Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right by Rosie Steppe

Chapter

43

I'd been here for days and hadn't seen any of Macy's kids or grandkids visit. I didn't ask much about it. She seemed to think of Hayden and me as her own.

One night, while I was getting ready for bed, Lena called, asking when I planned to come back.

"I haven't decided yet. I'm really happy here. It's the happiest I've been since my parents passed away," I told her.

I even considered extending my leave, staying until I got tired of the place.

"Maybe you don't want to leave because of that soldier," Lena teased.

Thinking about my few but oddly heart-stirring interactions with Hayden, I said, "I wouldn't say I can't leave, but when he's around, my heart definitely feels more alive." "Sounds like you're healing pretty well," Lena joked.

I stayed quiet for a moment, then Lena asked, "Has that jerk Jace contacted you at all? Not even a text?"

I licked my lips. "...No."

"He thinks you'll

was right. Staring at the moonlight outside

waking up before dawn to find the call had ended. Lena left me a message: [No one

I can live without Jace. These past few days have proven it. I

to drift off again when

in the

my eyes and froze. The message was from Jace: [Come back when

I could

for so long, and now he decides to message me? And he still thinks I

ignored it and shut off

so I got out of bed and wandered out to

the creak of a door and turned to see Hayden coming out, a backpack on his shoulders and a

looked surprised to see me, pausing for a second before silently continuing to walk out.

+15 BONUS

Chiverton," he said, not even slowing down, and in no time, he was

there, dazed for a bit, before heading toward his