Page 68 of Forever Yours

“You ever stargaze?” I asked.

“Only when I went outside to light up.”

He took a stick of gum from his pocket and unwrapped it. He’d stuck to his resolution not to smoke because I hadn’t seen him light up a joint or a cigarette in months.

With a finger, I traced pictures in the stars and called out all the constellations I found and some that I made up.

“Cassiopeia looks like a woman’s ass.”

I quietly chuckled. “You would see that.”

“Orion’s belt is a man with three nipples,” someone said behind us.

No fucking way.

A head of purple-streaked raven-black hair peered over the back of the lounger, along with Jessi’s gorgeous smile.

“Surprise.”

My moans for help were nothing more than sobbed whimpers. Black coated my vision like sticky tar as darkness crept closer… closer. I hurt so bad. Everything hurt so bad.

Bending down, the guy fisted my hair in a crushing grip and yanked my head up, but I couldn’t see him through the swelling that occluded my vision.

I wanted Julien. His strong arms around me. Safe. Warm. Loved. He would hold me and take the pain away. Think about Julien.

“Marshall says hi.”

I woke suddenly, and it took me a second to remember where I was. Home. In my bed—

“Nightmare?”

—with Jessi.

“Yeah.”

She wriggled around to spoon her front to my back and carefully slid an arm around me, making sure not to put pressure on my ribs. Tucking her head close to mine, she hummed a soft song that sounded like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Much like Julien did in the hospital.

God, I missed him.

“I still can’t believe you’re here.”

Fallon had flown Jessi in on his private jet. Yes, Fallon had his own jet. Such was the life of the insanely wealthy. Jessi couldn’t shut up about it. She accused Fallon of ruining commercial flights for her because she would never be able to fly economy again.

“No place I’d rather be. And sincemyclasses don’t start until Monday, you have me through the weekend.” She kissed my cheek and sat up. “I need to use the little girl’s room, then I’m going to make you a Jessi breakfast special.”

Jessi’s special was chocolate chip pancakes. Somehow, they came out tasting like cake, made even better when she added whipped cream, the spray kind. I could eat my weight in that delicious shit.

After she left the bathroom, I laid in bed for another ten minutes, existing in that lazy state between drowsy and not fully awake, listening to Jessi and Dad’s voices as they talked in the kitchen. Jessi had opened the curtains before she left, and I had a gorgeous view of the early morning sun cresting the top of the tree line.

My mind naturally went to thoughts of Julien. About the sunrise we watched together, how magical it was before it all went to shit when he got upset over what I had said about Jayson’s drinking.

Not wanting to, but knowing I needed to, I reached for my phone on the nightstand and powered it on. As soon as the logo graphic swirled into shape on the screen, it exploded with a flurry of notification chimes that were never-ending.

Continuing to procrastinate, I placed the phone back down and got out of bed. My muscles weren’t as sore today, so I did a little light stretching to test things out. However, it was my reflection in the dresser mirror that caught my attention. I’d avoided looking at myself since the doctor told me how bad the bruising was on my face. But I saw everything now in all its horrific glory. Jesus Christ, my face was a watercolor of blues, greens, and purples. Despite the fact there was some lingering swelling around my right eye, I was happy to have my full sight back. I’ll never take for granted stereoscopic vision again. I probably ran into every piece of furniture in the house yesterday because I had no depth perception.

Seeing what I looked like made the decision of what I was doing today. Not leaving the house being the answer.

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