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“It’s going to be okay,” she suddenly heard. Whirling around, she
saw Jo standing off to the side in her running shoes, cheeks
flushed and perspiration staining her shirt.
“Where did you come from?”
“I went for a jog,” Jo said. “I was trying to beat the heat, but
obviously, it didn’t work. It’s so steamy I could barely breathe and
I thought I was going to die of heatstroke. Even so, I think I’m
doing better than you. You seem downright glum.” She motioned
to the steps and Katie scooted over. Jo took a seat beside her.
“Alex and I had a fight last night.”
“And?”
“I said something terrible to him.”
“Did you apologize?”
“No,” Katie answered. “He left before I could. I should have, but I
didn’t. And now…”
“What? You think it’s too late?” She squeezed Katie’s knee. “It’s
never too late to do the right thing. Go over there and talk to him.”
Katie hesitated, her anxiety plain. “What if he won’t forgive me?”
“Then he’s not who you thought he was.”
Katie drew her knees up, propping her chin on them. Jo peeled
her shirt away from her skin, trying to fan herself before going on.
“He’ll forgive you, though. You know that, right? He might be
angry and you might have hurt his feelings, but he’s a good man.”
She smiled. “Besides, every couple needs to argue now and then.
Just to prove that the relationship is strong enough to survive it.”
“That sounds like the counselor talking.”