Page 78 of Crossing the Brooklyn Briggs
It’s the only version of me I ever let them see because they all have their own problems to deal with.
Jordan groans again, and suddenly his hands are on my face, thumbs brushing the tears from my cheeks. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make you cry. I’m just frustrated, and confused, and maybe a little angry with you.”
“I deserve that,” I mumble.
“Yes. But no, you don’t. I shouldn’t take out my problems on you.”
“I caused your problems.”
“Problem. Single.” He scowls. “I won’t let you take the blame for the rest.”
I let out a single laugh. “Now you’re mad at me for trying to say sorry?”
“Is that what you were going to do?”
He’s standing so close, hands still tucked around my head in a gentle hold. At some point, I put my hands on his chest, which means I can feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest. When he started talking, this isn’t where I expected the afternoon to go, but I can’t say I’m mad about it.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “As soon as Mateo left my class, I wanted to call him back and tell him not to do anything. But I didn’t think Mark would take it so personally and try to get him in trouble.”
Jordan snickers, brushing his thumbs along my cheeks again. “You really know how to pick ’em, Queens.”
Meeting his gaze, I summon every ounce of courage I might possess, though I can still barely breathe. Time to send some signals and hope he reads them right. “I’d like to think I’ve gotten better at it.”
His eyes drop to my mouth. “In less than twenty-four hours?”
I can barely concentrate anymore. He’s so close, exactly where I want him to be. “I had an idea of what I wanted before Mark ever asked me out.”
“That soon?”
“You don’t think I can change?”
“I think you can do anything, Queens.”
“Jordan, will you ki—”
“Sorry, hang on.” Jordan steps back, his face scrunching up as he pulls his phone out of his pocket and answers a call.
I take this chance to breathe and seriously question what I was just about to say. Am I crazy? Yes. Asking him to kiss me is definitely crazy talk.
Jordan keeps talking, growing increasingly more agitated. “Rick, what… What do you mean, everything’s been canceled? By who?” He walks up the stairs and starts pacing across the lawn. “But you and I are the only ones with access to the schedule.”
The rest of his conversation doesn’t last long before he hangs up and comes back down the stairs. He looks annoyed and frazzled, which is not a good look for him.
“Is everything okay?” I ask. It’s a stupid question, but I don’t know what else to say. I definitely can’t saykiss me.
He shakes his head. “Someone canceled all of our appointments tomorrow. Fridays are our busiest days. I need to go figure this out before we lose a ton of business.” Wrinkling his nose, he reaches out and tucks some hair behind my ear. “This conversation isn’t over, okay? I’m still frustrated with you, but…” His eyes drop to my mouth again, making my breath catch.
Then he says the one thing I wish he wouldn’t say. “Houston will be home tomorrow.”
I sigh. Houston. Anything we do will affect him. “We need to make sure he’ll be okay.”
Jordan nods without a trace of a smile. Not that I expected him to smile, but I hoped he would be more optimistic than I am. “I’ll talk to him. And you…” He taps my nose. “Let me know if you find the real Brooklyn again. I’d really like to see her, and I know she’s in there somewhere.”
He presses a quick kiss to my forehead, and then he’s gone.
For the next hour, I wander my basement in a daze, simultaneously telling myself not to get my hopes up and talking myself into believing Jordan feels something for me. It’s not a good use of my time and it’s honestly making me dizzy, so I drop onto my couch and call the one person who will give me unbiased advice.
“Well, this is unexpected.” My brother Chad sounds like he’s on the verge of laughing, which is unusual for him. Especially lately. I’m pretty sure he’s been in a funk ever since he and his girlfriend broke up last spring.
