Alll I can do is shake my head and choke out the word, “Home.”
“Okay. Wren and I got the bakery. Do you want me to call West?”
I panic, swinging my head back and forth. “No. No. I just need to go home.”
“Are you sure that’s safe? I can drive you to West’s house?”
I jolt upright. “No. Please.” My voice cracks on a sob. “Just take me home.”
Her lips purse, and I can tell she’s debating what to do, but the look on my face and the tears dribbling down my cheeks must tell her this is what I need. “Okay. Let me just go tell Wren.”
In a trance, I take off my apron and grab my purse, my mind racing a mile a minute. I need to go. I need to call Nick, and I need to run before Ian tells West the truth.
The whole drive home, I fight back the tears that want to keep flowing. I never got to say goodbye to Wren, and I don’t want this to be the last time I see Sarah. I think of West and how much this is going to hurt to leave him.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to call West?” Sarah asks as we reach my door. “You are very pale, Jade.”
“No. It’s okay. I’m just going to go lie down for a bit,” I lie, feeling guilty.
Sarah hesitates to leave, but nods. “Okay. If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
Once inside my house, I pull out my phone and dial Nick. The phone rings until it goes to voicemail, so I leave a message explaining what happened and ask him to come get me. Pacing my house, I think about what to do. It’s only a matter of time until West realizes I’ve come home. It will take Nick days to get to me. Do I pack a bag and run to Hadley tonight? How do I getthere? I could take the bus. I look around the room, and when I see Pumpkin’s tower, the dam breaks and I sob. I can’t leave her.
What the heck am I doing?
West will protect me. He might not forgive me for lying, but he will protect me.
Falling to the floor, I let the fear and tears consume me.
I can’t let Ian be the one to tell him. It needs to come from me.
It’s time I give West the last pieces of my story.
Ipush open the door to the bakery and make my way to the counter. “Sarah, where’s Jade?”
“Whoa. Whatever you guys got, I don’t want it. Shoo, step back.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask, confused and in no mood for games.
“I just got back from dropping Jade off at home. She was sick or something, and now you come in here pale as a fucking ghost.”
“Wait. Did you just say Jade went home? Which home, Sarah?”
By the purse of her lips, I already know I’m not going to like the answer.
“Hers.” She sighs. “She said she just wanted to lie down for a bit.”
My hand slams down onto the counter top. “That’s not fucking safe,” I growl.
Without saying another word, I turn on my heels and run as fast as I can back to the station for my cruiser. Now that I know Jade’s story, she’s in even more danger being alone than I thought. I peel from the lot, stepping on the gas the whole way to Jade’s.
Slamming on my breaks, I race up her steps and pound on her door. “Jade!”
She doesn’t answer, so I try the knob, but it’s locked. “Baby, open up. I need to know you’re okay.”
“You just missed her.”
