One Wish Left

CHAPTER 22: BEAN

One week later, Jesse was driving to Laura's apartment building to pick up Kieran for the Bulls game. On the way there, he reflected on the time he and Laura had spent together the night of the parent-teacher conferences. He had fully jumped into the role of Brodie, and he'd had more fun doing it than he'd expected. So much fun, in fact, that his smile had lasted almost the entire way back to his house that night. Then, just like he'd thought it would, the afterglow wore off, and he was faced with the bleak fact that his time with her, their banter, even their physical contact, had all been an act.

The torture of it was soul-crushing.

And yet, he would put himself through that same torment countless times just for a chance to do it again.

In the meantime, he had used every small opportunity that arose to show her his love—everything from texting about how her week was going to slipping in affirmations during their brief phone calls about the game that night—always toeing that fine line between friendship and romance.

Fuck that stupid line.

How tempting it was to march up to her apartment right now, crush his lips against hers, and wipe it completely away. But he knew he could never put Laura in that position, and he had enough self-respect to wait for her to choose him, even if she never did.

When Jesse made it up to their apartment, Laura opened the door with her dimpled half-smile, and just like that, the conflict in his mind melted away.

Before she could say anything, he handed her a box of King Size Twix candy bars. "Happy Halloween, LB. Sorry I'm a day late."

Her eyes lit up like a jack-o'-lantern. "Jesse! These are my favorite! How did you—," she stopped herself short.

He was pretty sure she knew the answer to that question. And before the moment was gone, he leaned in and gave her a chaste peck on the cheek.

"Come on in, Jesse," Donna called from inside the apartment. "Kieran's just finishing his supper."

He followed a very quiet Laura into the kitchen, where the remnants of chili and cornbread were laid out on the breakfast bar in mouth-watering fashion.

Kieran jumped up from his seat. "Jesse!" he yelped, capturing his older cousin in a bear hug.

"Hi, li'l mate! Are you ready for tonight?"

Kieran practically hopped with excitement back to his seat. He nodded enthusiastically as he shoveled a cheesy spoonful of chili into his mouth.

Jesse's stomach growled, but he ignored it and turned to Laura's mother, who was seated next to Kieran. "Nice to see you again, Donna."

She gave him a no-bullshit look. "Jesse dear, you haven't eaten, have you?" It was more of a statement, really. "Come now. Sit here and have a bowl. I've already finished."

Jesse flushed but took up her invitation gratefully. He'd assumed they would eat at the game, but he hadn't calculated how hungry he would be at this hour after eating such an early lunch at work.

"Thank you. I should have eaten beforehand. I wasn't thinking."

"Nonsense." Donna dished up a caveman-sized portion of chili, threw generous amounts of cheese and cornbread on top, and passed him the bowl with a stern, yet loving look on her face.

Okay, now he was really in love.

Look out, Laura! he thought, chuckling to himself.

Jesse guessed that Donna was probably happiest when she was in a position of doling out tough love. That, or when she was getting people to confess things they were trying to hide. He didn't think that anyone, not even Laura, was probably very successful at getting anything past her, least of all an empty stomach.