The one my dad would've wanted me to give this to.
Tomorrow. I'll figure out how to do it tomorrow.
I set the pendant on my nightstand and lie back on the bed. I close my eyes and think about how I'm going to tell her. Not just give her the pendant but tell her everything, the words I've been holding back.
I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
Simple words. Terrifying words.
But true, all of it true.
26
MAYA
Jackson's text comes through while I'm helping Emma fold baby clothes—tiny onesies and socks that seem impossibly small for an actual human.
Jackson
Can you come down here?
"Everything okay?" Emma asks, noticing me staring at my phone.
"Yeah. Jackson needs help with something."
"Tell him I said he's banned from doing his own laundry after last week's incident."
"What incident?"
“He turned all his practice jerseys pink and had to get new ones.”
I head downstairs, confused and worried. Jackson doesn't usually text during the day.
His door is open, and he's sitting on the edge of his bed, wearing jeans and a Wolves hoodie. There's a small box on the bed beside him.
"Hey,"I say. "What's up?"
He looks nervous, actually nervous. I've seen Jackson face down opponents twice his size without flinching, but right now he looks terrified.
"Close the door," he says.
I do. "Jackson, you're scaring me. What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. I just..." He picks up the box. "I need to give you something."
My stomach flips. "Okay."
"Come here."
I cross the room and sit beside him on the bed. He's holding the box like it might explode, like whatever's inside has the power to change everything.
"This is harder than I thought it was going to be," he says.
"Whatever it is, just say it."
He takes a breath and opens the box. Inside is the silver pendant: the wolf he's worn around his neck every day since I've known him.
"Jackson—"
