Chapter 26 Jude #2
“For now?” I say. “Nothing that’ll agitate Amber.
She just lost a baby. I don’t want to push her when she’s already dealing with this.
This is all so fucked up. I know my sister.
It’ll take her a minute to figure her things out, but fuck.
I wish there was something I could do. Right now, getting through to her is so hard. ”
Her face softens immediately. “I can’t even imagine what she’s going through,” she says quietly. “I keep thinking about how sad she must be.”
Ryker exhales through his nose. “It’s hell.”
Norah nods, eyes shining. “No one deserves that.”
Ryker clears his throat. “Rough morning,” he says, changing gears. “I’m gonna make breakfast. We all need food.”
She smiles faintly. “Can you make something without eggs?”
I glance at her. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” she says, quick but sincere.
“I promise. I’m just finding the smell a little bit too much today.
I swear, I tried making some this morning and almost threw up.
You know how when you eat eggs or chicken, sometimes, they taste like exactly what they are? Am I being weird? I’m being weird.”
“You’re not being weird.” Ryker smiles at her. “I’ll make something else.”
“I already made some sausages and cut up some fruit, so maybe just fix up the bacon and toast,” I tell him.
“You got it,” he says.
We settle on the sofa while Ryker moves around the kitchen, the familiar sounds of pans and drawers grounding in their normalcy. Norah curls into my side, and I wrap an arm around her automatically.
She tucks her face into the space beneath my jaw, her cheek warm against my neck. Her fingers slide up into my hair, stroking slowly, soothingly, like she knows exactly how much I need the contact.
I close my eyes for a second.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I murmur.
She stills. “Do you mean that?” she asks. “Because I keep thinking my being here made everything worse.”
“No,” I say immediately, pulling back just enough to look at her. “You made it better. You always do.”
Her gaze searches mine, then she nods, reassured.
I rest my hand on Norah’s knee, soothing myself with the feel of her there. Her skin is as soft as it always is, but she feels warm. Her scent seems intensified somehow.
“You okay?” I ask quietly.
She nods. “I am.”
I frown slightly. “You feel a little warm.”
She gives a small shrug. “It’s just this morning and all the running around. And everything that’s happened.”
I want to ask more, but Ryker calls out that breakfast is ready, and the moment passes.
We eat at the table, plates full of bacon, sausage, toast, and fruit. Juice sits untouched in a second glass across from me, and the absence of Maisie in her usual seat makes the whole thing feel wrong. Too quiet. Too empty.
After we finish, Ryker stands. “I’m meeting Chase at the site. Jude, take your time.” He leans down and kisses Norah’s cheek gently. “I’ll grab a shower first. Can you wait until I’m done before you leave?”
She nods. “Yeah. Of course.”
She is still eating but it’s slow. Something is bothering her. Probably the altercation she just had with Amber.
I want to tell her that my sister was just being vindictive, but I can’t bring myself to say that. I lost Claire and almost lost my mind. I can’t even imagine what the loss of Amber’s baby is doing to her.
Instead, I reach out and tug at my girl’s curls.
“You don’t like the food?” I tease softly. “I can make you something else.”
She smiles at me. “I’m okay. I’m just not hungry.”
“You sure?”
“Sure. Um, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I say, then gesture toward the sink. “I need to process everything, and then I can figure out a game plan.”
“Okay. If you need something, please tell me.”
I stand and then bend to kiss her other cheek. “Of course. Thank you. How about I wash up? That way, I can head to the site with Ryker once he comes back. Take your time eating. He takes pretty long showers.”
At least that earns me a bigger smile from her. It’s almost hilarious that I’m the one who got my heart obliterated this morning, but even now, I still want her to be okay.
“How long have you and Ryker been friends?”
“I think Ryker would be better versed to tell you that. We were working as carpenters back then, working on a project near the lake, and all I remember is us getting drinks together, and the rest is history. We have basically worked together since.”
“Must be nice.” She spears another piece of sausage and brings it to her mouth. “Wren and I are that close now, but I wish she had moved to town sooner, you know? Growing up with a best friend around just makes everything easier.”
“Yeah. I like that you have her now.” Then I stare at her, making sure she sees the seriousness of my next statement. “And you have us now, Norah.”
“Thanks.” She blushes a little, swallowing her food and then taking a sip of juice. “I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. I know you guys were close; I could tell when we were working at the café. You were always around. A part of me always hoped it was because you were coming by to see us.”
She looks me up and down and then, biting her lip, says, “It didn’t hurt seeing you around.”
That makes me smile. Even on the hardest day I’ve had all year, she manages to make everything feel a little bit normal. “Glad to hear that.”
She freezes. “Shoot. I forgot my phone in the truck. I need to tell Miss Thea I’m running late.”
“You were on your way to see Miss Thea?” I ask, concern flaring back up again.
“Yeah,” she says, already heading toward the door. “I’ll be right back.”
I turn to the sink, scrubbing plates harder than necessary, muttering under my breath about Ryker using every dish in the house. The work keeps my hands busy, my thoughts from spiraling.
Minutes pass.
Too many.
I dry my hands and glance toward the door. “Norah?”
No answer.
Unease crawls up my spine. I step outside, and the sight that greets me steals the breath from my lungs.
She’s crumpled beside her truck, knees drawn to her chest, arms wrapped around herself as she shivers violently in the snow.
“Norah,” I shout, sprinting toward her. “What the fuck? Norah!”
Ryker barrels out of the house behind me, hair wet, a towel slung low around his waist. We drop to our knees beside her at the same time.
Her scent hits me like a wall.
Sweet. Overwhelming. Everywhere.
Heat.
My jaw clenches hard as realization crashes over me.
She’s in heat.
How the hell did I miss this?