Jillian crying, it’s his kryptonite.

“We should get inside,” Chase says softly from beside me and I feel his hand on the base of my back.

“You’re a jerk.” Jillian lets me go to snap at Chase, who just looks at her. “What took you so long?”

“We literally came right over,” I say, laughing as Chase shakes his head.

“Can we get some food into her?” Max yells from the door. “She hasn’t eaten all day.”

Jillian puts her hand in mine as she pulls me away from Chase. I look over my shoulder at him, wondering if he is going to follow me in or just leave. “Are you okay?” Jillian asks, and I turn to look at her.

“I’m fine.” I pretend and I know that even if I say I’m okay, she probably feels what I feel. It’s the strangest thing with us.

“It’s not fine,” she mumbles when I walk into the house seeing Allison there with Dylan and Alex.

“There she is,” Allison says, coming to me and hugging me. I feel her tears fall onto my shirt.

“Guys,” I say, putting my bravest face forward. “I’m fine.” I look at everyone. “Look, no bullet holes.”

“She’s in shock,” Alex concludes and I can’t help but laugh as Allison lets me go and pulls me toward the food they had catered. There is enough food to feed fifty people. “We ordered all your favorites,” Alex says softly from beside me.

“Not you, too,” I whine when I see she has tears running down her face. “I expected better from you.” I point at her and she laughs. “Especially you.”

“I know,” she huffs outs, “I’m blaming the hormones.” She throws up her hands and then I look at her shirt.

“You’re leaking.” I point at the round wet spots. She gave birth two months ago to their second son, James.

“Eeww,” Michael says from behind me. “Get away from the food.”

“Shut up,” Alex tells him. “It’s natural. I need to borrow a top, Jillian.” She turns and walks from the room toward the bedroom.

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