Chapter Eighteen

“I realize this may be asking too much. If it is, just tell me.” Nancy gripped her husband’s hand as her gaze darted a short distance away to where Eva Grace stood exchanging Pumpkin Wheel stories with a school friend. “Tomorrow morning, Michael and I will be heading back to Springfield. We thought it might be nice for you and Jonah to have some time alone. It’s a beautiful night, so if you’d like to take a walk or something, we could play a game with Eva Grace or . . .”

Abby wasn’t sure whether Nancy stopped because she realized she was rambling. More likely, the woman had run out of breath.

The fact that Michael and Nancy had so easily slipped under her guard worried her. Jonah simply stood at her side, not saying a word. Once they’d gotten off the Ferris wheel, he’d started to respond to her comment but was interrupted by Eva Grace racing to him.

Apparently, the ride had been “awesome,” made even better when Papa made the car swing wildly.

“Thank you for taking Eva Grace on the ride,” Abby began. “I worry if she’d have gone with me, she might have picked up on my . . . fear . . . even if I’d tried to hide it.”

“I loved showing her the clouds.” Michael grinned, reminding Abby in that moment of his son. “Eva Grace was convinced if she could have gotten her hand through the cage, she’d have been able to grab a cloud.”

“Thank heavens for closed gondolas.” Abby knew they were waiting for her answer, but she was having a difficult time deciding the best course of action.

It didn’t help that Jonah stood close enough that she breathed in the tangy scent of his cologne with each inhale. Her body vibrated from his nearness, and an aching filled her limbs.

Abby opened her mouth at the same time Eva Grace rushed back.

“Papa.” The child tugged on his arm and then pointed. “My friend Bristol has a black dog just like Ranger.”

Surprise skittered across Michael’s face. “How do you know about Ranger?”

“I told her,” Jonah answered.

Abby took in her daughter’s ease with the couple. If they lived in Hazel Green, all this togetherness might be too much too fast. But Michael and Nancy lived three hours away, on the other side of the state. They’d be gone tomorrow. Who knew when Eva Grace would see them again?

Besides, she did need to have a private conversation with Jonah, away from little ears that could often be razor sharp.

“What do you think?” Abby settled her gaze on her daughter. “Would you like Papa and Nana to put you to bed tonight?”

A sly look filled the little girl’s eyes. “Would we get to read lots and lots of books?”

“Good try.” Abby smiled. “Two books, then sleep.”

Eva Grace thought for a moment, then took Jonah’s parents’ hands. “I’ve got all the Mercy Watson books.”

“Mercy Watson is a pig,” Jonah clarified. “Not a girl.”

He and Eva Grace exchanged a smile.

+

Abby had them come to the hotel. She helped her daughter shower and get into her pajamas. Nancy assured her she’d take care of the child’s wet hair before settling her in for stories.

“There’s absolutely no need to rush back,” Michael assured her. “If we have any questions, or if anything comes up, we’ll give you a call.”

Abby thought about giving her daughter one last hug, but Eva Grace was chattering to Nancy while Jonah’s mother flipped over the child’s thick curls, twisting the strands into a loose bun and securing it with a scrunchie.

The leave-in conditioner was something Abby had already been using to combat frizz, but she’d yet to add the gel she’d recently purchased. Nancy had informed her that her daughter Jackie, who had hair as curly as Eva Grace’s, swore by the product.

“Have fun,” Abby called out.

Eva Grace looked up and waved. “We will.”

Abby knew she should be happy that Eva Grace was so comfortable around the couple, but she had to admit that her little girl’s easy acceptance of her mother’s absence stung.

“What would you like to do?” Jonah asked when they stepped outside.

“Have you been to Goose Island Grog yet?” She needed quiet for her discussion with Jonah.

He shook his head.

“The place was inspired by 1800s Irish drinking dens. The main floor can get a little noisy, especially on the weekends. The upstairs is more”—Abby paused, searching for the right word—“refined. We could get a glass of wine. It will be quiet enough for conversation.”

