The Exception(105)

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I said, sniffling.

His shoulders rose and dropped, a smirk on his face.

“Thank you for everything.” I pulled back from him and smiled. “Take care of my sister, okay?”

“Don’t worry about that.”

I turned to Kari, hugging my sister goodbye. Neither of us could find the words to express what we were feeling, but we both knew the other understood. “So, call me when you make it home. Your flight leaves first thing in the morning, right?” I asked, wiping my face dry with the back of my hands.

“Yeah, at ten, I think,” Kari said, looking at Max for confirmation; he shook his head.

“Okay. Well, let’s not delay the inevitable and make this hurt more than it’s going to,” I said, walking backwards towards the house. “I will see you guys soon.”

I watched as they got into the Escalade. Max drove and Kari blew kisses out of the window as they pulled out onto the street. They pulled farther and farther away and a piece of my heart went with them.

I had never felt so alone in every way.

Taking a deep breath and summoning all the strength I could muster, I put on my bravest face and marched back inside.

“I’m back!” I called as I walked through the front door.

“I’m in the kitchen,” Heather shouted back as I made my way through the living room. “Where in the world did you go? I was getting ready to call someone to go find you.”

“You mean you wouldn’t come look for me?” I asked, laughing.

“Hell, no! If you had gotten kidnapped, I wasn’t putting myself out there to be a victim, too!”

“Nice,” I said. “Anyway, we had brunch and then did a little sightseeing. I’m pretty much worn out. I think I’m going to hop in the shower and go to bed.”

Heather looked alarmed.

“I mean, unless you had plans …” I looked at her skeptically, worried that I had hurt her feelings by not wanting to hang out.

“No,” Heather said quickly. “No, not at all. Actually,” she said, wiping the counter nervously, “I was going to go to Brian’s. He, um, he needs my help with something. I probably won’t be back until morning, if that’s all right.”

“Yeah, have fun,” I smiled. “I will see you tomorrow sometime.”

“Bye, Jada,” Heather said, smiling. She grabbed her keys out of the basket on the counter and headed to the front door.

I watched her leave and stood there, looking around the empty house, feeling the emptiness seep into my bones.

I kicked off my tennis shoes and left them, too depressed to even bother to pick them up. I shrugged off my jacket as I walked down the hallway to my room, smiling sadly when I saw Cane’s t-shirt on my chest. It was one of the few physical mementos I had of him and it made me feel like there was still some connection, like he was still close.

I opened my bedroom door and stopped dead in my tracks, my hand still on the doorknob.

On my bedside table sat a red plastic cup and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Cane’s scent was everywhere and I wondered how that was possible.

My heart raced as a chill ran down my spine. A mixture of confusion and hope melded together with memories and I could barely stand. I pushed the door farther open and tears sprang to my eyes.

He stood by the window, his hands in his pockets, eyes conflicted and as beautiful as ever. A smile broke out across his face tentatively, as if he were afraid to really believe what he was seeing, too.

I forced air into my lungs as I removed my shaking hand from the knob.

“Jada,” Cane said, his voice rough and needy.

“Cane,” I gasped. “You’re all right? I don’t understand … how? What are you doing here?”

“I’m just coming after my girl.” He grinned nervously and my legs began to go weak.

“I—”

“Simon was arrested last night, Jada. I don’t know the details because I didn’t ask. As soon as Nick told me, I hung up and called the airline to get here as soon as possible. All I could think about was getting here to you.”

I felt a huge weight lift, rising up off my shoulders. I felt like I could breathe again.

“So, he’s not a threat anymore?” I asked hopefully, the sting of tears blurring my vision. “You’re okay? You are going to be fine?”

“Yes, baby, I’m fine. And no, Simon is not a threat anymore. Not to me and, more importantly, not to you.”

My knees buckled and my shoulders sagged with relief. Thank you, God. Thank you. I wasn’t sure of anything else, but if this was the only thing I could be certain of—it was enough. Cane was safe.