In a rare show of affection, Mr. Sam smiles and places his hand on my shoulder. “That it is, Emma Jane. That it is.”
“Well done, Emma Jane. Your app is simple enough that even an old lady like me could join if I chose to.”
I clasp my hands together, eyes growing wide as I stare up at Jane Austen.
“You could be my next beta member! Since it’s worked so well for your son and all.” The twinge of bitterness in my voice is drowned out by my excitement over the idea of matching Jane with an eligible man.
“If I chose to,” she reiterates, giving me a pointed glare. Her white hair is styled into a neat bun on top of her head, and her clothing is shades of brown and black. She resembles Professor McGonagall fromHarry Potter,and the thought crosses my mind that I could run theme dates through the app for people who enjoy the same fandoms.
“So choose to.”
Jane laughs and then begins to massage my shoulders. I groan as I feel the tension I’ve carried since “that night” release, loving that she’s the kind of woman who will tend to your needs without having to ask. Jane is like a mother to me. Between her and Halle, I have been well taken care of, and the thought puts me at ease. When I miss my biological mom, though I never knew her, remembering I have these two ladies in my lifecomforts me.
“I’ll put ‘gives an outstanding massage’ on your profile.” I moan as her thumb digs into my shoulder. “You’ll have a match in no time.”
Jane chuckles and spends a few more minutes working my neck and shoulders before she moves to sit across from me in the sitting room. “You found my son a match, did you? He hasn’t mentioned it to me.”
“Her name is Mallory Granger, and she’s a wonderful woman…” Gosh, I hate myself right now. Jealousy saturates my system like deadly snake venom.
Jane is silent, her brows pinched in contemplation. “Are you sure they are an item? Knightley’s not one to keep secrets from me, but I do think he’d wait until he knew for sure to tell me.”
“He’s going to ask her to make things official tonight.”
“Emma Jane, I have a serious question for you, and I want you to be honest with me, okay? Don’t let the fact that I’m his mother determine your answer.” Jane fixes me with a hard stare—an expression her son wears when he’s about to chastise me—her hands splaying on my desk.
I swallow a building lump in my throat and nod.
“Do you like Knightley?”
Choking on a laugh, I cough a few times before answering. “Of course I like him. He’s my biggest nuisance at times, but he’s also my very best guy friend. I look up to him and respect him and—”
“That’s not what I mean, E. J. You know that.”
I only admitted it to myself a few weeks ago. Trust me, I've tried to get rid of the feelings. They hang around like a disastrous stainon my favorite shirt. Now God wants me to speak these ridiculous feelings aloud to his mother?
Nope.
“If you are asking if I like Knightley romantically, then I can truly say…” Gah. I can’t blatantly lie to this woman. She knows me too well, and I respect her too greatly. “Yes. Unfortunately, I do. But I’ll get over it, don’t worry. I’m not even sure how it happened.” I take a sip of water to cool my burning face.
“You straddled him on the kitchen floor is what happened.”
Water dribbles down my chin as I choke on the liquid. After wiping my mouth, I meet her amused expression. “That was an accident!”
She shrugs her delicate shoulders. “Accident or not, it still happened. And I was certain I’d have to drag your father out of the room so you two could kiss.”
“The thought never crossed my mind!” Which is true. I felt… something. But it wasn’t a desire to kiss him. It was more like a warm, fuzzy feeling enveloping me. I wanted to lay on top of him and hug him. I wanted to be ensnared in his arms. I wanted to never detach myself from him.
But kiss?
No way.
Not until that accidental one… “What’s with me and accidents?”
“Hm?” Jane asks as I mumble.
Might as well come clean to her. Abouteverything.
“We accidentally kissed two weeks ago.” I wring my hands in my lap, wondering if she’s pushingforus oragainstus.
