CHAPTER 1 #3
“If I had to guess within thirty seconds of waking up—and no concept of what time it is—I’d say school.”
“What? Why?” I sat on the edge of Jamie’s bed to peer down into his face. Jamie hadn’t always had glasses, but he’d been wearing them for so long now that it was almost strange to see him without them on. “It’s Skip Day.”
“She’s going for the perfect attendance award, remember?
” Jamie tried to draw his blankets up to hide his chest—as if he were half-naked and not wearing a graphic tee that said Classics are Classic with a stack of books on it—but since I sat on the duvet, he could only tug it up an inch.
“From kindergarten to senior year. No way would she throw it all away for a day of nothing right before our last day.”
I’d forgotten Nellie was going for perfect attendance. Some of the wind evaporated from my sails. “I don’t want today to be a day of nothing. I want it to be fun. I want to do something fun.”
Jamie looked at me. “Like what?”
An unsteady sort of anxiety went through me. Again, I had no idea. I had nothing to do until the kids got home from school, and I wanted—needed—to get out of the house. Besides, today was like a holiday. I needed to make it epic.
My silence drew on too long. “Wake me when you decide what you want to do.” Jamie grabbed one of his other pillows and placed it over his face. When he spoke next, his voice was muffled. “Or just go have fun by yourself.”
He was tense, though. Waiting. Bracing. Jamie was funny when he acted like this. Grumpy and complaining, but like the back of my hand, I knew him.
I leaned down closer, so close that my face was only a few inches away from the pillow. Tucking one finger underneath the edge of it, I slowly lifted the cushion until I could see Jamie’s face. His eyes were still open, and they found mine immediately. “Come play with me.”
I hadn’t realized Jamie’s hand had still been near mine until his shifted, and his fingers overlapped my own. His were so cold against my skin that I jumped a little. “Can I have five more minutes?” he asked.
“Only if you scooch over.”
He grumbled, but ended up shifting a couple more inches toward the middle of his bed so I could lay beside him on top of the blankets while he stayed underneath. “You’ve never heard of personal space, have you?” he asked, straining to put at least an inch between us.
But I chased the distance. “What’s your AC set at?” I muttered. “Your room is cold.”
“There’s actually a setting that’s called Arctic Tundra.”
I elbowed him in the side, and a breathy curse escaped him. “Brat,” I muttered, lying on my side to stare at his profile. “Five minutes.”
His eyes were still shut, but he gave a soft nod.
“And then we’ll do something fun.”
“Think of some ideas,” he murmured, and then his head turned toward me. His eyes slipped open, and then he jolted, almost like he hadn’t realized I’d gotten so close. “I mean, not sure if you’d be interested,” he began, flippant, “but I’m pretty sure the art store over in Jefferson opens at—”
“Oh my gosh, yes!” I grabbed Jamie’s arm, squeezing into his bare skin. It was strange; his fingers were cold, but his arm was warm. “Please? Oh my gosh, you can’t tempt me with art supplies and then back out. We have to go!”
Jefferson was over an hour away from Addison, which would really eat into our day of fun since I had to be back by three to get the kids off the bus, but it’d be worth it.
The art store was massive, filled with every shade of color pencil and paint under the sun.
I hadn’t gone in ages, since they weren’t open that late and I normally had to watch the kids.
But today was the perfect time. The perfect opportunity.
Jamie smiled at first, but the corners of his lips fell as his eyes studied me. The strange look was back, but then he shifted, once more turning his head to face the ceiling, and closed his eyes. “If I get five more minutes.”
Grinning, I let go of his arm and flopped on my back, too, body now vibrating with eager energy as I let Jamie lay still beside me.
Jamie’s shoulder brushed mine, and he laid his hand on top of the blankets near my own.
I was almost hyperaware of its closeness; could visualize it in my mind.
An inch away. Maybe less. If I stretched my pinky out, I’d brush his.
His energy was so relaxing and calming that I could almost feel it cut through my excitement.
Not in a bad way, but like pulling a blanket over my body, leaving me warm and content.
As the minutes stretched, I could feel my heartbeat slow.
I hadn’t thought I’d have been able to fall asleep at home, but tucked against Jamie’s side, it was impossible to fight it off.
My eyelids grew heavy as I stared up at his ceiling, dipping once, then twice, and then I couldn’t lift them the third time.
Only against Jamie’s warm side, with the sunlight seeping in through the window and his knuckles ever so slightly brushing mine, did my mind quiet enough that I was able to fall back asleep.