by Jeannie Moon
“He’s old-fashioned, also not a bad thing. He wants you happy. Can you blame him?”
Daddy always wanted her happy. That’s what he promised her after her mother died. That he’d do his best to make sure she was always happy. But that didn’t include having a fake boyfriend.
“This is going to be a disaster.” Jordan folded her arms and looked out the window.
“How? He’s in the next town over. No one is even going to know.”
“Are you kidding? How long have you lived here? If this town was good for nothing else, it would be good for gossip. And one town isn’t going to stop anyone from finding out. I know that for a fact.”
He rolled his eyes. “I think you’re overestimating our importance. There’s much better dirt for the gossip mill.”
“I think for a smart guy, you’re pretty clueless.”
“Clueless? I was trying to be compassionate.”
Sweet Mother Mary, he did not get it. “When did we get together, Nick?”
He froze at the question. His wide eyes narrowed because she’d put him on the spot.
“What’s our history? Oh, and here’s one… how did you pop the question? Did I get all misty and cry?”
“What kind of questions are those?”
“The kind people are going to ask! Jeez, Nick. This is going to get around and we’re going to have a lot of people to answer to.”
“You’re overreacting.”
“No. I’m not.” Jordan plopped into a chair at the big island and dropped her head on the granite countertop.
Compassionate. He was trying to be… compassionate. Oh, no. Looking up, Jordan locked eyes with Nick, and the truth smacked her right upside her head.
“How bad is it?” It was the question she’d been dreading to ask. The thing was, she already knew the answer.
“Jordan…” He stopped and sat on the stool next to her before continuing. His expression softened as his hand settled between her shoulders. “He’s worsening. His symptoms are getting harder to control.”
Don’t break. Don’t break. “I see. Is he in pain?”
Nick’s hand had started to move on her back in a gentle up-and-down motion. “He didn’t say, specifically. Just that he was having a tougher time.”
“Jaundice?”
He hesitated. “Yes.”
Jordan realized at that moment that honesty might be overrated. She would have given anything for Nick to tell her that her father was stable, that there was no change.
“I knew this would happen. I mean, he’s terminal. I knew it was coming. Strangely, I thought I’d be ready. I’m not.”
A tear rolled down Jordan’s cheek, then another, and another. Without thought, her head dropped on Nick’s shoulder.
“His condition. That’s what made you lie?”
“A lie of omission, but yeah. I didn’t correct his assumptions. I guess he thought, you know, since I showed up there we… ah… meant something to each other.”
Jordan raised her eyes and found herself drowning in Nick’s gaze. His eyes, the color of the ocean, let her know she wasn’t alone.
It had been a long time since Jordan had been able to take comfort in the strength someone else offered her. While she held fast to her independence, it was nice to lean on someone who you had faith wouldn’t let you down.
“This is going to blow up, though.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Come on.” Jordan sat back and grinned. “You can’t possibly be that obtuse.”
Nick’s body stiffened, and they were right back where they started.
Lina found them like that when she burst into the kitchen, unwrapping her scarf and hanging her coat on the hook by the back door. “We need to talk.”
“Wow,” Jordan said in mock surprise. “That didn’t take long.”
“Knock it off. You don’t know what it’s about.” He was so mad. It was actually kind of fun to see Dr. Perfect all pissy.
Nick kissed his grandmother on the cheek and pulled out a chair for her. She cocked her head, shook her finger at him, and then started pacing.
“What is it, Nona?” Nick asked.
“The news that you two are an item? When did that happen?” She mumbled something in Italian as she ran her finger along the edge of a shelf. “And not just dating, apparently you’re getting married? Married?”
Sometimes, being right was so satisfying. This was one of those times. That was until she had to make a decision and figure out what to say to Lina. Nick was absolutely no help. He just stood there, stunned.
“Well?” she asked.
