Page 97 of For Fox Sake

“I’m sorry.” His voice is hoarse.

I grab the cup of water from the side table and hold the straw to his mouth. “What are you sorry for? None of this was your fault.”

He drinks some water and settles back in the bed. “I wanted to surprise you and Ari. I should have been paying more attention to her when I was parking.”

“Jake, you saved her. I am the one who should have been paying more attention. I shouldn’t have left her alone.”

“It’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault. I,” he blinks rapidly, “I dreamed about Aria.”

Surprised by the sudden change in subject, I lean forward. “What?”

“I was in Aria’s room with her, and we were talking, and it was a real conversation we had before she died, only it was different.” His gaze grows distant. “She told me to forgive myself.”

“She’s right.”

His eyes lift to mine. “I didn’t mean to forget her.”

“You didn’t forget her.”

He swallows. “But I wanted to.”

I shake my head. “That was only because you were hurting. You’ll remember. And we have a whole box of memories of her, the letters your dad wrote me.”

“We do.”

“I can read them with you. We can remember together if you want.”

One corner of his mouth kicks up. “You will?”

“I might be living close, pretty soon.”

His eyes widen. “Really?”

“I may have a list of places near Whitby with nursing schools, which Bernie gave me the other day before you arrived.”

He grins. “I knew I liked her. When are you moving?”

I chuckle. “I haven’t even applied yet, let alone looked for places to live. I haven’t come up with any kind of plan to make anything work.”

His smile doesn’t dim in the slightest. “But you will.”

“I might not get accepted again at Cornell.”

His fingers twitch in mine. “You will.”

“You don’t know that.”

“If you don’t get in there, you can apply to other places. Or reapply next semester. And in the meantime, you can live with me. I’ve been making a list too, of available real estate near Whitby.”

My stomach dips. He has? “It’s not too soon?”

He shrugs, but then winces. “Who decides what’s too soon?”

“Jake?” Ari sits up in the cot, her voice thick with sleep.

“Hey, superhero.”

She immediately scrambles off the cot.

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