Jesse excused herself and went into her bedroom. Gabe was already in bed, probably dreaming about his first day of preschool. He was excited about starting school, about his teacher and making new friends. She was lucky-he’d always been a social kid, which meant she didn’t have to worry about him not fitting in.
She booted up her computer, then went online and did a search for recent articles on Matt’s company. There were a few press releases about the new game launch and the party. It seemed to be as big a deal as Paula claimed. There were also mentions of a recent stockholder meeting where Matt had arrived late. A few of the stockholders had taken issue with that and complained publicly.
Jesse checked the date, then compared it to her calendar. The afternoon Matt should have been at that meeting, he’d been with her and Gabe, buying their son new shoes for preschool. Now he was missing the launch of his company’s biggest product all year because of Gabe’s first day at school?
She picked up the phone and dialed his number.
“Hello?”
“Are you crazy?” she began. “You can’t keep doing this. You can’t miss important meetings at your company because of me and Gabe. I know we have a schedule for visitation and you want to be a part of things, but you’re being ridiculous. Honestly, Matt, we could have rescheduled shoe shopping. I can’t help the start of preschool, but I can take the camcorder and it will be just like you were there. As for the other stuff, we can always change the schedule. Or do you think I’m such a bitch, I can’t be reasoned with?”
He was quiet for a second before saying, “I don’t think you’re a bitch at all. I’m not doing anything I don’t want to do.”
“You missed your stockholder’s meeting.”
“I was late, there’s a difference.”
“This is your career. Your company. Your life.”
“It’s not my life,” he told her. “Not the part that matters most. I want you and Gabe to know how much you matter to me. There may come a time when I feel comfortable moving things around, but for now, that’s not going to happen.”
Was he insane or just plain stupid? “You have to be at the launch party.”
“I will be. I’ll get there an hour late.”
“Everyone will notice. They’ll write it up in the press.”
“No one who plays my games gives a damn about me being at the launch party.”
He might have a point about that. “You’re making some really bad choices here.”
“Not from my perspective. I’m making the choices I should have made before.”
What was she supposed to say to that? “Okay, but don’t linger tomorrow. You can stay until he’s in his classroom, then take off.”
“I thought parents got to hang around for the first hour or so.”
“They do.”
“Then I’ll be there.”
“You’re a very stubborn man,” she grumbled.
“If you’re saying I don’t give up, you’re right. I don’t. I still miss you, Jess. And I love you. That hasn’t changed.”
She clutched the phone tightly in her hand. Magic words. Words she desperately wanted to hear. But could she believe them? Trust them? Trust him? “Matt-”
“I know,” he said. “You want me to let it go. Only I won’t. I won’t stop telling you how I feel. I want us to be together, as a family. I’ll wait as long as I have to-until you’re willing to give me another chance.”
“And if that never happens?” she asked, her voice a whisper.
“Then I’m going to spend a lot of time missing you. See you in the morning.”
He hung up, leaving her alone in her room, listening to silence and wondering if she was doing the right thing or turning her back on the best offer she’d ever had.
AFTER GABE HAD CHARMED his new teacher and made friends with nearly every kid in his class, Jesse drove to the construction site where she was meeting Nicole so they could review the new bakery’s progress.
In the nearly three months since the fire, the rubble had been cleared, new plans drawn up, permits approved and a foundation poured. Rebuilding had moved at lightning speed, mostly due to the publicity the bakery had received. Every agency had cooperated, the insurance money had flowed freely and now they were only a few months away from a grand opening.
She parked beside a couple of construction trucks, next to Nicole’s luxury SUV. When she got out, she saw both her sisters were there.
“How did it go?” Claire asked. “How was Gabe? Robby starts tomorrow. I don’t know if he’s going to cry, but I think I will.”
“He did better than me,” Jesse admitted. “He just sailed into the classroom and started talking to all the other kids. He doesn’t get that from me. Or Matt. Somewhere in our past is a very chatty, outgoing relative.”
“Eric was only a little clingy,” Nicole said. “I thought Hawk was going to lose it, though.”
“I have everything on DVD,” Jesse said. “Or I will. Matt recorded everything and will make copies. If you’re interested.”
“I am,” Nicole said. “We have Eric’s big day recorded, too.”
“We’ll do the same,” Claire said. “So maybe this weekend, we should all get together and relive the moment?”
Jesse laughed. “Sounds like a plan.” Who would have thought, after all this time, she and her sisters would finally find their ways back to each other? “So what’s going on with the construction?”
Nicole groaned. “It’s going fine, but the equipment is going to kill me. Do you know how much those new ovens you want are costing us?”
“Yes, but they’re energy-efficient and they’ll make back the difference in a year.”
“They’d better. For that price I also expect them to fluff and fold my laundry.”
“You’re getting those fancy display cases,” Jesse reminded her. “I get my big specialty ovens.”
“And mixers.” Nicole turned to Claire. “They have enough horsepower to moonlight as Jet Skis. Plus there’s custom packaging and a new logo. She’s sucking up money faster than it’s coming in.”
