“Happy birthday, Adam.” The boy came over and tentatively hugged him.
Surprise bolted through Adam. He grabbed onto Jess and held him tight. “Thanks, Jess.” He backed up and held him at arm’s length. Looked right into Jess’s bright eyes. “I love you, bud. Thanks for bein’ here with me on my birthday.”
Jess nodded, his chin wobbling and tears splashing his cheeks. “My mom’s coming,” he blurted. “I’m not supposed to tell you, but I’m really bad at keeping secrets.” He sniffed, but the liquids just kept pouring out of every hole in his face.
“I hope you’re not mad. She’s bringing the ice cream, and she says she loves you too.” He swiped madly at his face, still blubbering.
A smile grew on Adam’s face, and he started laughing. Jess managed to get himself under control, and he glared at Adam. “What?”
“Yeah, she told me she loved me a week or so ago when I stopped by her house and begged her to take me back.”
Jess blinked, the tears completely gone now. “What?”
“She didn’t want to ruin the birthday surprise dinner you two had planned. I went along with it.” He started unpacking the groceries. “So are we grilling these steaks tonight?”
“Yes, but...are you saying you guys got back together?”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”
“A week or so ago.”
“Something like that. It was a Wednesday. I knew she’d be home from work.”
“I knew I heard her sneaking out at night!” Jess scoffed. “You guys will never be able to ground me for sneaking out to go see the girl I like.”
“Nice try,” Adam said. “You leave the house after dark to go see Dixie, and I’ll drive around in my cruiser and tell everyone over the loud speaker.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Jess looked horrified, and he reached for a package of macaroni noodles with a little too much force. “Besides, I’m over Dixie.”
Adam laughed and pulled down the salt and pepper shakers so Jess could season the steaks. “Right. Just like I was totally over your mom after she broke up with me.”
He met Jess’s eye and they burst out laughing. “So, I have one more secret....”
Jess shook his head. “No. No way. I can’t keep secrets.”
“Just for a couple of hours.” He reached up to the top of the refrigerator and pulled down a dark blue velvet box. “I may have bought your mom a ring.” He cracked the lid and tilted the box toward Jess. “Do you think she’ll like it?”
Jess goggled at the ring. “Uh, yeah. I think she’s going to like that.”
“I was thinking of asking her to marry me tonight, after cake and ice cream. You wanna help with that?”
A devilish glint entered the boy’s eyes. “Yeah. I wanna help with that.”
A moment later, his doorbell sang and Adam practically jumped out of his skin in his haste to put the ring box back where no one could see it. “Quick plan. Get her out of the room before we do the cake. I’ll get the ring in it somehow.”
“It’s not that kind of cake,” Jess hissed.
Adam paused, his eyes flickering to the front door. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, it has to be sliced,” Jess said. “How are you going to make sure the ring is in her piece without smashing it?”
The doorbell sounded again, and he yelled, “Just a second!” his mind whirring. “I have no idea how to do this. Maybe I just should answer the door with the diamond in my hand.”
Jess shook his head. “Nope. That’s lame. Stay here.” He shook himself they way Gypsy did when she was trying to get the water off her hair. “Game time.”
He strode away, leaving Adam to wonder what was lame about answering the door with a diamond in his hand.
“Mom!” Jess exclaimed in a falsely bright voice. “What are you doing here?”
Adam heard the lighter, more feminine lilt of Janey’s voice, and then Jess said in an overly loud voice, “Yes, it is his birthday.”
Adam supposed that was his cue to come out and pretend like he and Janey hadn’t shared a kiss just last night. He did, the sight of Jess and Janey framed in his doorway one he wanted to hold in his mind’s eye for a long time.
“Happy birthday,” Janey said, her face radiant with happiness. “But this present is actually for you, Jess.” She handed him the beautifully wrapped gift. “It’s from both of us.”
“It’s from your mother,” Adam said, lifting his arm and securing Janey against his side. “I told him we got back together a few days ago.”
“Oh, you did, huh?”
