Chapter 16: The past is painful

For a few moments after the call ended, I sat, staring down at the dark phone. Something else was on Gram’s mind, but she wasn’t ready to share. I wondered...an idea, almost a dread, poked at the back of my mind, but I pushed it away. No use getting paranoid when I didn’t really know anything. Tasmyn was out of my life, and even if Gram had heard from her, that didn’t mean it should affect me.

“Rafe? Dinner’s ready, if you want to come eat.” There was a tentativeness in Jocelyn’s words that I hadn’t heard before as she leaned out the door, her eyes shadowed. I cursed under my breath. I hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings on the way over here, but it felt like I’d screwed up that easiness between the two of us.

A mound of golden angel hair pasta dotted with herbs and tomatoes was centered on the simple white plate. As I sat down, Joss set a glass of white wine in front of me and held out her own glass to touch mine.