Basically, she’d been shooting him annoyed looks all night, even after dinner, and Natia had sat there with a shit-eating grin on her face that she kept aiming at me so I could join in too.
And I had. Because what was their mom going to do? Get mad at me?
“Peter’s going to be disappointed he missed out.”
Grandpa snickered, and it was because of that snicker that I wasn’t expecting him to say, “He’s a good kid, Len.”
My mouth gaped, and I raised my eyebrows at him. “Now you think Jonah’s a good kid?” I asked, finally realizing just how much of a drama-filled day it had been. It had to set a new record for us.
“Yes.”
“When did you decide that?”
“Earlier.”
The only person in this world who could out stubborn me was my grandfather, but I’d still give him a run for his money. “Earlier when?”
“Earlier.”
“An hour before you went to Maio House or while you were dropping bombs after dinner?”
A smile crossed his features, and he made a little puff of a muffled laugh. “Earlier, nosey.” He couldn’t help but laugh out of fucking nowhere. “He came to the house to ask if he could have Mo for a couple hours.”
“And then?”
It was his turn to sigh. “And then,” the smart-ass went on, “I asked him why.”
Obviously.
“He told me that Noah showed up at Maio House. He said he was pretty positive there was no way you were going to forgive him, but that he wasn’t going to take the chance, so could he have Mo so they could go together, and he could remind you of what you had together. To be sure.”
Grandpa Gus raised his own eyebrows back at me. “He said he’d understand if I didn’t want to use Mo because it was a dirty move or something like that, but that he didn’t want to take any chances because he was running out of time.
“He also said that he knew I didn’t like him, but that he loved you both.” He blinked, pressing his lips together. “Then he said that even if I hated him for the rest of my immortal life and kept calling him names from that vampire book, it wasn’t going to change anything. So could I please help him?”
Fuck me.
I sniffed, trying to pick up the barest hint of onions somewhere in the house, but there wasn’t any.
Not a single hint.
Maybe because I hadn’t used a single onion in the bowls I’d made for dinner.
But still, I fucking tried to find the scent because there was no way my eyes would tear up like this for no reason all of a sudden.
And when my grandpa looked at me and kept his expression nice and even, pretending like he didn’t see me struggling to keep my shit together, he made an expression that said he was going to tell me something and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to or not.
“You know how I feel about Noah.”
I didn’t say anything because, yeah, I did have more than an idea. He’d referred to him as that no-loyalty weak little bastard months ago.
“I thought of that boy as family for thirty years, Len. I thought of him as my… nephew.” Grandpa shot me a long look before he kept going. “Even after he left for school like a spoiled, selfish kid without warning you, I was still fond of him. I thought, he’s just a kid; it’s just a phase. You’ve been so mature over most things; I knew you were an exception. Your dad had been a shithead at that age. I was a shithead at that age. It pissed me off that he did that to you, yeah, but I figured I could forgive him, and you bounced right back. You didn’t let him get you down for long.
“But I’ve seen him since then. I’ve seen him grow up. At least I’ve watched him physically grow, and I’ve got to tell you, I told Peter at least once a week for years, that I hoped the rest of him never grew up. That he didn’t get his life together and get his head on straight, and finally see you. I prayed, Len. I prayed that you wouldn’t end up with him, even if I was confident that after what he’d done by leaving, that you wouldn’t forgive him for it.”
I had to hold my breath his words felt so raw. He wasn’t done either.
“And the more time went on, the more I knew that he was going to be too stupid to see what he had in you. That boy’s loved you his whole life, but he doesn’t have, and never will have, the focus you do. You’re better than him at everything, and you always have been. He doesn’t have half your heart or your brain. I’m grateful for that, because he wasn’t what me, or Peter, would have dreamed of for you. So I’m glad. I’m real glad he’s too late. You did the right thing, Lenny. I’m glad you’re smart like I am,” he decided to end with.
I just sat there, almost holding my breath, but mostly just staring at him and taking in every word he said. I picked one at a time and went with the last thing he probably expected. “So… you’ve decided Jonah is a better option?”
He made a face. “I think you’re going to be too good for anybody.” Then he took his face to a whole new level. “But that Jonah kid—”
“He’s almost thirty-one.”
It didn’t matter apparently. “If he cares enough about you to come over here and use Mo to gain an advantage….” He tipped his head to the side. “That boy does not give a fuck. He’s not afraid to do what he has to do to get what he wants, and he told me. He was pissed off, but he was ready to fight. He didn’t run away.
“I’m impressed,” he kept going. “If somebody cares that much about what you’re doing, how can I hate him? Especially when it’s Noah, the little shithead. If I had to choose between the kid who used to stick beans up his nose—the same one who won’t even come around anymore because he knows I think he doesn’t have any balls—or the kid who still comes by even though I’m not nice to him. You know who’s gonna win that. I’m going to want the one who stuck around even when he wasn’t welcome. I want my girl to be with the kind of person who fucked up but learned from it. I want someone for you who knows your worth and wants you to be a part of his life. There’s not much more I can ask for.”