“He may have blurted out that you were coming over.” He shared a smile with Jess. “Seems like neither one of us are that great at keeping secrets.”
She looked back and forth between the two of them. “I’m always going to be the last to know, aren’t I?”
Adam shrugged and Jess said, “He has something for you on top of the fridge.”
“Hey,” Adam said, his heart suddenly fluttering in the back of his throat. “It’s my birthday. Doesn’t anyone have any gifts for me?”
“You have something for me on top of your fridge?”
“It’s for later.” He said the last word through clenched teeth, glaring at Jess. “Why don’t you open yours first, Jess? Then we can start on dinner.”
Jess complied, peeling back the blue and gray paper to reveal the binder Adam had seen earlier. He looked at his mom, hope shining in his dark eyes. Adam had seen that look so many times before, usually right before Matt said something funny—or got them both in a heap of mischief.
His heart tugged, and he couldn’t believe he was going to get to be this boy’s father.
Jess opened the front cover and sucked in a breath. “Mom, did you draw these pictures?”
She moved over to him and put her arm around his shoulders. “I did.”
He traced one finger down the page Adam couldn’t see. “You said Dad taught you how to draw.”
“He did.”
Adam didn’t know that, and he felt like an intruder in this moment, watching Janey and her son talk about Matt.
“Hey, this is your mom’s chocolate pie recipe.” He looked up at Adam, his eyes shining with disbelief.
“I told you it was from both of us.” Janey beamed at Adam, welcoming him to their moment, to their family. Adam stepped stepped forward, took Janey’s hand, and pointed to the SIDES tab.
“Check there.”
Jess flipped to that section of the cook book, his eyes travelling past the macaroni and cheese recipe he had memorized. He pulled in a breath and gave a triumphant yell. “The macaroni salad!” He barreled into Adam and hugged him tight.
“All right.” Adam cleared his throat. “I’m starving and we haven’t even started dinner yet.” He gave Jess a look that said, Not another word about the box on top of the refrigerator.
They worked together, the three of them, in the kitchen as Jess grilled and Adam put together the mac and cheese. Janey rummaged around in the fridge and came up with a bagged salad to add something green to the meal.
They ate, and laughed, and Adam couldn’t believe this could possibly be his reality in the near future. He’d fantasized about it so many times, and those dreams hadn’t been close to how wonderful this actually was.
“Time for cake,” Jess announced. He jumped from the table and ran onto the back deck.
“You’ve had the cake out there?” Adam eyed the door as it swung open.
“It’s not raining,” Jess called. A few moments later he filled the doorway, a gorgeous, three-tiered cake in his hands. “Happy birthday to you....”
Janey joined in, her face a picture of pure delight. Adam hated all the attention, but he grinned through the song, blew out the candles, and stared at the cake. It had rich, chocolate frosting in perfect peaks, with a toy police cruiser right in the middle.
“Jess, this is awesome.” He looked up him, those emotions pushing against his composure. “How did you lear
n how to do this?”
“Internet videos,” he said. “Mom, where’s that ice cream?”
She jumped to her feet, her face a perfect mask of panic. “I left it in the Jeep.” She headed for the front door.
Jess exchanged a glance with Adam and hissed, “I’ll stall her. Don’t mess up the cake too badly.”
Adam waited until the front door clicked closed, and then he sprang into action. He collected the ring from the velvet box and grabbed a sharp knife from the block beside the stove. He sliced a line in the cake near the back of the cruiser and pressed the ring into the space. He re-peaked the frosting and had just wiped the knife when he heard Jess and Janey return.
“I’m sorry, Jess,” she said.
Adam rounded the corner, the knife still in his hand. Clearly, he would be cutting and serving the cake. “Melted?” he asked.
“Melted.” She set the two containers of ice cream on the counter. “We might be able to get some more solid parts from the middle.”
