Steady

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

"I'm sorry...what?"

"Jake Bryson. Did you know him?"

Everything falls into place with an audible click.

Hell yeah, I 'knew' him. But what can I say to that? Oh, yeah. His spirit totally visited me a few days ago. Scared the shit outta me.

No. He'd think I'm either crazy or making light of the situation. Any honest answer I give will be incredibly insensitive, so I shake my head.

"He was such a great guy. Smart, loyal, determined. Not to mention one hell of a looker." He slides his eyes to me and flashes a crooked grin, oblivious to my shock or discomfort.

"How, uh—" I clear my throat against the emotion threatening to choke me. "How did he die?"

Jay's eyes cloud over. "Wrong place at the wrong time. Some asshole was robbing a convenience store and Jake, being the superhero he thought he was, tried to stop him. Suffice it to say that my brother was not bulletproof."

Oh, God...

"I'm sorry. I can't imagine losing someone like that."

Jay shrugs in that manly way that guys do when they're trying to seem nonchalant but are really dying inside. "It was a long time ago."

As if that makes it hurt any less? I nod again and we keep walking, making a circle around the entire campground in silence until we're back at our tents.

"Are you staying another night?" he asks when I let go of his hand.

Running my palms up and down my arms in an attempt to banish the goosebumps that have sprouted, I try my hardest to sound sure and sane, the opposite of what I'm really feeling.

"Me and the girls are staying until Sunday night, I think. Then we have to head back. We're moving off campus and dropped all our stuff off at the new place before we headed here, so we need to get back."

"New place, huh? Where at?"

"Jackson Street."

"Nice. You know, that's only a few blocks over from me." Jay smiles as he rubbed at the scruff lining his jaw.

"You don't say."

"Maybe, if you want, we could have dinner or something when you get back."

"Maybe," I answer, biting my lip to keep my grin at bay.

"Well, I have to get back tonight. My mom started dating some jerk-off a couple months ago and tonight we're all having dinner. It'll be the first time I've met him, so I can't flake."

"What makes him a jerk-off?" I giggle. "I mean, how do you know if you've never met the guy?"

"He's a jerk for wanting to date my mother," he answers without missing a beat.

"Ah, protective mama's boy?"

He shrugs. "You could say that."

From the way he doesn't seem at all put off by the nickname, I can tell just how much he really does love and admire his mother, and it's an attractive quality.

"Give me your phone."

"What for?" I ask, even as I reach in my back pocket to retrieve it.

"So I can put my number in."

I hand it over and look away, wondering if the girls are done baking yet.

"You keep your phone turned off?"