Jade's Spirit (Blue Collar Boyfriends Book 2) Read Free Page A

crazy. You’re not dying.”
    “Sure I am. We’re all dying. Some of us are just closer to it than others. According to the statistics, I could very well go this year. Did you know a woman’s risk of death doubles in the year after a hip fracture? It’s true. I saw it on The Doctors .”
    “You’re not going to die.”
    “Of course I’m going to die. If not this year, it won’t be far off.”
    “You’re not dying. Stop it. You just broke your hip. They fixed it. You’ll do some PT. You’ll go back to your house. I’ll be your on-call nurse. I’ll even get a job and pay for your cable and internet. I’ll drive you over to see Mr. Belt-whoozit whenever you want. So, who do I have to talk to to sign you out or whatever?” She was sitting up now, facing her grandmother with a leg crooked on the bed. Her knee was bouncing.
    Grandma Nina gave her The Look. That one with the narrowed eye. When she was little, she used to swear that look gave her grandmother the power to read her mind. As usual, The Look zeroed in on the one thing Jade didn’t want anyone to see, especially her grandmother.
    “I hope you gave as good as you got,” she said quietly.
    Jade pressed her lips together and looked away.
    “Your mother always tried to cover the bruises, too, but makeup doesn’t hide the swelling. Was it the Italian Stallion? What’s his name, Brad?”
    Jade blew out a breath, making the wisps of hair around her face tickle her cheeks. She nodded.
    “You stay in the house as long as you need to, honey.”
    Jade heard her own pulse in the silence. She was so busted. Grandma Nina had been able to tell in ten minutes she hadn’t come up to help, but to run away. She was supposed to be taking care of Grandma Nina, but Grandma Nina was taking care of her. Just like always.
    “So,” her grandmother said. “How’s The Palace? Casey treating you right?”
    She must have the only grandmother in the world who asked how it was going at the strip club like it was an ad agency and her boss was a classy businessman in a suit and tie. Guess when your daughter died a crack addict you didn’t mind so much if your granddaughter took off her clothes for money. At least Jade never did drugs.
    “I kind of quit.” She winced, feeling like an idiot. Maybe she’d overreacted to Brad hitting her. Most people didn’t leave their home, job, and state because their boyfriend hit them. But then most people probably didn’t grow up witnessing what could happen if they stayed.
    Logically, each repeat offense should be harder and harder to forgive. Too bad her mother had never subscribed that particular bit of logic. The first time she’d been battered was the closest she’d come to ending things. Each succeeding black eye seemed like less of a big deal until violence became part and parcel of relationships.
    Jade hadn’t wanted to take the risk she would be the same way. She’d vowed that if a boyfriend ever hit her, he would get zero second chances. That’s why she ran when Brad hit her. He couldn’t do it again if she wasn’t around. Seemed like a no-brainer at the time. Now, it seemed like overkill.
    Grandma Nina shrugged one shoulder. “You’ve been talking about quitting for a while. Everything happens for a reason. Maybe it’s time to put that Classics degree to use.” She folded her hands over her stomach, relaxed. “Why don’t you stay a while? Look for a position at a library around here. Lord knows I’d love to have you closer. And your friends in Boston are just a few hours away. I don’t need you, honey, but I sure do like having you around.”
    Jade’s throat closed up with warm emotion.
    Her grandmother saved her from having to say anything. “You’ll pay me rent when you get a job. Until then, you’re my guest. Now, Joe McIntyre shut up the house for me, so you’ll need to get the keys from him or Betty. They’re in the white house next door. I think he flipped the breakers. Make sure to stop in the