Read Mending the Soul for Free Online Page B

will."  Jenna told them.
    After breakfast, Jenna called over to let Nicholas know Emma was on her way home.  "Just wanted to make sure you were awake.  Emma's on her way over, then we're going to head to the arcade."  She told him.
    "I'm up, send her over."  Nicholas told her.  He paused for a minute, then said, "Do you still want me to go with you to the arcade?"
    "Just try and get out of it.  I'm not suffering alone!"  Jenna mock threatened him.  "Meet us outside in about half an hour, ok?"
    "We'll be there."  He said and then hung up.
    Jenna sent Emma home to get ready, then took Colby upstairs to get him ready.  After Colby changed into the clothes that Jenna had laid out for him, she asked him to take Jeter out to go potty before they left.  He was doing a good job being responsible when it came to his puppy.  He never whined about having to take the dog out or feed him.
    After Jenna had cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast and the puppy was put in his crate, Jenna and Colby headed outside to meet Nicholas and Emma.  When Jenna walked out their front door, her stomach started doing somersaults, remembering the kiss that they had shared on the dance floor the night before.  'God, I hope that things aren't going to be awkward between us now.'  Jenna thought.  She could still feel the way his lips felt against hers, the way his tongue had begged for entrance into her mouth, and the way her lips tingled after the kiss was broken.
    She looked over and saw Nicholas and Emma waiting for them in his Xterra.  He sent a nervous smile over her way as she walked towards the SUV.  Jenna returned his smile, just as nervously.  Colby on the other hand, ran over to the SUV and jumped in the back, talking excitedly with Emma about how much fun they were going to have.  Jenna climbed in the front passenger seat, and as soon as everyone was buckled in, Nicholas put the vehicle in reverse and backed out of his driveway.  
    The ride to the arcade was quiet between Nicholas and Jenna, but Colby and Emma did enough talking for everyone.  The two kids seemed to spend all of their time together, and never ran out of things to talk about or say to each other.  For once, Jenna was thankful for their incessant chattering, to make up for the lack of words between her and Nicholas.
    After they reached the arcade, Jenna and Nicholas both bought the kids $20 access cards, so they wouldn't have to worry about them losing their money, or coming back to beg for more money.  After they got the cards, both kids took off to the game area, leaving Nicholas and Jenna to fend for themselves.
    The two parents walked over to the restaurant portion of the arcade and got a couple of Pepsis to drink.  They sat down at an empty table and looked out into the sea of kids.  Neither one could look at the other, both of them thinking about their kiss.  Nicholas was the first to break the tension that was hanging in the air between the two of them.
    "So, do we need to talk about what happened last night?"  He asked.
    "Well, I thought we were going to blame it on the alcohol.  It doesn't seem to make it any easier though, does it?"  Jenna asked.
    "Um, not really.  It's not that the kiss wasn't nice, because it was…it really was.  It's just that I like our friendship and I don't want to lose that.  Say something more happens between the two of us, and then I suddenly realize that even though I thought I was ready to move on after losing Leslie, that I really wasn't ready, then our friendship will suffer.  I just can't do that to you, or to us.  You are the first person who has made me smile and laugh, besides Emma, since I lost Leslie, and I don't want to lose that.  I don't want to do something that will potentially hurt you in the end."  Nicholas explained.
    "I agree.  I don't think I'm ready for anything after what Kyle did to me anyways.  I think I am going to have some serious trust issues, and I don't want to make you hate me