“It’s fine, Mom,” Jess said. “I’ll get the plates.” He moved around Adam’s house with ease, and Adam cut the first slice—right near the rear of the cruiser. He slipped it onto the plate and nudged it toward Janey. Jess put a fork on the plate, and Janey picked it up.
She waited while Adam cut two more slices, and only when Adam and Jess both had cake did she dip the fork into her piece. Adam worked hard not to stare at her, but she didn’t lift her fork to her mouth the way he and Jess did.
“Adam....” She drew his name out, her voice made more of air than anything else.
The scraping of the fork against the plate made him shiver, and he looked at his diamond engagement ring smeared with chocolate frosting.
“What is this?”
“Oh,” he said. “That’s where that went.” He reached for the ring and licked off the frosting. “I was worried I’d lost it.”
He looked up and met Janey’s eye. Hers were glassy, bright with unshed tears, and Adam swallowed hard.
“So since I love you, and you love me, I was wondering if you wanted to get married?” He twirled the ring in his fingers, finding it a bit sticky. “I want to take care of you and Jess, and I think I’d be pretty good at it.” He met Jess’s eye. “Did you tell your mom about me?”
His face brightened. “No, I didn’t. I kept a secret!” He looked so gleeful that he’d actually kept a secret.
“What secret?” Janey whispered.
“I’ve been leaving things on your porch for years,” Adam said. “Matt asked me to look after you two if anything should happen to him, and well, I took it literally.” He shrugged, hoping Janey wouldn’t make a big deal about this.
“You’re our anonymous angel?” Her eyebrows stretched upward.
“Yes.” He held her gaze and lifted the ring. “I still haven’t heard a yes from you.”
She looked at Jess. She looked at the ring. She looked at Adam.
She opened her mouth, and said, “Yes.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Six months later:
“Mom, come away from the window.”
Janey watched as her oldest sister, JoJo, lovingly guided their mother away from the glass through which she’d been staring for a while. JoJo exchanged a glance with AnnaBelle, but neither of them looked at Janey.
Everything had to be perfect for today. Why AnnaBelle had kept saying that, Janey didn’t know. She’d already had her big wedding when she’d married Matt. Adam claimed not to care about the grandeur of such things, but AnnaBelle had insisted.
“He’s the Chief of Police. He’s been single for thirty-nine years. This is huge for our town.”
Janey fiddled with a flower Gretchen had weaved into her hair. She had enjoyed herself as they visited Wedding Row and hired a photographer, who captured Adam in his uniform perfectly. Their engagements included an array of pictures on the beach he loved and then in the downtown park where they’d both spent countless hours as both adults and children.
She’d liked designing the announcements and using police blue, and silver, and gold—their wedding colors. Jess had selected the menu and gone with Adam to the caterer. It seemed that if there was food involved, the two of them wanted to do it together.
She was thrilled they got along so great, and she smiled at herself in the full-length mirror. Behind her, JoJo got their mother seated in an armchair and returned to Maya to finish her makeup.
JoJo lived in Victoria, just across the waterway, and she did permanent makeup, lashes, and eyebrow microblading from a studio in her home. When Janey had called her and asked her to do all the makeup for the bridesmaids, JoJo had screeched in excitement.
Sami, Janey’s second-oldest sister, burst into the room. “You should see the park.” She leaned against the door, her face aglow with happiness. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Whoever Sarah is, she deserves a medal. And a raise.”
“She’s Adam’s secretary,” Janey said. “And yes, she’s a genius.” With Janey’s mother...not as helpful as she used to be, Janey had consulted with Adam’s mom and Sarah about all the wedding preparations. Sarah had worked with Adam for almost two decades, and she wept whenever Janey came into the station. Adam said she’d been crying every time he came to work too.
“Drew just texted,” Gretchen announced. “Adam’s on his way downstairs now.”
They’d set up in the storage rooms above her flower shop, because it overlooked the park and provided easy access to parking. Janey had left all the décor to Sarah and Donna, all of the wedding luncheon plans to Adam and Jess. She’d focused on her wedding dress, the announcements, and her bridesmaids.
