Page 5 (1/2)

Dani had no plans of seeing either, but she couldn’t help herself "My Aunt Kathryn"

"What?"

"She’s my aunt too"

"Oh" A wrinkled line in his forehead increased His eyebrows pinched even harder against each other "Yeah Yeah I know"

And then suddenly, as quick as the fight came to her, it left her in one sudden whoosh She was tired, all the way down to her bones She didn’t know another time in her life when she’d been this exhausted She knew there’d be a time when she and Jake should talk They never did, not after he told her he was leaving her for Erica, and she took off the very next day, but that time wasn’t today It wasn’t now

"Look, Jake" He lifted his head, finding her She added, "You go back and let Julia know that I got herto her co away because Dani didn’t want to see Julia or Kathryn Julia was just one of those people It was her way, not soht on her doorstep either "I’ll stay away"

"That’s it?" Jake frowned

She shrugged "What else do you want me to say?"

"I don’t know I just--" He cut hi else to say" He clipped his head in a nod, returning to his car "I’ll let Julia know I’ll tell her you send your best to her too" He was at the car She ith him, and he reached for the door handle Jonah had moved Dani didn’t see him, but she kneas around She could alhost from her past

"Jake--"

She didn’t knohat to say There wasn’t anything, not at that nored her and said instead, still turned toward the car with his back to her, "I best be going now, Dani I’ll let Julia know you’re okay with staying out here"

"Thank you" She nodded

He opened his door, but suddenly looked back up at her "Where’ve you been these ten years, Dani?"

Why are you back now? That was the unspoken question in the air