Jake let out a long breath, running his hand through his hair. “Laura…” he started, his voice cautious.
“Don’t,” I interrupted, my voice sharper than intended. “Please… don’t tell me that it’s too risky or that I shouldn’t have done it. We don’t have a choice, Jake. We don’t have time to sit around and debate.”
Jake studied me for a long moment, his gray eyes seeming to peer into my soul. Then he sighed, nodding. “I’m proud of you, kid.”
The words hit me like a punch to the chest, unexpected and raw. Jake didn’t hand out praise lightly, and hearing it now, when everything felt like it was unraveling around me, made my throat tighten. I blinked back the tears that threatened to spill, clutching the edge of the chair to steady myself.
“I’m not proud of me,” I admitted softly, my voice ba
