Page 79 of The Heartbreak List

Gray puts his knife and fork down. “We can make it work at the condo. I can sleep in my office.”

“No, Gray. That’s not going to happen. But I’m not moving in here either. At least not yet.” Indy meets each of their confused gazes. “I know that I’m going to get sicker at some point and then I’ll need all of you to look after me. But right now I want to focus on living. I have all these things that I want to do. And Theo is helping me with them.”

“You’re moving in with him?” Gray’s chair scrapes on the floor as he shoves back from the table. “Is that what you’re saying?”

“I know it doesn’t seem ideal to any of you,” she continues. “I can’t imagine what you’re feeling, Gray.”

“Like I’m going to need a good lawyer.” He starts unlatching the buttons on his shirt cuffs.

Under the table, I grip my knee so hard I’ll have bruises. “You don’t want to start a fight with me.”

“You don’t scare me.” His lips form a white slash.

“Gray, sit down.” Indy’s voice shakes.

“Let’s all just take a breath.” EJ shoots Gray a warning look before turning to his sister. “Do you really think that moving in with your death coach is the best decision, Indy?”

“I’m not a death coach,” I grumble under my breath. I don’t care if he’s sticking with it in an effort to keep Gray calm. I’m not some guy who made it his profession to help people come to grips with dying. I’m here only for Indy.

Indy’s shoulders lift and straighten. “It’s my choice. My decision.”

“Christ, Indy.” Gray drops into the seat. He seems to swing between wanting to kill me and wanting to beg Indy to come home. “You don’t just throw everything away for a guy you barely know. You don’t move in with him.”

“Enough.” Mr. Jones brings his hand down sharply on the table, making the dishes rattle. He lumbers to his feet until he’s standing over all of us. “Indy, baby, you’ve always been a good girl. Unlike these two, I used to worry that you didn’t get into enough trouble. But now isn’t the time for you to be a good girl. These past few weeks I’ve watched you turn into a shell of yourself. Watched you struggle. It kills me that I can’t make it better for you. I can’t kiss your boo-boo or yell at that kid who pushed you over in the sandpit like when you were little. I can’t Super Dad this situation.”

“It’s okay, Daddy.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose and bows his head for a moment. His shoulders shudder and his wife reaches for the hand hanging limply at his side. He lifts his head and continues, “Before these last two weeks, you were optimistic. And happy. There was a light about you I haven’t seen for a while. So if you need to stay with this…” He points at me, his fist unsteady with everything he’s trying to keep in.

“Theo.” Indy finds my knee under the table and holds onto it. I don’t give a damn if anyone notices, I put my hand under the table and cover hers.

“Theo,” he says. “If that’s what is going to keep my baby girl in her best spirits, then that is what is going to happen. End of discussion.”

“He has an angle. He has to,” Gray snarls.

Indy turns her hand over in mine and holds on tight. I think she’s worried that I might get up from this table and drag Gray outside for a heart-to-heart he won’t like. As much as I would love to do that, it will only give her another reason to feel bad about hurting him.

“Dad,” EJ starts.

Mr. Jones raises a hand to shut his son up as he turns to Gray. “Indy has made it very clear to me and Sharon that you’re always to be welcome in this house. Just like you were before you two dated. You’re family, and that hasn’t changed. We know you’re hurting and we’d do just about anything to make it hurt less for you. But…it might be best if we call time on this dinner and you go home. You’re a grown man and my daughter is dying. If you push me, I will kick you out. If you make me choose between her happiness and you…or make it so she doesn’t want to come home to her momma and me…I’ve got bad news for you, son.”

Gray blanches.

“It’s okay.” Indy stands and moves around the table to hug her dad. “It’s been a long night. And I’m tired. So I’m gonna get Theo to take me home.”

“I’ll get your purse.” I step away from the table as she hugs her mom. Take a few cleansing breaths and force the tension from my muscles as much as I can. But I won’t be at ease until we’re on the road.

She meets me in the foyer. Takes her purse from my hand. She’s run an emotional marathon tonight. With Gray. With her parents. And her brother. As we go outside she yawns widely and walks slow and carefully, like there’s a drop and she could fall into it at any step. “Thank you.”

I hold her elbow on the stairs and help her into the truck only to realize that we’re stuck in front of Gray’s Tesla. “Fucking fuck.”

“I’ve got the keys.” EJ jogs over with an overnight bag. “Figured it would be better if I came out instead.”

“I appreciate it.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not saying that I don’t like you. Even though I probably should for what you’re putting my best friend through. I’m actually sure you’d be a great guy to hang with. But any goodwill I show you is for Indy.”

“Understood.”

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