Something twisted and turned inside of me.
“You might as well ask the kid to come stay with us the rest of the time he’s here. He’s already over here all the time anyway,” Grandpa threw out.
I blinked. I wasn’t dumb enough to ask him if he was sure. Of course he was. Grandpa never said shit unless he meant it.
Yet it still surprised the hell out of me so much all I could do was stand there as he kept talking, cementing my opinion that whatever had happened today sealed the deal on how my gramps felt.
Because if Jonah were to spend the night, there was only one thing that would mean. The biggest secret of all. The one thing in this world we kept under wraps as much as possible. Only a select handful of people knew, and they were the closest and most trusted people in our lives.
And now… now Grandpa Gus was inviting Jonah into the circle. The second, and final, circle of trust. It was pretty much shocking.
My grandpa didn’t give me a chance to soak it in because he kept on talking.
“Did you know he’s the third highest paid rugby player in the world? His brother is the first? I looked him up while you two were upstairs giving Mo a bath while I eavesdropped on his mom on the phone complaining to his dad. Did you know he had sixty-three caps on the New Zealand national team? Except for some people who were pissed off that he left the country, and the bad coverage he got two years ago when everyone thought he was done—and all the criticism he got this past season with people saying he wasn’t playing like he used to—I couldn’t find anything bad about him. A couple of pictures of him with two different girls a long time ago, but that was it. I’m going to offer to train him before he leaves, but I don’t want to tell him too soon. I’m going to wait maybe three days before I do.”
* * *
Was I doing this?
Yes, I was, I told myself for about the fifth time over the last fifteen minutes. I’d been going back and forth since I was in the shower. Was I doing it or not?
I was doing it.
I grabbed my phone and found Jonah’s contact info and sent him a message.
Me: Want to go out with my friends this weekend?
Me: And how do you know the character names to that vampire book?
If that wasn’t the invitation of a lifetime, Jonah wasn’t who I thought he was.
My phone started vibrating fifteen seconds later.
“JONAH” flashed across the screen as an incoming call.
I was already smiling when I answered. “Hey, Dimples.”
His laugh made me smile even more into the receiver. “Hello, love,” the calm, controlled voice came over the line.
I lay back against the pile of pillows behind my back. “Can I help you with something?”
“Can’t I call to see how you’re doing?”
“Considering I saw you an hour ago, just sent you a text, and this is the first time you’ve called me at night… no.”
“First time I’m calling this late because I don’t want you fed up with me,” he replied. “I can call you every night if you’d like.”
I grinned like an idiot at the white ceiling. I could get fed up with him, but I figured it wouldn’t be that easy.
Then his words settled in, and my inner jealous bitch reared up.
But just as quickly as she did, she disappeared.
But I still asked anyway, “Do you talk on the phone a lot once you get back to your hotel room?”
His chuckle filled the line, making me smile again. “I talk to my grandmother every other night. I take turns calling my father and sisters. I was thinking about calling one of my brothers when your message came through.”
The message.
He could tackle starting that conversation, while I thought about how cute it was he called his grandmother so often.
“I would like to accept your offer before you change your mind,” he said.
“You’re sure you’re up for it?” I asked. “You can come by and hang out with my grandpa and his friends instead. Or take Mo with you if you want to do something.”
He hummed. “I feel like I’m obligated to go to fill your requirements.”
“Requirements?”
“Your best friend. No asking questions. You said.”
My cheeks hurt from my smile. “You’re right,” I said right before a yawn tore its way up my throat from out of nowhere. “Speaking of questions, did you read those books?”
His laugh warmed my heart. “I watched them on marathon with my sister once on holiday.”
“Ah.”
He chuckled again.
So I went for it. “How would you feel about saving hotel money and coming to stay with us the rest of the time you’re here?”
Honestly, it sounded like he dropped the phone, or himself, but he was back on the line so fast, I wasn’t sure. “Stay? At your house? With you?”
“There are three more people here than just me….” I trailed off, still stunned by my grandfather’s offer.
“Are you sure?” he asked with so much hope it hurt. “Your granddad—”
“Is the one who brought it up,” I cut him off.
It sounded like he dropped his phone again, and that time I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Granddad Gus told you to invite me?”
“Yeah.” But he still had no idea just how much trust and respect went into the invitation.
But he would know soon enough. Because he needed to know so that it wasn’t a shock.
“You don’t have to say yes if you’d rather stay at a hotel.”
Jonah laughed. “Give me a chance to answer, Lenny. Yes. Yes. I would love to. Wow.”
I smiled and decided to fuck with him. “But you’d have to stay in my room with me.”
There was a pause and then, “I will?”
“If you want to.”
He let out another cute little laugh. “Sweet as. Was that your granddad’s idea as well?”
