Page 72 of Forever Yours

Of silhouetted reflections

In the ripples of ponds.

Everything is beautiful

In the eyes of the man I love.

Damn him for making me cry again. But the tears were good ones.

Julien was showing me in every way possible that he loved me.

“Stop staring at your phone.”

I glanced across the table at Jessi. Other than the doctor’s visit, today was the first day we ventured out of my house. As nice as it was being home, I was going stir crazy. So was Jessi. There were only so many board games we could play, movies we could watch, long, deep discussions we could have. And I had to have some of Ruby’s apple crumble pie with vanilla bean ice cream before Dad drove me back to CU in a few hours. Jessi would be returning to New York—which she was ecstatic about since she would be traveling in Fallon’s jet again.

“Putting it away,” I promised.

She balled a torn corner of her napkin and stuck it in her straw, then fired it at me.

I picked the tiny wad out of my hair and set it down on the Formica table with the other ones.

“How does Diedre put up with you?”

“I’m great in bed. And stop avoiding the question. I still think you should skip your mom’s wedding and come to New York. You’d have more fun.”

That I would.

“She hasn’t even called you to see how you’re doing.”

No, she hadn’t.

The old-fashioned jukebox in the back of the diner started pumping out Elvis’s unmistakable crooning voice. I scanned the diner for our waitress. She wasn’t hard to miss with her poodle skirt, pink cardigan, and bushy ponytail. Ruby’s was a throwback to the fifties and very much looked the part. Red and black harlequin checkered floor, red and black lacquered booth seats and tables, and the staff’s uniforms were poodle skirts for the women and greaser tees for the men. It was ridiculous, but the food was amazing.

Finally catching her attention, our waitress stopped to refill our iced teas. She’d been nervously staring at my face every time she came to the table. I was seriously considering asking Jessi to show me how to apply makeup to help cover the discoloration. I wasn’t looking forward to the stares I knew would be coming tomorrow in my classes.

“Elijah.”

I popped my chin in my hand and innocently fluttered my eyelashes at Jessi.

“What?”

She reached across the table. “If you’re determined to go and torture yourself, then I’m coming with you. Fake girlfriend assist. It’ll confuse the hell out of her.” She cackled, her smile wide and a little evil.

“I love you for always being my person.”

“Then it’s settled.”

“I’ll think about it,” I interjected, and she scowled.

I sat back to make room for the waitress to place our food on the table.

“Anything else?”

I inhaled the warm cinnamon coming off the apple crumble.

“One of these to go, please,” I said, wanting one to take back to Dad.

Jessi dipped her spoon into my crumble.

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