by Cindy Kirk
“I’d never seen Veronica so distraught. Out of the blue, she mentioned asking Abby to carry the baby.” Jonah rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I thought it was a crazy idea. Abby hadn’t ever had a child. We didn’t know for sure she could even carry a child to term. But on the positive side, Abby didn’t think she wanted children, and we’d be using a donor egg, which cut down on the connection. And she needed the money.”
Jonah scrubbed his hands over his face and met the concerned looks on his parents’ faces. “I’d say I wished we’d never approached Abby, but then there would be no Eva Grace. Now that I’ve met her, I can’t imagine a world without her in it.”
When neither of them spoke, Jonah gave a bitter laugh. “Of course, if it had been up to me, she wouldn’t be here.”
“The time for self-flagellation has passed.” His father narrowed his gaze on his son. “From everything you told me, the doctor pulled no punches regarding the baby’s likely quality of life. You had a wife who wouldn’t be able to handle a special-needs child.”
“That doesn’t excuse—”
“Stop.” The single word from his father cut the air like a knife. “This was an unfortunate situation with enough guilt to go around.”
Jonah offered his father a quizzical look.
“You think your mother and I don’t share your guilt?” Michael took a second as his voice had begun to shake. “Abby was like a daughter to us. She didn’t have a father. And when she needed one the most, I wasn’t there for her.”
“I should have said to hell with what Veronica threatened and been with Abby during her pregnancy and after the baby came.” A tear slipped down Nancy’s cheek. She swiped it away.
Jonah wasn’t sure what surprised him most. His mother using the word “hell” or that he wasn’t the only one flooded with regret.
“We believed Veronica would go after Abby,” Michael reminded his wife, then turned to Jonah. “I really thought she would have followed through on her threat.”
There was a question in his father’s searching gaze.
“She absolutely would have followed through.” Jonah pushed back his chair and rose, unable to sit with the emotions churning like storm-tossed seas in him. He rested his back against the wall overlooking the city and faced his parents. “That’s why I made sure she didn’t learn about the money I sent Abby every month.”
Even in the dim light, Jonah saw the surprise skitter across his father’s face.
“You never told us you sent Abby money.” There was a hint of puzzlement in his tone.
“I didn’t want to keep it from you.” Jonah held his gaze steady. “I could say I considered sending the money to be between me and Abby. But it went beyond that . . . I couldn’t take the chance that Veronica would find out and carry through with her threat.”
“A marriage with that kind of secret is on a rocky path,” his father said.
“I’m not proud of lying to my wife.” Jonah expelled a ragged breath. “The alternative was to do nothing for Abby and the baby. My baby. I couldn’t have lived with myself if I’d done that.”
“It appears Abby is willing to give us a chance to be a part of her and Eva Grace’s life.” Nancy closed her eyes for a second. “When that little girl called me Nana . . .”
His mother pressed fingers to her lips to still their trembling, her eyes glistening in the lamplight. “I get choked up just remembering. You probably think I’m making too much—”
Michael took his wife’s hand and clasped it tightly in his. “I feel the same way when she calls me Papa.”
“That was incredibly generous of Abby,” his mother said, and his dad nodded.
“It was a good day.”
What would have made it even better was if Eva Grace had called him Daddy.
Though he knew he didn’t deserve the title, Jonah couldn’t help wondering what it would feel like to be Eva Grace’s daddy in every sense of the word.
+
Jonah said goodbye to his parents first thing Thursday morning. The rest of the day and all day Friday Jonah spent on the budget, one of his least favorite parts of his new position.
The only highlight to his day was when Abby texted and asked him if he could be at her place the next morning at eight a.m. to watch Eva Grace.
By the time Friday evening rolled around, all he wanted to do was go home and relax. Instead, Jonah headed to Chicago to have dinner with his friend, Noah Garrity. Noah, a former fraternity brother, had recently become engaged and wanted Jonah to meet his fiancée.
