Page 48 of Girl Betrayed

Unable to find a way to sugar-coat Dr. Dvita’s warning, Dana blurted it out before she lost her nerve. When she was done, Jake’s pulse was visibly pounding with indignation. “So let me get this straight, I’m supposed to take some guy’s word that pursuing any sort of romantic relationship with you is going to send Claire off the deep end?”

Dana threw her hands up. “You make it sound ridiculous when you say it like that.”

“Dana, itisridiculous. This guy doesn’t get to just show up and dictate our lives.”

“He’s notsome guy. He’s a licensed professional. And he’s spent a lot more time with Claire than we have in the past few weeks.”

“Fine, then we change that. I’ll move in here so we can both spend as much time with her as possible.”

“I don’t think that’s the best idea.”

“Why not?”

Dana crossed her arms. “You know why.”

Jake smirked. “Listen, I know I’m irresistible, but I can control myself if you can.”

“Jake, this is serious. You saw how she reacted when you said you were going to make staying here a habit.”

“That was a joke. And she dropped a dish. That’s not exactly straight jacket material.”

“You can’t make jokes like that. We’re supposed to be creating a stable environment for her where she feels like she belongs.”

Jake grimaced, grabbing the back of his neck.

“What is it?” Dana asked.

“Probably nothing, but she did mention that she wanted things to stay the same when it came to you and me.”

“What? Why did you bring that up?”

“I don’t know! Maybe because I’m trying to figure out how this works. Me, you, Claire,

your Grim Reaper murder conspiracy.”

“Do you have to make it sound so ridiculous?”

“You can’t have it both ways, Dana. You think Claire’s part of this, or you think she needs our protection.”

“I don’t have all the answers. All I know is that I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize Claire’s mental health by sending her the wrong message about us.”

A bitter huff escaped as Jake shook his head, pacing away from Dana. “Well, she’d have to be a damn mind reader to intercept whatever the hell message you’re trying to send me.”

“Jake, I’m not doing this to hurt you.”

When he turned back there was anger storming in his blue eyes. “I know that. But sometimes I need to know where I stand. It’s been two years, Dana, and I still feel like I’m standing in that graveyard waiting for an answer to my question.”

What about us?

Dana could hear his words. The question Jake asked her standing near Cramer’s grave loomed between them like a headstone.

She knew her answer. She’d known it for a long time. But admitting what was in her heart didn’t come easy. “Jake, you know how I feel about you.”

“No, actually, I don’t. I’m the one who came here making declarations. I said I’m as in this as you want me to be, but you haven’t given me an answer.”

“What almost happened in your hallway, in my kitchen, whenever we’re this close … isn’t that answer enough?”

“No. It’s not. Screw timing and putting things on pause. I want to be with you. But I need to know that’s what you want too.”