Chapter 25
TATE
“What’s that one?” I ask Bea on the balcony that evening, pointing at a constellation.
She makes a thinking noise.
“See those three stars? Those are the belt. And the two above are the shoulders.”
“Orion,” she says before pointing at another cluster of stars. “Is that the Little Fox?”
“Mmm. Nope, that one won’t be visible until spring. Maybe May or June. That’s Lepus, the Hare.”
“I like the animal ones.”
I tuck her against me and make sure she’s warm enough with the blanket. “Me, too. Those are the best ones.”
“Do you think Jordan would want to look at the stars with us?”
Ah. My gaze flicks down to the guesthouse, with the lights on. I think about her crying in the closet today and want to put Gary’s head on a spike.
“I’m not sure. I think she’s busy.”
“Oh.” A shy, hopeful look grows on her face. “I want her to be my friend.”
Christ, this kid. She’s everything good in the world.
“Do you think she wants to be?” Bea presses.
I think about what Jordan said when I offered to connect her with Grace, about only being around for three months. She took the cat in, though, and that’s not something an emotionally unavailable person would do.
“I’m not sure,” I answer honestly. “But I still think you should try.”