The Italian restaurant on North Dearborn was a popular one, which meant the place would be crazy busy on a Friday night. Noah assured him that reservations were in place. When Jonah gave his name to the hostess, he was ushered through several archways to a white-linen-clad table for four.
As three of the four seats were occupied, he concluded he was the last to arrive.
Noah rose, his dark hair razor cut in a style that suited his strong features. He must have come straight from the office as he still wore a dark suit. His fiancée, or at least the one with the blonde hair who fit Noah’s description, wore pearls.
When Jonah had heard “Italian,” he’d assumed casual and had worn khakis and a light sweater. At least, he told himself, he hadn’t showed up in jeans. Not that it mattered. He didn’t feel the need to impress.
Noah gave his hand a firm shake, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously. “I’m glad you could make it. I hope you don’t mind that Stephanie brought along a friend.”
When Noah had mentioned his girlfriend wanted to fix Jonah up with one of her friends, he’d made it clear he wasn’t interested. That discussion had taken place the week before he’d moved to Hazel Green. Since he’d reconnected with Abby, he was even less interested.
“Of course not.” Jonah smiled while Noah made the introductions. Stephanie was indeed the blonde. She and her auburn-haired friend—whose name was Ryann—were both paralegals in the law firm where Noah practiced.
Knowing he had to drive home, Jonah turned down a glass of wine but snagged an olive from the antipasto platter that Noah had ordered for the table.
After the server took their orders, Jonah found himself on the receiving end of an inquisition.
Stephanie sipped her Italian cocktail, her gaze sharp and assessing. “Noah tells me you’re the chief of police in Hazel Green.”
“I am.” Jonah reached for a second olive.
She continued to study Jonah as if he were a witness ready to be deposed. Or maybe it was more like a bug under a microscope.
Jonah had no doubt she and Ryann—who’d just ordered her second Negroni—had already done a thorough social media search on him. Heck, the intensity of their focus had him wondering whether the two had also run a background check on him.
Stephanie arched a brow. “You’re divorced.”
Was that a question? It sounded more like a statement. Jonah lifted his glass of water and redirected. “How long have you known Noah?”
Now that was a question. He could only hope she’d take the conversational ball and run with it.
“We met at the law practice.” Stephanie slanted Noah a playful glance. “He asked me out for weeks before I decided to give him a shot.”
Noah took her hand and brought it to his lips. “When you see something—or in this case, someone—you want, you give it your best. I knew we’d be good together.”
Jonah experienced a pang of envy.
“Do you have any children?” Ryann asked him, reopening the questioning phase.
It shouldn’t be a difficult question. But as much as Jonah wanted to claim Eva Grace, he wasn’t sure he had the right. Not yet, anyway.
“Jonah.”
He turned and pushed to his feet. Nell stood at the side of the table, her gaze clearly curious. He watched her eyes flick over the table. Noah and Stephanie were obviously together. Their fingers were intertwined, with the large diamond on Stephanie’s left hand catching the light. Then
there were Ryann and him, who probably looked like a couple, but weren’t, in any sense of the word.
“This is quite a surprise.” With her silvery-blonde hair and ice-blue silk suit with heels, Nell looked like a modern woman tonight rather than one from a bygone era. “Noah, I wasn’t aware you and Jonah were acquainted.”
Noah glanced questioningly at Jonah, then the confusion cleared. “That’s right. You both live in Hazel Green.”
“How do you know this guy?” Jonah gestured with his head toward Noah.
“AAML,” Noah and Nell said together, then laughed.
“American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers,” Nell explained. “We’re both members.”
“I keep forgetting you’re an attorney.” Jonah glanced around. “Are you here with someone?”
“I was stood up.” Nell lifted a shoulder as if it were of no consequence. “I was going to say it happens all the time, but it really doesn’t.”
“I’d imagine not.” Jonah smiled. “Would you like to join us?”
Nell’s expression turned thoughtful. She tapped her lips with a finger, her gaze narrowing on Noah. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“Absolutely not,” his friend said heartily. “I’ll have the hostess bring over another chair.”
