“Can we sit with you?” Delta asks, but she’s already settled her four-foot-six body in my lap.
I laugh. “Sure. Make yourself at home.”
Lo crawls into Jonah’s lap, which doesn’t surprise me as it once did. But he still turns to me, asking with his eyes ifthis is okay. I nod, and my heart swells with gratitude for Jonah once more. Loretta is wary of men, and part of that was because of Greg, but part of that was me for keeping men as far away as possible.
Delta plays with her necklace in front of my face. “Mom you should go back and get one too so we can all match.”
“They only had those two.”
“Yeah, but maybe Jonah can buy you something different.”
I chuckle at her audacity. “I can buy my own jewelry, thank you very much.”
“What do you think I should buy her?” Jonah asks.
My daughters share a wide-eyed, conspiratorial look. “Abigwedding ring.”
I choke. “Whoa, whoa, whoa—no ma’am.”
“Why not?” she whines. “You should marry Jonah. He’s so much nicer than daddy was.”
Jonah’s face turns beet red and he clamps his mouth shut.
I’m now reevaluating their casual indifference to us holding hands earlier. Are these two out of their minds? If I would have known going on onegroup datewith this man would result in my kids getting their hopes up over something that will never happen, I would have reconsidered.
I maybe also should have seen this coming. This is the first person they’ve ever seen me be affectionate with since their dad. I have to remind myself that to them, affection equates to a happily ever after.
“You don’t need to worry about that,” I tell the girls. “Things between me and Jonah are very new, and we don’t know where it’s going,” I say, as gently as I can. “If anything changes, I will let you know. But for now, we’re just holding hands. Okay?”
She shares another look with her sister and huffs. “Fine.”
1. Know It All by Billy Strings
Chapter 29
Truth and Trauma
Jonah
Both girls fell asleep on the ride home. Renée and I twirled our fingers and spoke softly about safe topics like her job. I talked about my siblings and rugby. But when I pulled into her driveway, neither of us wanted the night to end. I had the most amazing date and I think she did too, judging by her near-constant smile that she doesn’t easily give away.
I was floating on could nine when she leaned into me earlier. I felt like I could climb a mountain or bench-press the sun. I’ve never done hard drugs, but I’m sure this is what it feels like.
“Are we home?” Delta murmurs, and rubs her eyes.
“Yes, sweetie,” Renée replies. “Wake your sister up and go inside. I’ll be right there.”
Both girls lazily hop out of the SUV and wave back before tapping the door code and entering their house.
“Come over in thirty minutes after the girls go down. We can talk in the back a little longer, if that’s okay?”
I kiss her hand and play with her painted nails. “Of course. I gotta check on the animals anyway. I’ll be right back.”
After I let the dogs out and everyone’s settled in their respective beds for the night and given a truckload of lovin’, I cross the yard to Renée’s and wait for her in a chair. Crickets are chirping when she slips out a couple minutes later wearing the same denim dress and suede boots as before, but she’s thrown on a long cardigan that she pullstight around herself.
I’m already taking off my barn jacket. “Are you warm enough?”
She declines me gracefully. “Yes, Jonah. But thank you.” She takes the other chair right next to me. “I wanted to thank you. Today was quite possibly one of the best days I’ve ever had.”