“Sounds good to me.” Jonah reached out as if to take her hand, but she turned slightly, and he got the message.

Another good thing about Goose Island, Abby thought, was that it was only a few blocks from the hotel. Jonah held open the heavy wooden door with the frosted-glass insert and stepped aside to let her enter.

The main floor catered to those looking for whiskey and beer. The floor underfoot might be rough and covered in sawdust, but the long wooden bar was polished to a high gloss.

Most of the tables were filled as well as the stools at the bar. The far side of the room held two dartboards, both currently in use. “On a normal weekend night, this place is standing room only. I came here with a friend on a Saturday night, and it was like sensory overload.”

“A guy friend?” Jonah’s expression gave nothing away. “Or girl?”

“Nell. She loves these kinds of places.” Abby wondered what Jonah would have said if she’d told him she was on a date. She nearly chuckled. As if she’d had time to date in the last five years. “I couldn’t figure out why she brought me here. She knows I don’t like a lot of noise.”

“You never did.” Jonah’s gaze appeared to miss nothing as he scanned the room. “Hanging out at a coffee shop was always more your speed.”

Abby gestured with her head toward the stairs. “Wait until you see what’s up there. Trust me. There’s nothing like this in Springfield.”

She climbed the steps and paused, letting Jonah get the full feel of this level before looking for a table.

His eyes reflected his shock. “It’s a different world.”

While this floor also had a bar and tables scattered throughout the room, that was where any similarities to the main level ended. Here the wooden floor had been polished to a high gloss, and there wasn’t a peanut shell in sight.

The predominant wood was cherry, with the tables strategically positioned over muted patterned persian rugs. An ornately carved ceiling added to the elegance. A mural of two peacocks facing each other added vibrant color to the wall behind the bar. The subdued lighting added a romantic glow.

Abby glanced down at her jeans and hoodie and winced. “I should have changed.”

“You’re the most beautiful woman in the room.”

Abby rolled her eyes but had to admit the compliment made her feel better.

“I think there’s a table . . .” Abby stiffened, then cursed under her breath.

Jonah’s gaze swiftly searched the room to locate the threat.

“It’s Rachel. She’s with Marc.” Abby kept her voice low. “I don’t think she saw—”

Rachel’s eyes brightened, and Abby knew they’d been spotted. Her friend stood and motioned them over.

Abby kept a smile firmly fixed on her face as they crossed the room. “I’ll try to get out of this.”

Both Marc and Rachel were standing by the time she and Jonah reached their table.

“This is so cool.” Rachel gave Abby a quick hug. “I didn’t realize you were seeing each other socially.”

Abby saw the assessment in Marc’s cool blue eyes.

Jonah flashed an easy smile. “This is a nice place. Very unique.”

“Please join us.” Rachel pointed to the two empty seats at the table.

There was no easy way out of this, Abby thought. Rachel had a tender heart and would be hurt by a refusal.

“Thank you.” Though her smile remained on her lips, Abby’s mind searched for something that would offer a quick retreat.

If she mentioned needing to relieve Jonah’s parents, that would only bring up questions. Rachel knew Abby didn’t leave her daughter with just anyone.

When nothing came immediately to mind, Abby took a seat. She would deflect until something came to her. Abby had always believed the best defense was a good offense. Which meant she had to set the direction of the conversation. Otherwise, she and Jonah would end up playing twenty questions.

She turned to Rachel. “Have you been to Fingel’s yet? I took Eva Grace today, and she had a ball.”

The flicker of Jonah’s eyelashes told her that he’d picked up on the fact that she didn’t want him mentioning they’d gone together. Not that Rachel wouldn’t find out. But there was something about Marc’s assessing gaze that had Abby not wanting him to know any more of her business than absolutely necessary.

“I wanted to go tonight but . . .” Rachel paused, then shrugged.

“You love the pumpkin patch.” Abby smiled, remembering Rachel talking about taking her brothers and sisters every year when they were small.

“A commercialized waste of money.” Marc gestured with an imperious gesture to a server, who took their wine order, then slipped away.

