Page 145 of Heartbeat

It was the only time I’d ever seen Dr. Foster tear up.

“You’ve turned into a lovely young man, Thomas,” she said fondly. “Can I give you my very last professional advice?”

“I’m pretty sure that wasn’t an actual question.”

“You know, better than most, how to take care of people,” she said. “It’s a beautiful thing, a trait I truly hope you never lose.” Then she went quiet for a second, smiling as she took a deep breath. “I also wish that you will one day come to realize you are also worthy of being taken care of, maybe even allowing for it to happen.”

“Thank you, Alicia,” I said after a beat. “I promise I won’t like Dr. Lott.”

“Sydney is going to adore you,” she said. “And I meant it when I said I’ll want to talk to you someday.”

“Well, I meant it when I said it terrified me.”

She turned to glance at the living room and then back at me. “Don’t forget your jacket.” She pointed at it on the couch.

“Can you do me a favor? Give it back to him for me?”

“I really think you should—”

“Please?”

She smiled. “All right. I’ll make sure he gets it.”

*

“I can’t believe you talked me into this,” I told Blake as we walked up the steps to the house.

“It’ll be fun.” She wrapped both arms around mine. “Besides, this is the last party before graduation. Everybody’s here.”

“That’s precisely why I didn’t want to come,” I said, but it was too late. We were already inside.

“Come on, Tommy. Chances are we won’t even run into to him.”

The fact that my old friends had started hanging out with my new ones had led to a few interesting developments. Like the fact that everyone now called me “Tommy” more often than not. And, at that precise moment, Sam and Jonas were actually out on a date.

The place was absolutely overflowing. Blake led the way through the crowd, zigzagging around people as she refused to let go of my hand. When we finally got to the kitchen, she poured us some beer from the keg and refused to move until we both had to refill.

“Whose house is this?” I asked her.

“Do you really care?” she asked me back, pouring us another two cups. “Then drink up.”

Before long, we were sitting on a couch next to the dining room/dance floor.

“How are you feeling?” she asked me loudly as I started on my fifth cup of beer.

“I’m not!” I said, grinning.

“Awesome!” She smiled. “Should we dance?”

“I’m not drunk enough for that.”

“But we have to,” she said. “You need to get used to it now that we’ll be college buds.”

“Did I congratulate you yet?”

“A few times,” she yelled, nodding happily.

“Congratulations!” I yelled back, making her beam.

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