Don't Say Anything

69. Prince Charming

Will's POV

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Jessi asks as she places her head on the pillow right next to mine.

"Nothing if there's something you want to do."

I still can't believe she came back to me after what I did. I thought I lost her for good, but here she is, smiling and wrapped in my arms. I'll do anything in my power to make sure I don't jeopardize this again.

"Seriously, Will."

"I am serious."

There's almost nothing I wouldn't cancel to spend time with her when she needs it, and she obviously needs it. The bright light that's always in her eyes is now dimmed, and it's my fault. I'll be whatever she needs until this tension with her mom is no longer clouding her mind. Then we can go from there.

"Are you supposed to be working? You said you'd see Jack tomorrow when you were talking to him on the phone."

"You little ease dropper," I say trying to change subjects.

"Don't try to change the subject."

Damn.

"Okay. Technically, I guess I'm supposed to go to work. Everyone is stressing out over this Paris convention, but it's really not that big of a deal. Jack called everyone in everyday for the next two weeks, but I was planning on taking the weekends off anyway."

Fucking Jack and inability to run a company. Nobody would be behind and worried if he would have just stuck to the schedule I made him months ago. I'm ahead of schedule on all my projects, but now I've got to pick up Jack's slack.

"You need to be on Jack's good side. It's best if you went to work."

I'm half concentrating on Jessi's words, but the majority of my mind can't stop thinking about her fingers tracing over my bare skin.

"I've basically already got the job, Jess. Now, it's just a matter of waiting until Jack comes to his senses and hands it over."

She scoots closer to me and I instinctively tighten my arms around her shoulders and back.

"I just feel like I'm pulling you away from your life. I'm taking up all your time."

She's crazy. She's absolutely fucking crazy if she thinks that's true for one minute.

"I didn't even enjoy life before you. Don't ever think you're a burden to me. It's exactly the opposite."

She shouldn't have to be told that. Doesn't she know that I hardly had a life before her? I did nothing but sleep, work, go to school, go to parties, do things I now regret, and then go back to sleep. It was all pointless. My life felt pointless before her. How can she not see that?

"So what do you want to do tomorrow?" I ask before either of us become more emotionally invested in this conversation.

"Going to visit my dad and sisters. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."

I lean down so I can kiss her lips before turning to switch off the light next to my bed.

"Get some rest. We have a long drive together tomorrow."

I can tell she's smiling even in the dark.

"Thank you," she whispers entangling our hands together, and that's how both of us fall asleep.

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I awake to the perfect image of Jessi's sleeping face. Seeing her relaxed is almost as beautiful as seeing her laugh. I haven't been doing a very good job at making her smile lately, but at least now I can see her without looking into her tormented eyes. It kills me that there's nothing I can do about it except try and occupy her brain. I think going to see her dad is a good idea, and hopefully it will put things in perspective for her.