Page 32 of Play With Me

Jude blinks, but his eyes aren’t on me. They’re at the door, where a woman who can only be described as stunning is standing, looking right at us.

“Here, apparently,” Jude says stiffly.

CHAPTER8

Nora

Icancelled my social media accounts when I moved away. I didn’t do much with them anyway, and I knew I’d be too tempted to scroll through photos of Jude and Cap, feeling sorry for myself. Fresh start and all that.

Except because I did that, I had no idea what the woman now walking over to us looked like.

And it’s not what I expected.

She’s tall and skinny and gorgeous, of course, making me feel at first like a fleck of dust in the wind, especially since my face still feels puffy from crying.

But the way she’s walking isn’t the confident strut of a model. She’s pulled into herself, her hands fidgeting in front of her as she comes over.

A group of people get up right in front of her and she has to pause, looking almost timid.

“She looks sad,” Cap says.

He’s right; there’s a sort of somberness to her that looks permanent. She’s pale, with brown hair so dark it’s nearly black, cut into a short bob. Her big brown eyes look slightly shadowed. She looks kind of like a long and lanky Wednesday Addams.

Jude’s jaw is working, his temple pulsing alongside it. But he stands as she approaches. I do too. Cap, meanwhile, rushes toward her.

“Cap!” Farrah says, brightening. She opens her arms.

But Cap comes up short. Then he looks back at me, chews his lip, and sticks out his hand. “Hi.”

No matter how I might feel about this impromptu meeting, I cringe at that. Farrah lowers her arms, her smile dropping briefly before she clearly works to hoist it up again. “I’m so happy to see you, Cap. And so excited about our trip.”

“Me too,” Cap says, pure and sweet and completely unaware of how that rebuff must have stung her. He throws a glance back to his dad.

God, this little boy is trying so hard to balance his parents’ feelings.

“Jude,” Farrah said, smiling warmly. She lifts her arms up—for another hug maybe? But Jude places his hands on Cap’s shoulders, bringing him in front of him. It looks very clearly to me like he’s using his son as a shield.

“I told you we were meeting down by the river,” Jude says, instead of returning her hello. “How did you know where we were, anyway?”

Suddenly, I feel terrible for this woman. She’s trying so hard. But her lip nearly wobbles as she takes in the two people who are probably the closest thing she’s ever had to a family, considering what I know about her parents.

“Oh,” she says. “I know this is the place with best hot chocolate near the Eye… I thought… I am sorry. I…I could not wait. I was excitement to see Cap. And I wanted to meet Nora.” She smiles hopefully at me. Her English isn’t perfect, but she’s trying there, too.

I never introduce myself first—I’m the furthest thing from an extrovert. But Jude’s hopeless right now, so I can’t wait for him to help out. I thrust out my hand across the table, proud of how steady it is. “It’s lovely to meet you.”

Farrah’s eyes are deep with relief as she grips my hand. What kind of life has this woman led?

“Cap and Jude tell me everything about you, Nora.”

When I look at Jude, his eyes are on mine, his jaw set hard. He’s being a jerk. It doesn’t look good on him. I tilt my head, throwing him a look that tells him so.

He looks down.

“Well, we’re finished anyway,” I say, my voice tight. “I should leave you three to—”

“No!” All three of them say it at the same time, shocking me to stillness.

“Oh…”

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