“I know, but it will pass. I guess we’re guaranteed at least that.” He pauses for a minute. “Time. Damn. I hate this. I have to go. I’m sorry. I wish we could talk all day.”
“I do too.” I'm suddenly desperate to keep him on the phone. There’s so much I want to say.
He’s leaving. “I’m sorry. Have a great birthday, Jess. Don’t forget, I love you.”
I’ll never get tired of hearing him say that. “I love you too.” And Jacob...”
“What Jess?”
“Close your eyes.”
“Mmmm, thanks for that. You’d better block out that whole first week after I get home.”
“Already done. Hurry home. Take care of yourself. I’ll be waiting.”
I wait until class is over to sneak back into the lecture hall. I wouldn’t have gone back at all, but I left my backpack in my rush to leave. I’m hoping my professor is already gone.
No such luck.
“Miss Roberts,” he says. “I think I made it clear at the beginning of the term that I don’t appreciate cell phones in my class.”
“I’m sorry. I had to take that call. It’s my birthday, and that was my boyfriend calling from Iraq.”
His face softens. “I guess I can let it go. But I would appreciate it if you left the phone on silent for the duration of my class from now on. I find the vibrate feature just as annoying as a ring.”
“I won’t let it happen again.” I shoulder my backpack and turn to leave.
He stops me. “I thought Dean Stephen’s son wasn't going to Iraq.”
The question shocks me. It takes me a minute to understand what he’s implying. “You mean Michael? He’s still in Texas. That’s not who I was…”
He seems embarrassed. “Oh. I saw you together at the New Years Eve party. I just assumed…”
“We’re just friends.” I feel like I’m being checked up on. I wonder who else on campus knows anything about me and Michael, or what his dad or anyone else might have said about me.
Maybe I should have been more honest with Jacob about the party. I have this sudden fear that rumors about my friendship with Michael might get back to Jacob all the way in Iraq.
sixteen
Conflict and Interest
March 2005
As soon as I walk into the living room, I drop my suitcase. “Jacob.”
I'm in shock. Sitting on the couch, playing video games with Tyler, where he’s been a hundred times before, is Jacob.
He turns around. “Sorry, Jess. It’s just me.”
“Gage!” I’m almost as happy to see him as I would be to see Jacob.
He throws his arms around me, picks me up and kisses me—hard and on the lips. I’m too stunned to pull away.
“You totally owed me that one.” He steps back. “You aren’t going to slap me, are you?”
I’m trying to recover. “No. I should. I would if I weren’t so happy to see you.”
“Good. As I remember, you slap hard.”
