Jessica tilts her head back to look at me.
"You really don't regret it?"
"Not for a second."
"Even though you've known him for nearly your whole life?"
I brush a strand of hair from her face. "I've loved you for years. The math isn't complicated."
She laughs. Watery. Broken.
"I don't deserve you."
"Wrong." I kiss her forehead. "You deserve more than I can give. But I'm going to try anyway."
We stand in the hallway as the sun sets outside.
A lost friendship, and I don't feel anything but peace.
Jessica tugs on my hand. "Will you come with me? To my room? I don't want to be alone right now."
"Of course."
I follow her up the stairs, my hand still wrapped around hers. She's trembling slightly. The adrenaline from the confrontation is wearing off, leaving her shaky and exhausted.
Her room is warm, lit by the amber glow of the bedside lamp. The nest she's built dominates the bed, blankets and pillows arranged in careful layers, soft things collected from all four of us woven into a sanctuary that smells like pack.
She climbs into the center of it and looks up at me, eyes wide and vulnerable.
"Stay."
I don't need to be asked twice.
I toe off my shoes and join her in the nest, sinking into the softness of blankets that have their scent. She immediately curls into my side, pressing her face against my chest.
My arms wrap around her automatically. Pull her closer. One hand slides up to cup the back of her head, fingers threading through her blonde hair.
"I've got you," I murmur against her temple. "You're safe."
She makes a small sound. Not quite a sob. Not quite a sigh. Her hands fist in my shirt.
"I'm sorry." Her voice is muffled against my chest. "I'm sorry he showed up here. I'm sorry he said those things. I'm sorry you had to choose between him and me."
"Stop apologizing."
"But—"
"Jessica." I tilt her face up, forcing her to look at me. "I chose you. Not because I had to. Because I wanted to. Because you're worth choosing."
Her eyes fill with tears.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I've been waiting years for this." I brush my thumb across her cheekbone, catching a tear before it can fall."
"I should have seen it sooner."
"You saw it when you were ready." My hand slides down to cup her jaw. "That's all that matters."
