I exhale slowly. “You should’ve talked to me first. Don’t you think I deserve a say in who I’m around?”
“No. Not when it comes to guys like Jett. He’s manipulative, Effa. A threat.”
“A threat?” I scoff. “It’s Jett. Sure, he’s odd. Maybe a little pushy. But dangerous? I think that’s a stretch.”
Mercs’ sighs, his voice softer. “I love how you see the good in people. But Effa, there is no good in him, not when it comes to you. He wants you, and I won’t let that happen.”
I swallow, unsure how to respond. I’m annoyed that Mercs left me out of the loop. But I also know he did it because he cares.
I reach for his hand as silence settles between us, and he squeezes gently.
I’m frustrated.
But my heart?
It’s fluttering.
Chapter Twenty
EFFA
Mercs’ whole body radiates a kind of calm I haven’t seen in him before, like just being here soaks peace into his skin.
We drive down E. Main Street, passing the town square he told me about. The old bandstand sits right in the center, and it’s all so charming and small-town cute that I can’t help but feel my spirits lift.
When we pull into the driveway, the driver parks abruptly, and I take in the house. It’s a modest two-story with white wood panel siding. It’s got a kind of quiet French cottage vibe to it, with a porch lined in potted plants and a single rocking chair waiting patiently by the front door.
As the driver opens my side, I slide out, and Mercs grabs our bags from the trunk, walking with me toward the house.
There’s a sense of comfort and warmth here. Like it’s a place that holds years of love. It’s easy to picture Mercs as a kid, running around this yard, probably causing all kinds of mischief.
But as we climb the steps, nerves flutter in my stomach. Excitement and anxiety, both colliding. I’m about to meet Gran and Kiera, the two people Mercs cares about most in this world, and I want this to go well.
Suddenly, the front door bursts open.
Mercs’ face lights up with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen.
I turn to look, and there she is.
Gran.
Her long gray hair falls in soft waves, and she’s dressed in a red flowing dress and a white lace cardigan. She radiates the kind of energy you want to bottle and keep forever.
Her eyes flit between Mercs and me. “Oh gosh, I don’t know who to hug first,” she exclaims with a bright laugh.
I glance at Mercs and tilt my head toward him. Gran catches the motion, winks at me, and throws her arms around him.
“Gran,” he groans as she smothers his face in kisses. “It hasn’t been that long.”
“One day is one day too long without you,” she declares, pulling back to beam at him. Then her eyes land on me. “Well, aren’t you just a vision?” She steps in for a hug, and I go willingly into her arms. She smells like cookies and chocolate, and suddenly I feel more at home than I’ve felt in years.
“Thank you for having me, Gran. I’ve really been looking forward to this.”
She waves a hand through the air. “Oh, shush now. We wouldn’t have it any other way. Come inside, Kiera’s practically passing out waiting to meet you.”
I blink and glance at Mercs, who grimaces while picking up our bags again.
“Did Kiera have a turn, Gran?” he asks.
