“Hey.” I grab her chin and angle it until her eyes meet mine. “Jo Lawson hasneverneeded anyone to take care of her. I know that hasn’t changed.”
Her eyes fall down to her hands again. “I just feel like I’ve wasted a lot of time.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing.” She readjusts her messy bun. “Forget it.”
I grab her hands. “Hey, talk to me. If it’s bothering you, I want to know about it.”
Her tongue swipes over her bottom lip as if she’s trying to decide whether or not to tell me. After a deep breath, she begins, “I left this town almost a decade ago. I come back, and everyone is so much further in life than me.”
“Jo, you can’t compare yourself to other people.”
“I can when I have a valid reason to. Look at you, Beau. You have a good job.”
I cock an eyebrow at her. “At the same place you work?”
“Let’s be serious. I’m working there because my brother-in-law owns it. My mother asked a favor, and no one wants to tell that woman no. You’re an actual mechanic. And you have a house and a dog and a real life. Meanwhile, I have nothing. I told myself I waslivingwhile I was away, but all I have to show for it are a couple of dirty piercings, a slew of new tattoos, and a buttload of trauma.”
I move closer to her, standing in between her legs. “Number one, Ireallylike the tats and piercings. Those were a welcome surprise. As for the trauma, I’m always here to talk about that too if you want.”
“Not tonight.” Her lips pull into a weak smile. “It’s been too good of an evening to ruin.”
Although I’m curious to know what she’s referring to, I don’t dare push her. That’s an easy way to incur the wrath of Jo.
“I just feel like I wasted a lot of time.” She shrugs as if trying to act like it’s no big deal.
“Jo, just because the road you went on was different doesn’t mean it was bad. You’ve seen much more of the world than I have. I went to college, but I ended up right back here.”
“Yeah, I guess,” she mumbles. “What brought you back to town?”
It’s becoming clear that she doesn’t have any idea of what has gone on since she left. While this will probably be a mood killer, I figure she’s going to find out eventually.
“Jo, my dad and brother died.”
“What?”
I nod. “Brian went first in a car accident, and then, Dad died of a heart attack six months later. I came home to be with my mom and to grieve, and I didn’t want to leave again.”
Jo looks like she wants to cry, but I don’t want her to feel this burden.
“Jo,” I begin, but before I can say anything, she jumps into my arms and wraps her body completely around mine. She’s holding on so tightly that I probably could put my hands at my sides, and she wouldn’t budge.
“Beau, I’m so sorry."
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. I should’ve been here.”
“I promise you. I’m okay.”
She just hugs me even tighter.
“Do you want me to put you down?” I ask.
“No.”
“Okay, come on,” I say while carrying her out of the kitchen, down the hallway, and into my bedroom. She doesn’t let go until she feels the mattress beneath her.
