“I’m struggling with a homework assignment my therapist gave me.” I glanced at her. “Does it weird you out that I’m in therapy?”

“Nope. You already told me you struggle with anxiety attacks. It weirds me out when people know they need help and still don’t seek it. Homework, huh? Dead guy problems?” she asked.

Somehow the blunt way she addressed it made me want to tell her.

“Yeah. I’m supposed to open the door to his truck once a day. Just open it, not get in or drive it or anything, and I can’t manage to do it.”

“Why not?” She pulled into a small parking lot on the inlet side of the island.

“Probably because the last time I opened it, Jackson had a front-row seat to an epic anxiety attack. I’m not too eager to undo all the progress I’ve made and risk that happening again.” I nearly high-fived myself for analyzing my own motives pretty successfully.

She parked, then turned toward me. “Which part? The attack? Or Jax seeing it? Also, it’s adorable that you call him Jackson.”

I laughed off the last comment. “Both, I guess. I knew better than to try it again, honestly. Sam only left for the weekend because her husband’s family asked her to come up for dinner, and I refused to go with her. She told me to give it a day and we’d try again when she gets back on Sunday, but I just stood there in front of that truck for an hour and a half after she left.”

“So basically, you had a free homework pass and tried anyway.”

“Stupid, right?” I laughed again, forcing the sound out.

“Brave. It tells me you’re serious about getting past whatever is holding you back.” She killed the ignition.

“And the fact that I just stood there staring?”

“That just makes you human. Now are you done beating the shit out of yourself? Because this is a really cool class.”

“Well, you kind of take the fun out of it.” This time when my lips lifted, the small smile was genuine.

We got out of the car and walked through the parking lot.

“I’m just glad you were lost in your own little world. I was kind of scared you’d stood me up because of Jax,” Christina said, adjusting her beach bag on her shoulder. “I was afraid you were having second thoughts or something and didn’t want to see me because we’re friends.”

“Jackson?” I nearly tripped over my flip-flops.

“You guys are going out tomorrow night, right?” She did a double take at my face and then sputtered. “Sorry, the guys at the station are pretty much a high school gossip club. Everyone knows everything.”

“We’re not dating or anything,” I assured her, just like I had myself about fourteen billion times since he asked me last weekend. “We’re just sightseeing.”