“I take it you’ve been there?” Jonah’s tone remained friendly, but there was a watchful look in his eyes.

Marc made a dismissive sound. “You don’t have to pay an exorbitant admission price to know it’s not worth the money.”

Rachel chewed on her lip and remained silent.

What had happened to her confident, feisty friend? Okay, so maybe Rachel had never been feisty. But she had been confident and had stood up for herself.

Something had happened since she’d hooked up with Marc. Abby wished she knew what it was, wished she knew what to do to counteract what he’d done and bring back her friend.

“Personally, I think it’s well worth the price.” Abby smiled her thanks as the server, a young woman dressed in traditional Irish attire, set two wine glasses on the table.

Before she could reach into her bag, Jonah handed her a twenty and told her to keep the change. A gesture that had Marc and Rachel exchanging glances.

“One entry fee gives you access to everything on the pumpkin patch grounds.” After making a mental note to pay Jonah back, Abby continued as if there had been no interruption. “You can even go on the big slide and the Pumpkin Wheel without paying extra. Eva Grace loved both.”

Surprise widened Rachel’s eyes. “You let her go on those alone?”

“Of course not.” Abby waved a hand, deciding to ignore the big slide and focus on the attraction she had gone on. “Considering my aversion to heights, I never thought I’d say this, but the Pumpkin Wheel was amazing.”

The tiny smile tugging at the corners of Jonah’s mouth disappeared when he lifted the glass of wine to his lips.

“You went on the Pumpkin Wheel?” Rachel repeated, disbelieving.

“Pumpkin Wheel? What is that?” Marc asked before Abby could assure her friend she had indeed gone on the ride. Not that she remembered all that much about it. She’d been too focused on covering Jonah’s mouth with hers.

“It’s like a giant Ferris wheel.” Rachel’s lips curved. “It’s painted orange and green and—”

“I get the picture.” Marc cut her off, obviously bored with the topic.

“What brings you to Goose Island tonight?” Abby asked, deciding she’d milked the topic of the pumpkin patch dry.

“It’s the one-year anniversary of our first date.” Rachel reached over and squeezed Marc’s hand. “We had dinner at Matilda’s, then came here for a drink.”

“Sounds like a special evening.” A sense of unease wrapped around Abby’s spine. Had the two really been together an entire year? She thought they hadn’t gotten together until Christmas.

“Marc had roses delivered to the food bank.” Rachel’s dark eyes shone as bright as her smile.

“It’s a special day.” Marc’s fingers curved around Rachel’s. “You deserve only the best.”

“Especially after spending most of the morning in Nell’s office.” Rachel lifted her glass of champagne and took a sip.

Abby stilled. “I hope nothing is wrong.”

Rachel waved a dismissive hand. “Just some estate stuff.”

“Your parents’ estate?” As far as Abby knew, there hadn’t been any recent deaths in Rachel’s family.

“Much of the money from my parents’ estate has been held in trust for each of the children. Each child has to reach the grand old age of thirty to access their portion.” Rachel smiled. “That milestone birthday is just around the corner for me.”

“I’ve been counseling Rachel on where to invest the money.” Marc’s tone could have melted butter. “I don’t know why she felt she had to consult an attorney.”

“Nell is also my friend,” Rachel reminded him.

Something told Abby it wasn’t the first time Rachel had reminded him of that fact. Which made her even more glad Nell was involved.

“Not to change the subject,” Jonah spoke for the first time since sitting down, “but Abby told me she wanted to spend a few minutes getting an update on my committee’s progress related to the birthday bash.”

Rachel shook her head. “I can’t believe that’s getting so close.”

“Neither can I.” Abby took a sip of wine.

She realized what Jonah was doing, and the plan was absolutely brilliant. Marc wouldn’t want Rachel discussing business on their romantic night out, which gave Abby and Jonah their excuse to move to a different table. Preferably one far away from Marc.

“We don’t want to ruin your evening with business talk.” Jonah pushed back his chair. “It looks like a table just opened up along the far wall.”

