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I cried so hard and for so long that it orse than having a hangover, and the entire front of Jase’s shirt was drenched

It was not a pretty sight

Why he didn’t untangle , but he held on Cupping one hand to the back of ear shift between us, running his other hand up and down , nonsensical words until he finally h

"I always knew I’d make an excellent human tissue" He dipped his head so that his chin rested atopme achieve that dream"

He was one durable tissue

When I finally pulled antown I needed to callmyself to do that yet She’d supportme dance and compete In a way, it had been her drealanced over at Jase "Do we have to go back yet?"

"No We can do whatever you want"

Going back to that dor the future Like all the classes I needed to take more seriously "I mean, you probably have--­"

"I’ o back yet Fine I got the perfect place we can go"

"You do?" My voice sounded stuffy, and while I was curious to what level of a hot mess I looked, I didn’t dare peek in the mirror

"Yep" He winked

The corners of ed the band out of my hair Silence descended between us as we took the road that led to his parents’ far between two thick oaks

I clutched the oh-­shit handle, rinned "Yes No"

A narrow strip of ground was beaten down to where only a few patches of grass peeked through the packed soil "If this is a road, it’s the kind those kids took in Wrong Turn"

Tipping his head back, Jase laughed deeply "Trustis "

"That’s not saying much" With my hand cla Jase gripped the steering wheel hard, and the grin on his face as he winged around trees and rocks was contagious The , not with the brace on, and before I knew it, I was laughing as I hopped in the seat In those precious

"Hold on," Jase warned

The Jeep dipped into a gully, and I hooted as we bounced back up The trees cleared away, revealing a grassy field blanketed with tiny, white flowers Several yards ahead, the field eased into a body of water There was a wooden dock that looked rather lonely

He slowed down, co to a stop a few feet away fro off the car

"That’s what it’s called?"

He laughed "No It’s really just a pond But it’s deep enough to go swi in the suht his first fish actually He did it the first ti the two of the poles in hand, and one of them much, much smaller "How old was he?"

"Three," he said, a proud s in his blood"

"And horseback riding?" I unbuckled ures, too" He flashed a quick grin when I laughed, and I was happy that he’d still talk about Jack so easily knowing that I was privy to the truth "Stay put, okay?"

My hands froze near the door handle "All right?"

Jase hopped out and headed around the back of the Jeep The hatch opened and then shut A few seconds later, he reappeared a few feet away Leaning back in the seat, I reached down and picked at the brace through my jeans as he spread a dark blue blanket over the dainty flowers

Eo away God, soirlie fantasies were coination wouldn’t have created a scene like this

Was any of this real?

My fingers trailed along the edge of the brace It was real The good and the bad

When he returned to the Jeep, he opened the door and then stopped, looking concerned "You okay? The ride didn’t hurt your knee, did it?"

"I’ "Can I rin appeared as he reached in and gently led out of the Jeep Our eyes met as he slipped an arm under my knees and the other around my back "Hold on"

My heart did a backflip A perfect one "You do not need to carry me"

"I know," he replied "Now hold on"

I foldedhis shoulders "I could usemy brawny, spectacular rinned "Daht they are Ready?"