“We’ll make it back,” Jesse said, confident in her decisions. “You’ll see.”
“I’d better. At least the construction is going well. On time and under budget. It’s like a miracle from God.”
“More money for equipment then,” Jesse teased.
“No and no. Did I mention no?” Nicole glared at her. “I swear, Jesse.”
“Yes? You swear what?”
Nicole groaned. “Talk to her,” she told Claire. “Make her see sense or hit her or something.”
Jesse grinned. “You love me.”
“I do, but some days-”
Jesse continued to smile. Oh, yeah. It was good to be home.
“How’s Matt?” Claire asked.
Jesse’s smile faded. “That was a subtle subject change. He’s fine.”
“It’s been over two months,” Claire said. “How long are you going to punish him?”
Jesse glanced longingly at her car. If she made a run for it, would her sisters follow? “I’m not punishing him. I’m being smart.”
“About what?” Nicole asked. The twins exchanged a look.
That wasn’t good, Jesse thought. Obviously they’d been talking about her behind her back.
“We aren’t trying to interfere,” Claire began.
“Yes, you are.” Jesse was clear on that. She just didn’t know how to stop it.
“Fine. We’re interfering,” Nicole said. “Matt screwed up. He more than screwed up. He was a total asshole. But he’s obviously sorry and he’s doing whatever you say. He’s hung in there when most guys would have walked away.”
“That’s it?” she asked, outraged. “He’s already won you over? You don’t care about what he tried to do?”
“Of course we care,” Claire said. “He was awful and stupid and he totally didn’t think things through. But when he realized what he’d done, he took it back. We all make mistakes. We a
ll screw up. We shouldn’t be judged on the ways we mess up, but on how we try to make things right. Isn’t that the true measure of who we are?”
Jesse didn’t want to think about that. “Fine. He’s sorry. He’s trying. But for how long? It’s been a couple of months. So what? He’ll get bored eventually and go away.”
“Is that what you’re waiting for?” Claire asked. “Is that what you think is going to happen?”
“I don’t know.” Jesse just knew she didn’t trust him. “He wanted me to fall in love with him so he could rip out my heart. Now he claims he loves me. How am I supposed to ever trust him?”
“You take a leap of faith,” Claire said. “You give him a chance. Jesse, you love him. Even after all this. You’re trying to punish him, but the person you’re hurting most is yourself.”
“I’m very comfortable with that,” Jesse muttered. “I won’t risk it. I need to be sure about him.”
“Which is the real problem,” Nicole said. “Because the person you really don’t trust in all this isn’t Matt. It’s you.”
Jesse opened her mouth, then closed it. “That’s just crap.”
“No, it’s not. You’re terrified that if you give your heart to him again and he tramples all over it, you won’t survive. You don’t think you’re strong enough to handle the rejection, so you take the safe way out. You don’t bother trying. But by doing that, you may be cheating yourself out of the best thing that ever happened to you. You love him, Jess. It’s been five years and you never stopped loving him. He’s Gabe’s father-he’s not going away. So your choices are simple. You accept that every relationship comes with risks or you turn your back on him. You walk away and spend the rest of your life regretting all the things you weren’t brave enough to go for.”
Nicole stared at her. “You’re not a quitter and you’re not a coward. Giving up isn’t like you. You take risks and to hell with the consequences.”
“Look where that got me,” Jesse said.
“Yeah, look.” Nicole shook her head. “You raised a great kid totally on your own. You came up with a business plan, a killer brownie, you got your AA degree. You thrived. I’m so proud of the person you’ve become. Look what my baby sister did all by herself.”
Jesse’s eyes burned with unexpected tears. “Don’t you dare get all mushy on me,” she whispered.
“Why not? You earned it. I love you, Jess, but you’re going to hate yourself forever if you don’t give Matt another chance.”
Jesse wasn’t sure who moved first, but suddenly she and Nicole were hugging.
“I love you,” she whispered fiercely.
“Not as much as I love you,” Nicole told her.
“Group hug,” Claire said, throwing herself at both of them. “I just love having sisters.”
“Me, too,” Jesse said, feeling their affection wash over her.
They held on to each other for a few more seconds, then disentangled, each wiping away tears.
Jesse looked at both of them. “If you’re wrong, this is going to all be your fault,” she said. “I’ll never let you guys forget that.”
Claire and Nicole glanced at each other, then back at her.
“A risk I’m willing to take,” Nicole said.
Easy for her to say, Jesse thought. She had a whole lot less to lose. But by not trying, Jesse knew she did, as well. Nicole had been right about a lot of things. Especially Jesse having loved Matt for the past five years.
What he’d done was horrible and mean. But what did loving someone mean if not understanding that mistakes could be made and regret might be genuine? She didn’t know if Matt deserved another chance, but she knew she did. A chance to be with the only man she’d ever loved.
WHEN THE STEADY pounding of the rock band at the launch party started sounding as if the beat was hammering inside his head, Matt knew it was time to escape back to his office. He collected his leather briefcase and walked toward the exit.