“I don’t mind talking about—” Rachel stopped when she saw the darkening cloud settle over Marc’s features. “Actually, Abby, I’ll get an update to you tomorrow. Will that be soon enough?”

“That’ll be fine.” Abby stood, glass of wine in hand, and gave Rachel a warm smile. “Enjoy your evening.”

Then, out of obligation, smiled at Marc. “Great to see you again.”

Once they were out of earshot, Jonah spoke in a low tone. “Great to see you again?”

“What was I supposed to say?” Abby whispered as they reached the just-cleared table. “Eat dirt and die?”

Jonah chuckled at the phrase straight out of their childhood. “It would have been appropriate.”

They settled into their new table, with Abby making a concerted effort not to glance in Rachel and Marc’s direction. When Jonah ordered an antipasto platter, even though she’d eaten earlier, she found herself popping a marinated olive into her mouth.

There was something relaxing about eating, Abby thought, taking a sip of wine. Then she remembered there was something she needed to discuss with him. The olive became a hard lump in the pit of her stomach.

“We need to talk.”

Jonah’s hand stilled on the pepper that had made its way halfway to his mouth. He set it down on the small plate in front of him, then carefully wiped his hand on the napkin. “Don’t tell me I was right.”

She blinked, nearly losing track of the words she’d been putting together in her head. “Right about what?”

“About you wanting an update on the security committee?” Though his tone remained light, his expression was serious. “I don’t have my notes, but I can give you an overview of the advances in the last few weeks. I can also assure you that we’re on target to have everything ready by the bash.”

Did he really think she wanted to discuss that now?

“I thought that was simply a story you made up to get us away from Rachel and Marc.” She smiled. “It was brilliant, by the way.”

“So what you want to say to me has nothing to do with the birthday bash.”

“No.” Abby met his gaze. “It has to do with Eva Grace.”

+

The second her daughter’s name left her lips, Abby realized she couldn’t do it. She’d almost decided it was best to tell Eva Grace that Jonah was her father and propose they come up with the best way to share the information. But now she worried she’d been rash in making that decision. His kisses seemed to have muddled her brain.

He was looking at her so expectantly, she knew she had to come up with something. If only she hadn’t shot down the committee report.

She gestured with her head in the direction of Marc and Rachel. “What does she see in him?”

Jonah’s brows drew together. “I suppose the flowers, the romantic evening, the charm he turns on and off at will. All surface stuff, but it’s easy to get caught up in.”

Abby inclined her head. “Is that what happened with you and Veronica?”

He shrugged.

“I’ve heard you’re doomed to make the same mistakes in future relationships if you don’t deal with past issues.”

Jonah leaned back and studied her.

Abby smiled in what she hoped was an encouraging manner.

“My problem was that I settled,” he said after what seemed forever. “The person I wanted seemed out of reach.”

That gaze, fixed so steadily on her, gave Abby a jolt. Surely, he couldn’t be talking about her?

Though she’d dated her share in high school and college, she’d never been in what she considered a serious relationship. Her only love, if there’d been one, had been her all-consuming ambition. “It just shows why settling is a bad idea.”

How inane. But with those piercing blue eyes studying her, it was the best she could muster.

“I won’t repeat that mistake.” His gaze never wavered. “What about Eva Grace?”

She couldn’t do it. Telling Eva Grace he was her birth father would mean letting him fully into her life. She’d already gone too far letting Eva Grace call his parents Nana and Papa.

What had she been thinking? If she’d been alone, she might have smacked herself up against the side of her head.

The only saving grace was that Eva Grace was unaware of the significance of those terms.

“Eva Grace,” Jonah prompted, his fingers twirling the wine glass back and forth between his finger and thumb.

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

The man was like a dog with a bone. She’d bought as much time as possible. He wasn’t going to let this go.

Abby thought quickly.

“It’s really more of a question.” Abby forced a little laugh. Jonah lifted a brow.

“Can you watch Eva Grace Saturday morning for me?”