Chapter 40

I needed this to go well. I needed to say the right things. I needed Jeremy to know what I felt. Wait…what doI feel?I slowed to a stop, staring at his back.

Then I smiled.

It hit me right away. I knew exactly what I felt. I knew precisely what I wanted. It was Jeremy. Because I was in—

“About me and Heather…” Jeremy blurted now.

My smile cracked, as if I’d caught a whiff of rotting fish. “…Heather?”

“Yeah, mate.” He stopped and turned toward me. He looked at his hands, his right playing with the fingers of his left. “So, me and my sis, we moved from Cardiff after me mum and da…you know.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve never told noone this, but…it’s my fault they died.”

“What?” I thought we were talking about Heather.

Jeremy made no reply, still playing with his hands.

“Jer?” I prompted.