Page 71 of The Offer

Jess remained silent, eyes on the invitation.

“It’s probably cruel for me to ask you to come and to face them, but I—”

“It is cruel, Dakota. They kicked me out. They wanted nothing to do with me.”

She finally looked up at her sister and watched as Dakota pursed her lips. “Jess, you were so single-minded then. You only had your focus on one thing—being with Charlie. You broke their hearts. You broke my heart.”

“Is that why you sided with them? Because you were angry that I chose Charlie and his father?”

“Yes,” Dakota admitted, face firm, brows knitted together. “You know how much Dad loved that place, and Mr. Sullivan ripped it right out from under his feet. He was in pain, and your words rubbed dirt in the wound.”

“What did he expect me to do, huh? Break up with Charlie after four years because our fathers were fighting? I was a teenager and deeply, deeply in love with him. The idea of being forced to break up with him felt like ripping out my own damn heart. I couldn’t do it. I had to sneak out and see him.”

“It’s messed up, I know. He made some dumb decisions. He regrets it.”

“But when is he going to say that to me? Buying ten croissants at Haverfest isn’t the answer. He has to say it…to my face.”

She pursued her lips again. “You heard about the croissants?”

“I was under the table.”

Dakota rolled her eyes. “Dammit, Jess. You could try too, you know.”

“How do I when the last words he spoke to me were ‘I never want to see you again. You are no daughter of mine.’”

Her chest squeezed tight, like firm hands around a soft fruit. She sucked in shallow breaths but couldn’t get enough oxygen. She bent over, holding her chest.

“Jess, sissy, oh my god—”

Dakota bolted out of her seat, reaching around the counter and snatching a white paper bag. She flicked it open and placed it over Jess’s mouth, then reached for her hands and helped her to hold it steady as Jess kept trying to suck in air.

“I’m here, I’m here,” Dakota reassured, rubbing a circle on Jess’s thighs.

Jess finally got control of her breathing. She sat back and tossed the bag to the floor.

“Jess, how often does that happen?”

“Probably too often,” she admitted.

Dakota was still on her knees in front of Jess. She should have helped her sister up, but she felt boneless after her panic attack. A panic attack. Even thinking about the fact that she had one didn’t seem real.

The bell on the door chimed. “Everything okay in here—?”

Kevin noticed the paper bag on the floor, the way Dakota was kneeling before Jess, then ran over to them. “Did it happen again?”

Dakota’s eyes widened. “Ye—yeah.”

Kevin brushed a palm on Jess’s cheek. “Are you okay?”

The warmth of his hand felt like a nostalgic comfort after days of not being touched by him. Ever since coming back from Vermont, Kevin had kept his distance. He didn’t touch her wrist when she gave him his daily kanelbullar or put his hands on her shoulders when they talked or give her a hug at the end of the day. She knew it was his way of guarding his own heart, and she hated how selfish she felt for wishing he would stop enforcing those boundaries. Especially now that she couldn’t deny the feelings that were taking root inside of her.

She leaned her cheek into his palm. “I’ll be okay.”

At some point Calvin entered the shop and helped Dakota up from the ground, but Kevin kept his hand on her. He brushed it down her face and cupped the back of her neck.

“I’ll—uh, I’ll just go then,” Dakota said. She reached for the invitation on the table. “I’m sorry for putting this on you.”

“Leave it.”