Jonah moved his chair, making space between him and Ryann. The paralegal was probably a very nice woman. He just wasn’t interested.
Ryann moved her chair closer to Stephanie to make room for Nell, who offered her a conciliatory smile. “It’s nice of you to be so welcoming.”
Ryann’s only response was a quick twist of her lips.
Once Nell was settled and her order taken, Noah gestured with his glass of wine toward Jonah. “You and this guy know each other.”
Nell smiled. “We’ve attended several functions that—”
“We?” Ryann lifted a brow. “Like on a date?”
Instead of answering, Nell studied the young woman for a moment, then lifted her glass of San Pellegrino and shifted her attention to Stephanie. “What a lovely ring.”
The conversation about the proposal, the engagement, and wedding plans lasted through much of the meal. Nell, Jonah was beginning to realize, was a master at controlling conversations.
She revealed only what she chose to reveal and learned nearly everything there was to know about the other three at the table. Not through direct questions, the tactic employed by Ryann, but with comments designed to get the person talking.
The only person at the table she spared was Jonah. He wasn’t certain why, but he appreciated the consideration. By virtue of keeping everyone else talking, she shared very little about herself. Only enough that the others thought she was participating in the sharing.
Only once did she appear to falter. That was when a dark-haired man passed by the table.
If Jonah hadn’t been sitting where he was and been focused on her, he’d never have noticed the slight inhale when she spotted him. The guy was dark and lean, wearing a hand-tailored suit and Italian loafers. The two men with him were older and distinguished looking. If Jonah had to guess, it appeared to be a business meeting.
He wondered whether Nell had dated the guy, or perhaps this was the man who’d stood her up. Jonah didn’t ask. That would be putting her on the spot, something she’d very graciously avoided doing to him all evening.
The three men were seated at a nearby table. While the conversation shifted to the Cubs’ chances this year, Nell excused herself to take a phone call.
“I didn’t hear her phone ring.” Stephanie punctuated the comment with a little giggle. She was now on her fourth Italian cocktail.
“It vibrated.” Seconds earlier, Jonah had watched the dark-haired man at the other table rise and pull out his phone.
“Are you and Nell dating?” Ryann asked.
Was there an echo in the room? Hadn’t he heard that question before? Heard, he realized, but never answered.
“No,” he told Ryann. “We’re simply friends.”
When a look Jonah recognized all too well flared in Ryann’s eyes, he knew he had to shut this down. If he didn’t, he’d have to worry about Noah springing Ryann on him every time his buddy wanted to get together.
“I have a girlfriend.” Jonah thought of Abby. His lips curved. Okay, so perhaps “girlfriend” was a stretch, but she was a girl, and he hoped she considered him a friend.
“He didn’t tell me.” Noah lifted his hands at the piercing look Stephanie shot him. “I didn’t know.”
“It’s a recent thing.” Jonah assured Stephanie, not wanting to get Noah in hot water.
“What’s recent?” Nell asked.
Before he could rise and pull out her chair, she was already seated.
“Jonah has a girlfriend.” Suspicion lingered in Ryann’s eyes.
“Yes, he does.” Picking up her glass of Pellegrino, Nell nodded. “And she just happens to be a good friend of mine.”
Chapter Twenty
“Let me get this straight.” Nell leaned back in the chair and stared incredulously at Abby. “You wanted to meet me for breakfast to give Jonah a reason to watch Eva Grace?”
“I would have eaten by myself, but I knew it’d be more fun with you.” Abby had chosen the Green Gateau, a bistro located just off the Green. The place, known for its eclectic Euro-American menu, served a cherry-stuffed french toast that was rumored to be positively orgasmic. “Besides, it’s so much food, and this way we can split.”
Nell sipped her coffee, a rich Columbian blend. “Why did you want him to watch Eva Grace so badly?”
“I didn’t.” Abby couldn’t resist pouring some table cream from the pretty cobalt-blue pitcher into her coffee. “I’d told him I wanted to speak with him about something. Then I changed my mind and instead asked him to watch Eva Grace.”
