Page 21 of Jingl
All eyes turn to Shae. His face is so damn red and I don’t want him to say anything he feels forced to say.
Kenzie opens her mouth, but I cut her off.
“Peggy, I love your sweater,” I say, hoping to get the topic to change.
She laughs, no doubt understanding what I’m doing. “This?” She pulls it away from herself to look down at it. “Had it for years, but always forget to wear it.”
Shae slides a chair between the niblings and settles down. “How’s this?” He babbles with the niblings and I grin at how well they get along. Shae gives me a bright smile and my dumb body sighs as if he’s the light of the world.
Wendy is on the end opposite me, with Mom and Peggy facing the niblings. I’m just glad there’s a table to fit all seven of us. It’s like we never moved away, except Dad’s missing because he stayed home for work.
I catch Shae’s eye often during conversation. The syrup from his waffles—or maybe it’s the butter—makes his mouth glisten. There’s always a hint of a smile on his lips with every question from Mom and Wendy. I get lost in the conversation just watching him, when someone says something I need to answer.
“Sorry, what was that?”
“We’re heading out,” Mom says.
“Oh.” We all get to our feet and hug all around. Giving the niblings extra long hugs when they start crying. “Don’t worry. We’ll see each other again soon. And you can always call me. But if I don’t answer, it’s because I’m working. I’ll always call you back, though. Okay?”
Both niblings wipe their tears and look up to Shae for hugs too.
“Same. Call me anytime, ‘kay?” He squeezes them and Wendy takes their hands, heading to the car. It’s just Mom, Peggy, Shae, and me.
Shae hugs my mom first, then it’s my turn. Mom pulls me away from the others a little and swipes invisible dust from my shoulders.
“Sending you to college hours away was hard, but this is harder.”
“I know, but—”
“I know you need this. You’ve been miserable in Florida. Just treat each other right, okay? I want youbothto be happy. You’re both my sons as far as I’m concerned.” She blinks and tears trail down her cheeks before she can wipe them away. “I’m being silly, I know. And you’re always welcome back ho—to Florida if you need the change.”
“I appreciate it.” We hug and when we part, she gives me a sharp nod, then holds her hand out for Peggy.
Peggy takes it and they walk out together. Peggy promises my mom to take care of her boy, and it’s like I’m truly back. She’d always been a second mom to me even states apart.
Shae stands beside me. We just watch them leave and it’s the two of us and the few other diners.
“Tracy?”
“Yeah?”
He hangs his head. “I know you mentioned ice skating. But can we just stay here or go back to your place? I have a really full schedule tomorrow and don’t want to exhaust myself today with skating. But if that doesn’t work—”
“It sounds perfect. As soon as I suggested skating, I wanted to stick my foot in my mouth. I haven’t skated since we moved away. I’d probably look like an octopus on ice.” I flail my arms around to imitate the image.
Shae’s rich laugh washes over me and a few other patrons look over at us.
“But let’s grab a booth instead?” I wave down the server and ask if we can move. We grab the bag of clothes Peggy brought Shae and follow the server when they agree to the change of scenery.
Shae slides in first and I want to be close, so scoot in next to him. His breath hitches. “What—”
I hold up two fingers for the server. “Two peanut butter cup shakes, please.”
The server nods with a smile and heads out.
But now we really are alone and Shae will expect me to explain myself from this morning and I don’t know that I can yet. I turn to him and open my mouth to speak, but—
“Shae?!” A gorgeous man power walks towards us. He’s tall, and would look right at home on a New York billboard. It takes me a second to recognize him as the photographer from the mall.