She turned and found her three sisters and her mother present. So her father wouldn’t be able to walk her down the aisle this time. She had Jess instead. Her heart felt too full, and her emotions choked her.
Besides her family, Maya and Gretchen completed her entourage. They’d all been by her side for so long, and she was sure she hadn’t properly thanked them. Tears brimmed and JoJo hissed.
“Don’t you dare cry before the formal pictures,” she said. “And definitely not before kissing him.”
Janey’s lower lip shook, but she managed to keep the tears contained. She didn’t want to create more work for JoJo, who focused on Maya like she’d never get her makeup done properly.
“Adam is in position,” Gretchen announced.
“I’m almost done,” JoJo said, swiping and swooshing a brush in a circular pattern over Maya’s face. “Okay. Finished.”
Maya opened her eyes and stood, her silver dress glinting in the sunlight coming in through the window.
Janey had been laced into her wedding gown for a half an hour, and she lifted the skirt to make sure it didn’t get too dirty before the I-do’s were said. Her heart beat fast in her chest.
“There were no first looks when Matt and I got married,” she said as she carefully stepped down the stairs.
“It’s easy,” Gretchen said. “You stand where Alicia tells you, and you wait for Adam to turn around. She’s telling him what to do right now. He’s the one doing all the work.” She held the back door of the flower shop open so Janey could step into the alley. “You just stand there and look beautiful.”
Janey smiled at her and let her gaze wander across the street. Blue balloons in every shade drifted lazily back and forth with the lilt of the air currents. A huge arch had been made of silver, white, and navy blue balloons—their altar.
She couldn’t see Adam or Alicia, and her heart ba-bumped in a strange cadence.
“This way.” Gretchen led the ladies across the street and into the park. Past the fountain and away from where the festivals had their food booths set up. A grove of trees sat just ahead, and Janey finally saw Adam in all his police uniform glory, his brother brushing something from his shoulder.
Alicia completed the trio, and she was indeed instructing Adam in something.
Drew looked at his phone and then over his shoulder, said
something to Alicia, and came toward them. Alicia followed a moment later. Adam remained standing right where he was, tall and broad, with a new haircut.
“Where’s Jess?” she asked when Drew got within earshot.
“He’s with Joel,” Drew said. “They’ll be over in a few minutes. Right now, we just need you and Adam.” He smiled at her in a soft, brotherly way, and Janey returned the gesture.
“Thanks for taking care of him,” she said.
“Yeah, of course.” He turned toward Alicia, who started giving directions for how Janey should stand, and where, and if she should have the bouquet or not.
When she was finally ready, she turned back to Adam, who waited only ten paces away. The desire to look into his eyes, kiss his lips, almost overwhelmed Janey, and she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face.
“All right, Adam,” Alicia called.
Adam turned around and walked slowly toward Janey, drinking her in with every step.
“Smile!” Alicia said, and Adam complied.
Janey giggled, and though Alicia yelled, “Slowly, Adam. Slowly,” as her camera went click, click, click, Adam practically ran the last few steps and swept her into his arms.
They laughed together, and he set her back onto her feet. “Wow, you’re beautiful.” He inhaled slowly as he dipped his head toward her.
“Good,” Alicia said. “Almost a kiss. Not quite.”
He leaned down, his mouth a breath from hers. Clickety-click. Janey touched her lips to his, unable to resist.
The kiss only lasted a moment, and he stepped back, holding both of her hands. “Beautiful dress.”
“One arm around her,” Alicia called. “Pull her right into you, Chief. Yeah, like that. Janey, push that hip out.”
She took the picture and lowered her camera. “All right. Best man and maid of honor.”
Two hours later, Janey fussed over Jess’s bow tie, though it was absolutely perfect.
“Mom.” He brushed her hands away. “It’s fine.”
“I’m so nervous,” she said.
“Why?” He looked at her, genuinely confused. “It’s Adam, Mom.”
Beloved in Blue_Sweet Contemporary Beach Romance Page 20