Jax started a message to Amanda on her way to the door. She and Gretchen had been very quiet all day, and although that seemed like a blessing, she kinda missed getting the usual updates and being part of their day.

“Levine, before you go.”

She stopped at the door and considered acting like she didn’t hear Randy at all, but professionalism, the thorn in her side, forced her to remain in the building. She turned to him slowly. “Yeah?”

His face turned into a goofy grin. “The flyer is great,” he said, giving her a thumbs-up.

Jax really needed to find a new company to work for.

She nodded and left. She dodged freezing puddles as she walked to her truck. Each patch of fresh ice made her think of Gretchen. Jax held the door handle and swallowed back a swell of nausea. She’d never forget being told how Gretchen had been bleeding on the frozen ground for an undetermined amount of time.

What if they had still been together? What if Jax had been home and noticed Gretchen’s absence? What if she had been enough for Gretchen to fight for? Jax pulled open the door and sat in her truck. She shivered and thought about her foster father. Michael always taught her that thinking about what-ifs never led to anything good. She needed to focus on what was. Gretchen was hurt badly but survived. Caleb still had his mother, and Jax’s relationship with Gretchen seemed like it was on its way to improving. The facts of her situation weren’t all bad—she just had to figure out the most tactful way to navigate the choppy waters.

The drive home was slow thanks to black ice and pedestrians who seemed to enjoy the deep freeze. She stopped along the way to pick up pizza, not having the energy or desire to talk about what to eat. When she was three blocks from home, she could feel the tension start to release from her shoulders. She stopped at a red light and took the opportunity to roll her neck. The popping sounded loud in the quiet cabin.

She took her foot off the brake as the light turned green. The truck crawled forward, and just as she started to give it gas, a minivan went through the red light. Jax slammed on the brake, and the pizza slid off the seat. She picked the pizza box up and looked again before going through the intersection. She needed to get home.