“He did flirt with me when he was on a date.”
She waved her hand around. “Do you know how many good marriages started that way? My parents’ story began that way and they were some of the best people I’ve ever known.”
I blinked several times, dumbfounded. “Really?”
“Yes, kiddo.”
“So, what you’re saying is, Jonah,” I whispered his name so as to not alert his offspring, “could turn out to be a jerk and leave me even more devastated than Kaden?”
She let out a heavy breath and hung her head. “You’re missing the point.”
“And what is that?”
“The point is that you’re a loser if you don’t try.”
My eyes narrowed.
She flashed me a sly grin. “Don’t tell me you don’t regret letting him go.”
“I . . .” I didn’t, that’s what I always told myself, at least. “Well, we got a happy ending.”
Her nose crinkled. “I don’t know what fairytales you’ve been reading, but if you call him leaving and marrying another woman happily ever after, then you better get some new books.”
“My mom never read to me,” I blurted without thinking. I didn’t know about fairytales until I started school. I made up my own, but they never came true. No one ever rescued me.
The tears were back in my grandma’s eyes. “No wonder you wanted me to read so much to you when you visited. And you were so adamant about your traditions.”
I wiped the tears from my own eyes. “Yeah, I know, I’ve been trying to recreate something I never had.”
Grandma looked at Whitney. “Honey, you’ve created some magical times for us, but if you choose, you can use your magic to create something even better for your own family.”
I swallowed down the lump in my throat that always formed when I thought about having a family of my own. When I thought about having a family with Jonah, I couldn’t respond. The lump was having a hard time going down.
Grandma rested her hand on my arm. “Think about it. Talk to your therapist about it. And if you ever want to talk to me, I’m always here for you,” her voice cracked. “I know you might not believe it, but I am. I hope you can forgive us.”
I hugged her fiercely. “I never blamed you. There’s nothing to be forgiven. I love you.”
She bathed my shoulder in her tears. “I love you more than life itself. I hope you believe that. And while there is no such thing as fairytales, there are such things as happy endings, and if ever anyone deserved one, it’s you. And even you have to admit that Jonah returning after all these years is the start to a pretty damn good story.”
It was, but how would it end?Chapter SeventeenI tucked some hair behind my ear. Jonah wouldn’t stop staring at me from across the table at Porter’s where he had taken Whitney and me for dinner. Whitney sat next to me, talking a mile a minute about her day with me and Tabitha.
“Dad, you should meet Tabitha. She knows more about dinosaurs than you.”
Jonah took a staring break and chuckled. “I’d love to meet her. Why don’t you invite her over one evening this week?”
Whitney’s eyes widened as if she had never thought of such a concept. “Do you think she would like to come over?”
“I’m sure she would love it,” I jumped in. “I can arrange it with Kara, if you would like?” I asked Jonah.
Jonah reached across the table and took my hand. “That would be great.” He turned to Whitney. “Would you like that, honey?”
“Yes!”
I had never heard her so animated.
“I can show her my fossil collection.” She set down her fork and turned thoughtful for a moment. “Dad,” she paused, “I think I should get some new clothes.”
Jonah tilted his head. “All right. What would you like?”
She looked down at her child power suit in navy. She let out a heavy breath. “Tabitha said I dress like a grown up. I think I want to look like a kid.”
“I think that’s a good idea.” Jonah looked as if he were suppressing a smile. I could also see some relief wash over his face. “Do you want to go shopping now?”
“After I finish my Brussels sprouts.” She grabbed her fork and her knife and daintily cut her disgusting vegetable of choice into bite size pieces, and she actually enjoyed eating them. The child was a freak of nature, but I was beginning to adore her and her quirks.
“Do you have time to go shopping with us?” Jonah asked me.
I really should be home finding a quiet spot and reliving one or more of the worst moments of my life. I was already a day behind. I should have visited my own personal hell last night, but I was busy helping Whitney through some of her own problems and learning that ancient Egyptians used moldy bread to help fight infections and that they loved their makeup—both the men and the women. The responsible thing for me to do would be to go home, but Jonah began using his finger to outline the henna tattoo on my hand, sending shivers up my arm. His smolder wasn’t helping me want to be responsible, either.