Nell leaned back in her seat, looking incredibly lovely in her form-fitting blue sweater and plaid skirt. Chains of stones hung in varying length around her neck. Her friend had gone for a late-60s look, and it suited her short blonde hair.
“What was your—?” Nell paused when the waitress brought out the french toast on mismatched china plates, then flashed a brilliant smile. “You divided the order for us.”
“It can be kind of messy to separate on your own.” The girl, who couldn’t have been more than eighteen, flushed with pleasure at the delight in Nell’s voice.
“That was nice of you.” Nell glanced down at the china plate ringed by tiny rosebuds. “This will be worth the increased cardio.”
“I agree.” Abby shifted her attention back to the server. “Thank you so much.”
“No problem.” The girl smiled. “I have to take out another order, then I’ll bring you ladies more coffee.”
“Ladies.” Abby grimaced when the girl was out of earshot. “We’re not that old.”
“When you’re her age, women who are thirty qualify as ancient.” Nell forked off a bite of the french toast and watched cream cheese and cherries ooze out.
“We’re not ancient.”
“In my early twenties, a hot weekend night would have been spent clubbing.” Nell shook her head and heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Ah, the good old days.”
“Speaking of hot weekend nights.” Abby motioned in a give-me-the-deets gesture. “How was your date last night with the sexy stockbroker?”
“I’m not certain that ‘sexy’ and ‘stockbroker’ ever go together.” Nell brought the french toast to her mouth and chewed, closing her eyes. A look of pleasure washed over her pretty face. “This is fantastic. Why haven’t we come here before?”
Abby waved the question aside. “How was the guy? C’mon, spill.”
Nell placed her fork on the table. Picking up the coffee cup, she peered at Abby over the rim. “Would you believe he stood me up?”
“No way.” Abby couldn’t imagine any man not showing up for a date with Nell. Her friend had the trifecta: brains, class, and a killer body. Oh, and a wicked sense of humor.
“
It’s true.” Nell lifted a shoulder and let it fall. “He texted me this morning with some lame excuse. I deleted it. Bye-bye, Calvin.”
“I’m so sorry.” Abby reached across the table and squeezed Nell’s hand. “You’re better off without him.”
“I agree.” Nell kept her eyes on Abby, her gaze watchful. “At least the evening wasn’t a total loss.”
“Really?” Abby took a bite of the french toast and agreed with Nell. It really was—
“I ran into Jonah.” Nell’s tone was matter-of-fact. “We had dinner together.”
The cream cheese, cherries, and bread formed a hard lump in Abby’s throat. She forced herself to swallow. On the verge of choking, Abby washed the rest down with the last of her coffee.
Jealousy spewed hot embers in her belly. Still, she told herself, if Nell could play it cool, so could she.
“That’s interesting.” Abby could have cheered when her voice came out casual and offhand, just as she intended. “How did that come about?”
Jonah hadn’t said word one to her this morning about spending last night with Nell. Beautiful, accomplished Nell.
Of course, she hadn’t given him much of a chance to tell her anything. Eva Grace had been eager to play the game of Hisss he’d brought with him. Still, she’d have thought he would have mentioned something as important as having dinner with one of her best friends.
“Calvin and I were supposed to meet at a trattoria on Dearborn. I waited thirty, which was twenty more than I should have. On my way out of the restaurant, I ran into Jonah.” Nell paused and smiled when the server stopped by to refill their cups.
“How is your breakfast?” the girl politely inquired.
“Fine.” Abby had to force out the word. She didn’t want to talk about food; she wanted to talk about Jonah. And she wouldn’t get anything out of Nell until the girl left.
But, she reminded herself, her personal situation heading toward the toilet wasn’t this girl’s fault. “Actually, it’s excellent. Thanks so much.”
“Let me know if you need anything else.”
Once she’d slipped away, Abby refocused on Nell. “And?”
“He invited me to join him for dinner.” This time, Nell didn’t wait for questions but continued. “He was there with a guy and his fiancée and another woman.”