Looking down, Jordan did not want to make eye contact. Just like school, eye contact meant she would have to give an answer. The room went silent. She could hear Lina’s breathing, but she and Nick were acting like two teenagers who had been caught making out. Gertie came out from under the table, her nails clicking on the floor. She plopped in front of Lina, her little stump of a tail wagging.
“Gertie?” Lina asked. “Are you going to tell me?”
The dog barked.
Slowly walking around the room, Lina thought out loud. “I guess it’s possible. I mean, you’ve been interested in Jordan since you got home, Nicky, isn’t that true?”
“I, ah…”
“Oh, you didn’t tell her how you’d watch her when she came in from her runs on the beach?”
“Nona, stop.”
“And Jordan,” Now Lina had turned on her. “You’re a lovely young woman. I imagine you’re ready to get even with that snake of an ex.”
“I don’t do revenge, Lina.”
“No?”
Jordan couldn’t tell if Nick was panicked or exasperated, but she had a feeling it was a little of both. Based on his face alone, it looked like he wanted to put his beloved grandmother in a closet. “Nona, it’s not that complicated,” he began. “But just to clear things up,” he said to Jordan, “I don’t watch you.”
Lina smiled. The woman was a master game player and her grandson was being beaten. “Oh, don’t be shy. It was adorable the way you’d sit out on the back porch and pretend to read.”
“For Pete’s sake,” Nick said to his grandmother. “It’s not what you think.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think. It’s what people are talking about. And if something is going on, I don’t like hearing about it through channels.”
“Channels?” Now Nick was annoyed. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, and his shoulder was pressed into the doorframe; he stood there looking all broody and mad. Jordan could actually see the vein in his neck pulsing.
“Yes, channels. Eileen Tufano, she’s a nurse on your father’s floor. She told Laura Earl, who told Tara Finn, who told Krissy DeSano.”
“And Krissy told you?” That didn’t sound right, Jordan thought, because Krissy was only sixteen years old.
Lina threw up her hands. “She did! She works for me a couple days a week after school, but she came in today because the heat at the high school conked out. Tara was in picking up an order for her son’s lacrosse team and told Krissy to ask me.”
“I told you.” Jordan was happy to point out to Nick that she was right.
“Jesus H. Christ,” Nick snarled.
Jordan rubbed her forehead. She was getting a headache.
“So? Are you two a thing? I don’t think it’s a bad idea, but Madonna mia! Could you keep us in the loop?”
Gossip was like wildfire in Compass Cove, and Jordan didn’t want anything getting back to her father that could upset him before she had a chance to see him. Nick was about to tell his grandmother the truth when Jordan thought back to what Nick told her about her father’s condition, and she made a snap decision.
“I won’t deny that we’ve been getting closer.” That wasn’t a lie. She was wickedly attracted to Nick, and her emotions were all over the place where he was concerned.
“We have. Maybe George sensed that,” Nick confessed, playing through on the story. “B
ut the words ‘engaged’ or ‘wedding’ or ‘marriage’ were never spoken, at least not by me…”
Lina’s eyes had gone soft, and she approached Nick with her hands raised. As soon as she was close enough, she reached up and took his face in her hands. “You wanted to give him some comfort.”
“I didn’t think it would blow up. I mean, shit. Was the nurse eavesdropping? Because I have a problem with that.”
“No. I’ve known Eileen for years. I called her. She said George told anyone and everyone who would listen. Told her you were being pretty tight-lipped, Nicky, but he read something into your visit. Apparently, he’s hoping you guys make it snappy, so he can walk Jordan down the aisle.”
Considering George’s condition, that was soon. “How did this happen?” Nick scrubbed his face with his hands.
Lina shook her head. “How did you get through medical school being so dumb? Honey, the town lives for stuff like this. For goodness’ sake, this whole place was built on a romantic legend.”
The compass legend grounded Compass Cove. Jordan felt a special closeness to the story, since Lucy Velsor, the woman whose broken compass brought her the love of her life, was one of her ancestors. “Your grandmother is right.”
