They disappeared into the kitchen.
“Hey,” I said quietly.
Jonah crossed to stop in front of me. “What’s going on?” he asked just as softly.
“I need to tell them. They should know the whole story.”
“I agree. Want me to be with you?”
The tremor in my legs grew. I wanted to lean on him. Could I sit in his lap when I said the words? I might be determined not to run, but I’d siphon his strength. “You don’t mind?”
“No.” He brushed the backs of his fingers down my cheek. I turned my head into his touch. “It’ll be fine.”
“How can you be sure?” My whisper was ragged.
“Because out of all of us, they dealt with the grief the best. Dad just schooled me real hard in the shop.”
A shaky laugh left me. “I guess it’s my turn. You didn’t tell them about us breaking up.”
“I didn’t want to worry them even more. They’d think I’d regress.” He twined his fingers with mine and led me into the kitchen. “And because I didn’t want it to be true.”
“Me either.”
He gave my hand a squeeze. “Come on. First them. Then us.”
Us.
Despite my small rise of hope, my legs moved like lead poles. The warm, familiar roughness of his skin kept me rooted to the present. His hold calmed my heart rate.
His parents were sitting at the table. Vera was pouring lemonade into each of the four glasses Adam handed her.
Jonah pulled a chair out for me. My stomach waffled as I sat and settled once he was positioned next to me.
I stared at the lemonade in front of me. Adam and Vera sipped theirs and shifted in their seats. They must sense the heaviness from me.
I licked my dry lips. “I’m going to get right to the point. You two were very important to me, and then I just ghosted you after Eli died.” I closed my eyes because I couldn’t see their expressions. My determination dipped, then a big, warm hand closed over one of mine again. Jonah’s fresh-cut-pine scent surrounded me. Icould do this. “I was too afraid to tell you that I broke up with Eli right before he got drunk. I’m the reason why he was drinking.”
I sucked in a shuddering breath. There. I’d done it. I had to face whatever repercussions came my way. I wouldn’t run away anymore.
Jonah squeezed my hand, and I opened my eyes to him. His supportive expression was exactly what I needed to see.
Vera’s eyes were wide, disbelieving. “Summer, have you been holding that in all these years?”
I nodded, tears springing into my eyes. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you, but he’d been so upset and it was my fault.”
“No.” Adam shook his head, his troubled gaze stuck on the table. “No, it’s not your fault. Vera and I haven’t come this far to start assigning fault to anyone now.”
She barked a laugh and scrubbed her face with both hands. “Oh, Summer. If only you knew how much we’ve already done that.”
Jonah’s grip was fused with mine. Did he understand their reaction any more than I did?
Vera’s sigh was packed with ironic humor. “We blamed ourselves. You. Jonah. Copper Summit. Ourselves some more. Eli. The pickup manufacturer. Copper Summit some more. Each other.”
“We’ve run the gamut,” Adam said. “And if Eli was so upset from the breakup, and that’s why he did what he did, then I’m sorry you had to deal with that. I’m truly sorry.”
“You two were so young,” Vera whispered. “We knew it wouldn’t last. Just like we knew you and Jonah might have a thing for each other instead.”
Shock slammed through me like a thundercloud. “Was it that obvious? I never wanted to hurt Eli. I swear.” I’d been into Jonah, but enough to broadcast to the world I was into him?
