“No, he’s doing really good. I’m still amazed at how fortunate he was, all things considered.”
“Your mom is his guardian angel.” She smiled.
“I don’t doubt that for a second.”
“So, tough work call, then?”
“Yeah, do you remember the farmhouse out on Danbury Lane?”
“Oh, yes, the one Mrs. G had painted bright yellow after her husband died because it was his favorite color?”
“That’s the one. Alex and I did a wellness check on her after Cindy, one of the baristas at Beans and Beyond, mentioned she hadn’t seen her in town for a while. We found her in her rocking chair,”—I swallowed roughly—“we suspect a possible heart attack—or maybe natural causes. She just looked so peaceful.”
“Ah, I’m sorry, Ari.”
“Knowing she’s back with Mr. G makes it easier, but that doesn’t make it any less sad. Needless to say, I was upset, and while I normally go to my dad’s place after a tough day, I didn’t want to bother him.”
“You should have called me,” she said with concern.
“I needed to be by myself.”
“Although, something tells me you weren’t alone.”
An easy smile slid across my lips. “No, no, I wasn’t.”
“Let me guess, Jameson?”
“How did you?—”
“I may have been away from Sutton River for a while, but that man’s feelings for you have only strengthened over time. I believe there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to help or support you. When your dad was in the hospital, I witnessed firsthand how torn up he was, desperate to be there for you in any way he could.”
“I was so furious with him.” I recalled when I woke up in a random hotel room away from my dad’s bedside.
“I know, and I have to take responsibility for that.”
“How so?”
“I was the one who asked him to take you somewhere so you could truly rest.”
“That wasn’t your decision to make, Lily.” I shuddered, unable to contain my annoyance.
“No, but as your friend, I made the judgment call with your best interest at heart. Between all the monitors, constant foot traffic in and out checking his vitals, and fluorescent lighting, it’s next to impossible to sleep uninterrupted. You were already dead on your feet, Ari, when you got to my place, let alone the following day. So, when I saw Jameson, I reacted. We exchanged numbers so he could call or text at any hour to check on your dad, and I could reach you if necessary.”
The image of what I remembered to be the remnants left over of a phone number crossed my mind. “He didn’t happen to write your number on his arm, did he?”
“My phone was at the nurses’ desk, and the doctor needed me, so I was the one who wrote it on his arm in a rush.”
I dropped my head into my hands, recalling the roller coaster I’d endured that week. I remembered waking up feeling disoriented and unsure of where I was. I was angry and dismissive of his help once I learned what he had done. Every word Jameson spoke only fueled my anger because he didn’t get to know me; he hadn’t earned that right. When he tried to convince me I wasn’t alone, my heart desperately wanted to believe him, but then I caught sight of the phone number and immediately jumped to conclusions, as was my habit with him.
“How didn’t I see it before, Lils? How?”
“His true feelings for you?”
“Yes. I had held on to this image of him for so long that somewhere along the line, I failed to recognize or see the man he’d become. Then, last night, it happened. I just crumbled whenI opened the door and found him standing on my doorstep.” I shook my head at the memory. “I don’t even think he bothered to close the front door behind him, so God knows who else saw us, but from the first glance, he knew; there was no hiding how broken I felt; he just knew. He then wrapped his arms around me and held me quietly while I cried.”
“Ari.” I could see her getting emotional as she tucked her lips between her teeth.
“Once I settled down, we sat together on the couch. At first, our conversation was light and effortless, something I wasn’t accustomed to since my defenses were typically high around him. But the more we talked,the more at ease I became,whichallowedus to confront some hard truths andmisunderstandings about our past. I felt a shift in both my head and heart. I don’t know how else to explain it. I thought my mom’s passing had taught me to embrace life fully, when in reality, it made me guarded. I became fearful of losing anyone else I cared about, which led me to keep everyone at arm’s length to protect myself.”