“No. Mine.” I pulled in a breath through my nose and knew I needed to go ahead and initiate him. “Jonah, I want you to know that you’re being invited into the final circle of trust in the DeMaio family.”
“Awesome… but did I imagine you saying there were three?”
“I lied.” All right, I could do this. “If you’re planning on staying with us—”
“I am.”
I smiled. “There’s something I need to tell you so that you aren’t surprised.”
“All right.” He made a noise. “I know you snore sometimes. We did spend several nights together, Lenny. That isn’t a surprise, and I think it’s adorable when you do. You don’t need to warn me.”
I smirked. “You snore too, and that’s not what I’m talking about.” There was no doubt in my mind that this was going to go well. I knew Jonah, and apparently so did my grandfather, otherwise he never would have approved of him coming over. “There are only very few people who know this, and it has to stay that way, okay? It’s… a secret, and it wasn’t mine to share, that’s why I never said anything. They have good reasons for keeping it in the family and the circle of trust, and I trust that you’ll never say anything to anyone. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Part of me braced for his surprise and all the questions that might come. When I’d finally gotten the clearance to tell Luna, nine years into our friendship, she’d had at least… thirty. So it was totally saying something that we were months into this and it was happening.
I went right into it. “My grandpa and Peter have been in a relationship for the last twenty-eight years.”
My body prepared….
And all Jonah said was, “Yeh, I know.”
What?
“What do you mean you know?”
“I know. I assumed,” he said easily, not sounding even the slightest bit surprised. “They live in the same house together, share a room, always sit next to one another. I’ve seen how they look at each other. Those comments your granddad’s ex was hinting at helped too. I hoped you would tell me when you were ready. I couldn’t imagine how hard it must be for them to keep it a secret, but I understand why they’ve had to. It made me a bit sad the first time I thought about it, Lenny.”
How observant was this son of a bitch?
It really didn’t throw him off at all, because the next thing I knew, he said, “I’m excited to be part of this circle finally.”
I was too stunned to reply. But okay. If he wanted to brush this off and go with it… great. Perfect. All right.
It was amazing he’d figured it out, but okay. I wasn’t going to make a big deal about it if he wasn’t. Their relationship was the single most guarded secret I had ever known, and Jonah had taken it like nothing.
I wasn’t imagining the love that pulsed through my chest as I thought that over. I wasn’t imagining it at all. I really did love this wonderful, intuitive, easygoing man who took things and rolled with them.
He kept on going like we were talking about the weather, forcing me to do the same. “Can I make a booking to stay with you starting two days from now when my mum and sister leave?”
I pumped my fist, but managed to keep my voice casual as I asked, “So soon?”
Jonah chuckled. “I can hear your heartbreak, and, yeah, Dad asked her to come back.”
“Why? Is everything okay?”
“Good as gold, but I may have asked him to make the request.”
Not that I wasn’t grateful, but… “Why?”
“To get to spend more time with you and Mo,” he answered easily.
And my brilliant-ass answer? “Oh.”
“Did you mean what you said, Len?”
“About what?”
“About supporting me with whatever decision I make?”
Did he have to sound so hopeful? I rolled my eyes. “Yes. Duh.” And just as quickly, my heart started beating fast, and if it was mostly just over the idea that he was going to have to leave eventually—sooner than later
according to what his mom had said—well, it wasn’t like I hadn’t known. “Do you know what you want to do?”
“I thought I did,” he answered, voice softening again. “But you gave me something to think about today.”
Yeah, that was my heart beating fast. “And what was that?”
“That most blokes would kill to have the opportunities I do, and mostly… if you and Mo will be supportive of wherever I go, then….”
I was happy for him. I really was. I wouldn’t want him to do anything else. Give up his dream. Or at least cut it off so early. But…
He’d still leave.
But that’s how shit worked sometimes. Some people had loved ones in the military who got deployed. Some people had loved ones who worked in transportation and were gone all the time. You had to do what you had to fucking do, and I wasn’t about to make him feel guilty.
“I’m calling my agent tomorrow, finally, and having a chat with him. See what can be done,” he let me know. “Makes me feel heaps better now than I did earlier.”
I squashed my dread down and got myself to ask, “What was wrong earlier?” Wait. “Noah? Or your mom?”
“Both I suppose, but that arsehole more,” Jonah replied. “Most difficult thing I’ve ever done, sitting there, watching you talk to him,” he admitted, sounding genuinely pretty put out about it.
Heh. It made me smile despite the hint of dread I felt at him leaving sooner than later. “I just gave him shit. Don’t get all butthurt.”
“What did he say?”
I crossed one leg over the other and grinned at the ceiling like I had probably never grinned before. “Well, it was more of what I told him. He showed up almost fifteen minutes late, if you didn’t see that. And I don’t know if you know, but I hate tardiness. I hate being late and having my time wasted.” Especially when we were supposed to be having a serious conversation, but I didn’t need to bring that up. “And after that….”
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