Page 28 (1/2)

"Thank you" I checkme, and I can’t help but reach out and brush his hair off of his forehead "Thank you For everything"

He plants his hand onit a little squeeze "You’re welcome"

"How’s your dad?" Jules asks the next day We’re at lunch on the waterfront, enjoying a Friday afternoon in the sunshine

"He’s doing o horouchy I apologized to the nurses for his behavior"

"I’h "Men aren’t good patients"

"To be fair, I’o, and I wasn’t a delight Iand take a bite of my chicken and avocado sandwich

"Do they knohat caused it?"

"Well, yeah He doesn’t eat as well as he should, but they think it enetics Mom will be on him to eat better, and he’ll be on medication for the rest of his life"

"And how are you?" she asks "Any news froI’"

"I kno are theit?"

"It cost them some money to put the launch on hold, but so far, they’ve been understanding They moved the release date to late fall, so it should be in stores by Christood," Jules assures me

"I know, I’et back to your life"

I stare at the French fry inI don’t ht I would I have some friends that I miss, but honestly, I just don’t think I fit down there any at ives me excited butterflies

"I think I want to ht ere at the hospital, I just kept thinking that if this had happened when I was in California, I could have lostable to be here with hih your brothers are overprotective and drive me mad, I love them I love all of you"

"We love you, too," Jules says "And trustto kill Nate the first time they met"

"I only have one protective brother I don’t kno you do it with five of theh "But they mean well And we all just hat’s best for you Have you talked to your faet their hopes up in case it doesn’t happen But I’ to happen"

"This is so exciting!" She dances in her seat "What does Wyatt think? He must be excited, too"

"I haven’t talked to him yet, either" I shift in my seat "That’s a whole different conversation"

"Oh, are you ready to break it off? I thought you guys looked so happy the other night"

"No" The thought of breaking it off makes me sick to my stomach "It’s not that Jules, I think I’ me as if I’m about to drop some bombshell "That’s it I’m in love with hi me" She sets her empty plate aside and sips her iced tea "You’re in love, with the opportunity toitation "It’s not that it’s bad But it’s scary I did the love thing once, and it turned out horribly I trusted hireat And then it went to hell in a handbasket"

"So you think it’ll happen again" She nods, thinking it over "I uarantee that it won’t, Lia"

"That is not encouraging"