“I’m just happy for you, I guess. What happened to the boys?”
“They’re still here too. Almost out of high school now. Things changed a lot after you left. Mom warmed up and stopped taking in new kids. She adopted all of us. I think she regretted not adopting you.” I could tell Jessie genuinely believed that, though I didn’t think it was true.
“My time here was important, but it was good for me to be with my aunts.”
I plopped down on her bed and looked out the window. The room felt the same, and not much had changed. She sat next to me and took my hand in hers. “Whatever happened to Jase?”
“Jessie, Jessie, Jessie, you were always so curious. I like that about you.” I swayed into her, knocking my shoulder against hers playfully. “I’m with someone else now. A man named Trevor, but Jase is well.” That might have been a lie. I mean, he was doing well, but could I really say he was well after the stunt he had pulled the night before?
“Guess what? I have a boyfriend now.” Her face flushed.
“That’s great, Jessie!”
“Mom wouldn’t let me date in high school, but she’s lightened up a lot since then. I mean, I’m in college now—she kind of has to.” She shrugged. “So tell me, Emi, what is Trevor like? I bet he’s handsome! Tell me about him.”
“He’s tall, good-looking, muscular . . .” I made a silly face.
“What’s he like, though?” She was always wise beyond her years.
I struggled to describe him. “He’s nice . . . caring.”
“Is he funny and smart like Jase?”
“Yes,” I lied. Trevor could be a lot of fun, but he wasn’t clever. He had qualities that other women would kill for . . . just not me. How could I have known that all along and still have stayed with him?
“So, how long are you staying in Ohio?” she asked.
“Just until tomorrow, or the next day, and then it’s back to California. I still have a lot to do.” I stood up. “I have to get going soon.”
She hugged me. “Well, I’m glad you came by. Let’s keep in touch, Emi.”
“I will,” I said, and I meant it.
I CHECKED INTO a room at the DoubleTree in New Clayton. It was a surprisingly clean, newly renovated standard room with one king-sized bed and a flat-screen TV. I called Trevor.
“Hello!” he yelled over loud crowd noise in the background.
“Hey!” I yelled back cheerily.
“The game’s on, babe!”
“You told me to keep in touch.”
“What?!”
“I said, you told me to call you!”
“You’re breaking up, can I call you after the game?”
“Okay,” I said, and then hung up.
I texted Jase.
Me: How are you feeling?
Jase: Like I got hit by a truck. You?
Me: I’m okay. I have a chapter left of the book. It’s really good, Jase. Sad, though. I just went to see Jessie and the Bonners.
Jase: That’s great.
I thought that was an interesting response. Seconds went by.
Jase: How do you feel about it?
Me: Relieved.
Jase: I’m happy for you.
Me: Did you know?
Jase: Know what?
Me: That I needed this?
Jase: Haven’t you learned anything about authorial intention, Miss MFA?
Me: So it was intentional?
Jase: It always is.
Me: But how did you know I would read it?
Jase: Maybe I nudged destiny’s arm a little. Would you be mad?
I didn’t answer. Instead, I called Cara. “Hello.”
“Cara . . .”
“Hey, Emi! How’s your trip?”
“Good. I have a question for you. How did you hear about Jase’s book?”
“Hmm. Well, I had heard of it since it was already a bestseller, then I think I read a review in that literary magazine that came in the mail. Or maybe it was in my box at work? I can’t remember.”
“I remember that part. I think the magazine is on my nightstand, actually. Will you do me a favor and go look and see who it’s addressed to?”
“Hold on.”
A moment later, she was back. “I couldn’t find the label. It was definitely in my box, now that I think about it.”
“Okay, thanks for checking.” He had known it would get to me that way. Man, he was patient.
I hung up with Cara and attempted to write in my journal, but nothing came to me. I worked on my story, outlining and jotting down notes.
I knew I had to address things with Trevor, so I tried dialing him again, but he didn’t answer. I dozed off, exhausted, and was startled awake by the sound of forceful knocking on the door. I pulled back the blackout curtains and realized it was the next day. Almost noon.
“Hold on!”
I ran around the dark room, flipping on lights while I looked for my sweatshirt. I had been wearing yoga pants and a T-shirt with no bra, so I needed something to throw on. I dressed quickly and sloppily and then opened the door.
“Sleeping the day away, Princess?” Jase said, his voice low and smooth.
I blinked him into focus. He was wearing jeans, lime-green Wayfarer sunglasses, and Chucks with a black T-shirt. It was the way I remembered him: pre-suit Jase, pre-author Jase.