Diane stopped him before he was halfway there. You are not leaving,” she said loudly enough to be heard over the music. “You said I had to stay to the end.”
“I take it back.”
She grinned. “Feeling a little old for this sort of thing?”
“I guess. I don’t know when that happened.”
Her expression turned knowing. He had a feeling she was thinking that becoming a father had changed everything for him. She was right.
“You can head back to the office now,” he told her. “I have to swing by the house, then I’ll be in.” He wanted to make copies of Gabe’s first day of school for Jesse and his mom. Maybe he could drop the disks off later, which was nothing more than an excuse to see Jesse again. Not that he had any reason to hope. She wasn’t acting any differently than she had a month ago. But he wasn’t giving up. Somehow he would win her over.
He left the party and made his way to the parking lot. His car was off to the side, a familiar red Subaru next to it. Jesse stood between their vehicles, watching him approach. There was something different about her expression, about the way she was hugging her arms to her chest. Something that made him walk more quickly.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he approached. “Is it Gabe?”
“It’s not Gabe,” she said, her eyes bright with an emotion he couldn’t read. “Everything is fine. I wanted to talk to you.”
He set down his briefcase. “About what?”
She moved closer, then put her hands on his chest. “I still remember the first time I saw you. I thought you had a lot of potential.”
He’d been a total geek without a clue. “Not my favorite memory.” The girl he’d wanted to ask out had blown him off, then Jesse had shown up. “Until you came along.”
She was staring at him as if trying to figure out something. As if…as if she still cared. As if he had a chance.
Relief and hope ripped through him, making him want to pull her close, kiss her, take her home and make love to her until she was too weak to resist. But he held back, knowing she had to take the first step. He’d been saying the words over and over. Now it was her turn. If they were going to make this work, she would have to commit.
Except standing there was torture. Waiting for her to see that they belonged together made his chest ache.
“I’d never been in love before,” she told him, her blue eyes gazing into his. “I didn’t know what to expect and I didn’t think it would be so powerful or last so long. Moving away didn’t change anything. I still loved you. And I love you now.”
He sensed she wasn’t done, that there was more to say. So he stood there, trying to be patient, knowing the prize was worth the effort.
“I know you were angry and hurt and that you wanted revenge,” she told him. “I understand that you got caught up in your plan and didn’t think it through. I believe you’re genuinely sorry and that you love me and Gabe. I can keep punishing you or I can take a leap of faith. You’ve said you want us to be together. I want that, too.”
He didn’t know if she had more and he didn’t care. He grabbed her and hauled her close, then kissed her until they both couldn’t breathe.
“I love you,” he murmured against her mouth. “I’ll love you forever.”
“Good. Because the women in my family live a long time.”
He chuckled, then kissed her again. “I can’t wait.” He straightened. “Marry me, Jess. Marry me and have more babies with me. I want to spend the rest of my life convincing you that you made the right choice.”
“I already know that.” She smiled at him. “And yes, I’ll marry you.”
“Soon?”
“Let’s take it one step at a time.”
“I LIKE THE BLACK,” Claire said as she stepped in front of the full-length mirror.
“Me, too.” Nicole stood next to her twin and brushed her hands against the sleek, sophisticated black dress.
Jesse grinned as she remembered their terror the first time they’d gone shopping for bridesmaid dresses. She’d
tortured her sisters with pink-and-sea-foam tulle before showing them the dozen or so black cocktail dresses she’d picked out.
The black and white color scheme fit the New Year’s Eve theme. With the wedding at six and dinner and dancing to follow, their guests would party through midnight, then spend the night safely at the hotel.
Gabe leaned against her. “You look pretty, Mommy.”
“Thank you.”
“You do make a beautiful bride,” Nicole told her.
Jesse smiled. “It takes a village.” Or in her case, someone to put up her hair while her sisters had laced her into her strapless white gown. She loved the beaded bodice and flowing skirt, but she hadn’t thought the whole lace-up back through. She would never be able to get out of the dress herself. Not that Matt would mind helping.
Paula entered the suite. “You girls about ready? All the guests are here and Matt is pacing, poor guy.”
Jesse hugged her soon-to-be mother-in-law. “You look fabulous.” Paula’s dress was a flattering black-and-white floor-length gown. She eyed the black pearl necklace that matched the earrings Matt had given her for her birthday. “That looks new.”
Paula touched it and smiled. “From my son. Isn’t it nice?”
“Very. This is fun. You and Bill should have a wedding.”
Paula laughed. “I don’t think so. We’re going to stop in Vegas and get married there. We’ll send back pictures.”
The two of them were heading off in February for their two-year trip around America in their big RV. For now, they were spending time in both Seattle and Spokane as Bill sold the bar and settled things there, before they put Paula’s house up for sale.
For the next two weeks, though, they would be taking care of Gabe while Jesse and Matt honeymooned in Hawaii.
“I have a couple of things for you,” Paula said. “Matt said paperwork before toys, so here you go.”
The envelope was slim. Jesse frowned. “What on earth?”
“I have no idea.”
She opened it. Nicole and Claire moved close to read over her shoulder.
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