[This post is from Hecate’s point of view.]
J.T. stared at her, his eyes widening slightly and his jaw slack, for a few seconds before he shook himself slightly. “Are you sure?”
“Why does everyone always ask that?” Hecate choked on a weak, almost desperate laugh, hugging her arms across her belly as he helped her straighten. “Yes, I’m sure. I wouldn’t be out here if I wasn’t sure.”
In truth, she was more than a little terrified, but facing her fear would do her more good than hiding for the rest of her life would.
“All right, all right.” J.T. slowly let go of her arm, studying her as if trying to make sure she was steady enough on her feet to make it. “I just—I wanted to make sure that you were up to it.”
“As up to it as I’ll get in the near future, I think.” She managed a wan smile and patted his arm. “Thank you, though. For caring enough to ask and for helping Matt the way you have been—and me.”
J.T. smiled crookedly and shrugged. “It’s nothing. In part, figured it was better me than Jac and honestly, I can’t tell you that I wasn’t a little curious. Between talking to Ériu and watching Matt with…well…with anyone of the opposite sex over the years I’ve known him, I figured there had to be something about you on more than a couple levels.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Good, because if you didn’t, it’d get really awkward.” J.T. shoved his hands into his pockets. “C’mon. I’ll walk out there with you.”
“What are you, my bodyguard now?”
“Something like that, anyway.”
“I’m sure Matt will appreciate it.”
J.T. snorted humorlessly. “Probably more than you realize.”
A shiver shot through her and she tried to ignore it, instead falling into step with J.T. He let her set the pace and together, they made their way out toward the main cookfire, where she could hear voices chattering and laughing. Her stomach flipped over onto itself.
You can do this.
You’re stronger than you know.
You have to do this and there’s no time like right now.
