Without a word, Jaime follows her.
I can’t help but hope she’s walking out of our lives for good.
THIRTY-FIVE
We drive home in silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I check my phone and see Madden texted the group chat that he’s with Emma at our house, then a second, private text from Wren telling me not to worry about coming to help with the cleanup. Usually, I’d argue, wanting to help my friend after her long day, but right now, my little family is my priority.
And today, I realized we’re just that: a little family. A bit unconventional and surely not the family I ever thought I’d have, but stillmylittle family, and one I’ll do anything to protect.
Still, with the way Jesse’s jaw is set tight, the way he’s barely said two words since we got into the car, I worry if I went too far with taking the reins this afternoon, with talking that way to Kim the way I did, and with telling Madden to get Emma out of there. At the time, it felt right, like I was doing what I had to for my girl, but maybe that’s not my place yet. Perhaps it willneverbe my place, something that I would understand at the end of the day.
“I’m sorry I snapped at her,” I say quietly when we turn onto the Three Kings property. “I should have cooled down, walked away, and let you handle it. My own emotions clouded my judgment, and I didn’t?—”
“What?” Jesse finally averts his gaze, which has been deadset on the windshield, to look at me, with genuine confusion on his face. The county fairgrounds are about fifteen minutes from the house, and he hasn’t looked away once that entire time.
“I’m sorry that I told Madden to take Emma, and I’m sorry I yelled at Kim. It wasn’t my place, and?—”
“The fuck it wasn’t,” he says, voice low.
Well, now I’m confused.
I assumed his silence was irritation with me, but if that’s not the case…
“Then why are you mad at me?” I stare at his profile and watch his face shift, but I can’t decode it.
“I’m not mad at you, Hallie.” Silence fills the cab of the truck again before he sighs and reaches for my hand, finding it without even looking. He squeezes it, and some of the panic in my chest fades. “I’m just…thinking.”
“Well, the way you’re doing it makes me assume you’re pissed at me, and it’s kind of sending me into a spiral.”
He laughs, shaking his head, and more of that panic fades.
We’re good.
He’s laughing.
“I’m just stuck in my head. Not your fault.” I stare at him for a moment, but then we’re pulling into the gravel drive beside Madden’s truck. After turning off the engine, he turns to me with a smile on his face that feels forced, and whatever unease that had left comes right back into my chest. “Now we have to go in and relieve Madden and talk to Emma.”
I nod, a bit appeased, but that knot is still settling in my chest.
Time. Time is all that can help with this.
“Can I talk to her first?” I ask in a whisper. His face softens as if he already knows where this is going, but I continue. “I need to apologize for acting like that in front of her. You thank Madden,say goodbye to him, kick him out, then hang out in the living room.”
His hand lifts, cupping my cheek, his thumb brushing over the skin there.
“That works. While you do that, I’m going to call Adam to see if his security guy can confirm Kim is gone.”
I nod in agreement.
“Yes, do that. Make sure that witch is as far gone as possible. And then, call your lawyer, do whatever you have to do to make sure she can never just show up like that again, or the next time, I’m not going to use my words.” He raises an eyebrow. “I’m going to hit her, Jesse.” Despite everything, the edges of his lips tip up. “I’m serious,” I tell him, and he nods stoically before leaning in for a gentle kiss. When he pulls back, he opens his door, then slides out before moving to my side of the truck and helping me out.
Hand in hand, we move inside.
“Hey,” Madden says, standing from the couch. “How was everything after we left?”
Jesse sighs, his eyes moving down the hall toward Emma’s room.
“A shit show.”
