Page 93 of Game Changer

Isn’t that a little fast?

He thought about it for a moment.

Nope, not really. It’s exactly what I want. Except I dun gon’ fucked up.

Jeremy gave her a hug; said he’d see her soon and that he was thinking of going to Ireland with AJ when he’d recovered. She nodded silently as he gave her a second, slightly longer hug.

Man, even Jeremy is hurting. What’s the world coming to?

“I’d say it was good to finally meet you, but that’s not really something you say after all we’ve been through together.” He paused, “It’s certainly been eventful – I’d love to see you and Chelsea try and scrapbookthistrip.”

She laughed.

I’m going to miss her laugh.

“Take care of yourself, you hear?”

“You too,” she managed, “and thanks for everything, Jer.”

“Any time,” he replied. “I’ll leave you two to, uhm…” he trailed off. Giving her a sad smile and AJ an affectionate thump on the back, he headed out to the car. “I’ll be outside.”

“Sure,” AJ replied.

“Ok, well, I better go,” Lisa said, clearly trying to paste on her best ‘I’m fine’ face and willing herself not to cry.

My ‘I’m fine’ face isn’t much better and I have no idea how I’ve kept my shit together this long.

“Yeah, let me know as soon as you land?”

“Sure.”

“Stay safe, and don’t worry. I’ll be there before you know it,” he told her.

She nodded and they kissed.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she replied, and with that, she dragged herself away from him and headed through security.

He watched her walk towards the airport, willing her to look back so she could see just how torn up he was about her leaving.

It’s not just you who’s sad, Lis. I’m heartbroken too, even if I’m not great at expressing it. I’m hurting.

Tears trickled down his face. She didn’t look back.

She probably doesn’t want to have to pretend to be fine.

Or she doesn’t want me to see her so upset.

He wanted to run after her, convince her to abandon her life in Ireland and stay here, with him.

Except you can’t offer her anything, AJ. You’re married, in college and working on making a life for yourself. You have to let her go.

It’ll get easier,he told himself.

“It’ll get easier, right?” he asked Jer and he climbed into the car.

“What will? Saying goodbye to the love of your life at the airport after an insanely emotionally charged visit? Probably not, no.”

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