Nick groaned as he pushed off from the wall. “He was happy. You know, when he asked about it.” He turned to her and there was almost an imperceptible note of pleading in his face. “I can’t be sorry about this.”
“I’m sure you’re not.” When was any man sorry about anything?
Jordan was so bitter and jaded from her experience with Chase, it was hard for her to wrap her head around being part of a couple again. But if she agreed to keep her father in the dark, that’s exactly what was going to happen. She would become Nick Rinaldi’s fiancée. It might be in name only, but they’d have to start acting like they were a couple.
And she’d be the envy of every woman in Compass Cove who had a working pair of ovaries.
But beyond that, it would give her father peace of mind. Nothing was more important than that.
“Maybe we should let him think what he wants.” Shit, what did she just say?
“It’s wonderful to see you two getting closer,” Lina said. “But if you’re stretching the truth at all, you’d better get your stories straight. Your father won’t like that you lied to him, whatever the reason.”
“I know. Thanks, Lina.”
Once his grandmother left, Nick expressed a modicum of regret. “I had no idea he’d make these assumptions.”
Shaking her head, there was nothing she could say. He didn’t plan it. Who could have known how the visit with her dad was going to go? Jordan’s heart ached, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of her father, or the man who’d just gone down on one knee to scratch her dog’s belly.
“Nick, can I ask you a question?”
“Shoot.”
“Did you really watch me run?” The little truth bomb Lina dropped was one of the few bright spots in Jordan’s day. It was nice to know she could still get someone’s interest.
“No… yes.” He paused to collect his thoughts. “It’s not like you think.” Rubbing his hands up and down on his trousers as he stood, Nick sat next to her. “I was jealous.”
“Jealous?”
“I ran all the time. It was my way to de-stress. I haven’t been running since I was shot. I’d see you on the beach, and I don’t know… I wished I could do the same thing.”
“Is there any reason you can’t run?”
“You mean will I hurt myself? No. But I don’t know if I have any form at all.”
“Poor form isn’t a reason not to try. When I’m better, we’ll go on a short run.” Jordan let her hand drop on his knee and she noticed how warm he was. The heat from his body radiated right through the khaki fabric.
Nick raised an eyebrow. “I won’t slow you down?”
“Nope. You’re just going to have to keep up.”
Chapter Eight
The bug in her system was still kicking her ass. Jordan spent way too much time in her room, either asleep, half asleep, or thinking about sleep. The pneumonia was doing exactly what Nick said it was going to do: one day, she felt fine; the next, she was flat on her back. But thinking about this whole mess with her father was doing a job on her head.
She called Dad that morning to let him know she still couldn’t come, and he told her again how much he enjoyed talking to Nick and that he was so relieved she had someone to depend on. When he’d first said it a couple of days ago, Jordan didn’t think much about it. Nick had been unbelievably supportive during her illness. Now that she knew what transpired between him and her father, the comments had added meaning. In Dad’s eyes, she was going to marry Nick Rinaldi, and he wanted specifics.
She’d have spent the day giving Nick a hard time about the trouble he’d caused, but he had accepted a trial position with the pediatric practice in town, so he’d been out of the house since breakfast. Not wanting to start his day out on the wrong foot, she didn’t say anything.
Lina had insisted on fixing her a plate of eggs and breakfast potatoes, which she ate while sitting across the table from her fake fiancé. He ate his waffles and sipped his coffee, glancing up occasionally, his face telling her nothing of how he was feeling. If she had to guess, the scope of the lie, and how fast it had spun out of control, had Nick worried about how they would keep from getting caught.
He’d checked on her last night, coming into her room and setting off Jordan’s very dirty imagination. It had become his habit over the last week to give her a quick examination before she went to sleep. They’d talk a little as he checked her pulse and temperature, and she’d gleaned little tidbits about him. It wasn’t much—his favorite snacks. Where he’d like to take a vacation.
