Jared's shoulders sagged, and he looked down, avoiding her gaze. "I just need to get out of here," he said quietly, his voice heavy with exhaustion and emotion.
The words stung more than Jerica expected. They hit her like a cold slap, and she bit her lip hard to keep the lump in her throat from escaping as a sob. Whatever fragile hope she'd been holding onto slipped further away, leaving her chest hollow and aching. She felt like she had pushed him too far, too soon.
She knew he wasn't ready for this conversation, especially now, when his body was frail, his energy sapped. He needed rest, treatment, and time. Her timing couldn't have been worse, and the guilt weighed heavily on her.
