“But nothing.” He stepped closer to Atlas and leaned over, tapping his nose with a smile. “She’s been…” He blew out a breath and his shoulders dropped like a weight had been removed. “Don’t balk at this, but in some ways, she’s been like a mother to me.”
She shouldered Jonah away from the baby to lift his little body. “What does that mean?” she asked him.
“I’ll feed him,” Jonah said, reaching in to lift the baby up. “It means she’s been steady and supportive. We cooked together a lot when I came here back in the spring. It was Kate who made me believe I had real talent in the kitchen. I never expected that. No one’s ever done that for me lately.”
Meredith nodded, the comments tweaking at her. “Well, with all due respect and not wanting to start an argument, Jonah,you were the one who took off and drove a van up and down California, keeping Dad and me at arm’s length for years.”
He shrugged, but didn’t disagree.
“And if Carly hadn’t kicked you out and demanded you get your life together, would you have ever come back to us?”
“What does that have to do with Kate?” He pried the bottle free from her hands while Atlas smacked his lips together.
“I mean,wecould have supported you and spotted your talent,” Meredith said. “You never gave us a chance.”
“This isn’t about you, Mer. You asked about Kate, and I answered.”
“I asked if she was right for Dad, not you,” Meredith countered.
Jonah’s lips twitched. “I wondered when the interrogation was coming.”
“I’ve been busy,” she muttered, looking away for something to clean. “With…stuff.”
“Stuff.” He slipped the bottle between Atlas’s lips. “Let me guess. You’ve scoped out every preschool within a hundred-mile radius, alphabetized the pantry, and reorganized all the linen closets by function.”
“And color,” she quipped. “I’ll get started on the preschools tomorrow.”
He gave in to a smile, never able to resist her comebacks.
“Look, Jonah.” She cocked her head, not interested in a fight. Not now. “I just want Dad to be happy. He deserves someone who really gets him.”
Jonah’s gaze relaxed just a touch. “Then maybe,Miss Butt-In, you should try actually getting to know Kate before you decide whether she’s worthy of him.”
Meredith nodded, since he was right. “I haven’t had the chance,” she said softly.
“Then make it.” He stroked Atlas’s cheek with tenderness she honestly hadn’t known her brother had in him. “I get the protectiveness, Mer. He’s our dad. But you don’t have to protect him from love. Or conflict. He’s stronger than that.”
She watched Jonah adjust the baby expertly, his large hand cupping the soft curve of Atlas’s head as he greedily took the bottle. It made something in her chest ache. He looked like a dad. Natural and loving.
Could she be that kind of mother?
Jonah kissed Atlas’s temple then turned. “I’m gonna take this guy outside. He needs some fresh air. And so do I.”
He stepped onto the deck, leaving the door open—they never closed it in this house—as she heard footsteps and a woman clearing her throat.
Kate. Oh, goodness. How much of that had she heard?
“Hey,” Kate greeted as she came into the kitchen.
“Hi, there,” Meredith replied. “Jonah’s out on the deck with Atlas if you’re looking for him.”
“Actually, I was looking for you.”
She swallowed. Had she eavesdropped?
“Well, here I am. What do you need?”
“Time,” she said simply. “And despite the fact that Eli and I just walked for way too long, I’d love to hit that sand again, maybe with someone not as fast. Take a stroll on the beach with me?”