But last night, he was quiet. Listening to her lungs and offering his relief that she was improving, but still had a way to go. She’d tried to make small talk, but he just nodded, and as soon as he was done, he put as much distance between them as possible.
This morning wasn’t much better, and she had no idea why he was in such a snit.
Once he left the table, Lina shook her head. “He’s stubborn, that one. You’re going to have your hands full.”
“If he doesn’t talk to me about what’s bothering him, we’re going to have a big nothing burger.”
“He will. Be patient with him.” Lina kissed her on the forehead and patted her cheek. “There’re cold cuts and soup in the refrigerator, but take it easy. Call the café if you don’t feel like making anything, and I’ll send someone over with whatever you want. Angelo is going to be directing the workmen all day, and if everything goes as planned, you could be back in the cottage in a day or so.”
“Thanks, Lina.” Jordan couldn’t get over the way the Rinaldis had just jumped in to take care of her. “I can’t believe how fast he got things done.”
“Well, the basement is dry now, and that’s where most of the water was. Since it’s not finished, there was nothing to do except get the water out and clean it.”
“Thank goodness for small favors. I’m lucky I didn’t lose anything.”
“Amen to that. You rest, missy. I’ll see you later.”
Rest. That was all she was doing. She’d read three books in the last two days, and she was starting to go a little stir crazy. This was the second day school was back in session and she missed her kids.
Looking out her window, the grounds were buzzing with workmen. There was a small swarm around the cottage, as well as a full crew to take care of all the fallen trees on the property. Snow was mounded wherever there was room, and in the spots where it had melted there was nothing but thick, goopy mud. Once everything melted, it was going to be a mess.
The day crawled by, and by the time lunch hit, Jordan was convinced she was going to eat herself out of all her clothes. The Rinaldis’ house was stocked. With everything. There was enough food in the pantries to feed a family of fifteen for three weeks, and Jordan n
ever needed to call the café. There was plenty to choose from right here.
The house was so big and so empty. Her footsteps echoed on the wood floors, and the only other sound was the ticking of Gertie’s feet behind her. It was a look into her future.
Crawling onto the big bed, Jordan suddenly felt overwhelmed. She was so tired of being brave. Her last conversation with her dad brought back too many memories. She remembered how lost he was after her mother died. How she would hear him pray to her mother at night when he thought Jordan was asleep.
“Janie,” he’d say. “I don’t know how I’m going to do this without you, but I promise Jordan will never want for anything. I’ll make you proud, my love. I will.”
He’d been everything while she was growing up. Her coach, her teacher, her cheerleader. He was mother and father rolled into one.
Suddenly, the reality of his disease hit hard. She’d known for a few weeks that the cancer was taking over his body, but she didn’t want to face it. It wasn’t going to be long before he couldn’t fight any longer, and he would die.
And then she’d be all alone. Just like she was now.
Curling onto her side, Jordan clutched the pillow, trying to hold onto the control that had been fraying for the last several days. A throbbing drifted through her chest, stealing her breath in a way that had nothing to do with the pneumonia. Finally, feeling a hot tear track down her cheek, Jordan broke.
Turning her face into the pillow, she tried to muffle her sobs, but it was no use. Everything—the grief, the fear, the frustration—came pouring out of her in great gulps. There was no attempt to stop it, no shame in letting her feelings control her for once. Jordan didn’t want to swallow her feelings anymore.
There was no slow build. No trickles of tears on her cheeks, no burning sensation in her eyes. Jordan just lost it.
Crying like she never had before, even on the night she called off her wedding, Jordan’s body went cold and it caused her to shiver. Pulling the blanket tighter, she jumped when she felt a hand drop on her leg.
“Jordan, come here.” It was Nick. She felt his weight settle next to her on the bed, and without any hesitation, he pulled her into his arms.