Chapter Twenty-Five

Abby gazed into Jonah’s brilliant blue eyes, and her heart rose to her throat. She couldn’t bring herself to look at the ring, fearing she might be tempted to put it on her finger.

She tugged him to his feet, her gaze never leaving his. “First off, I love you, too. I know I haven’t said it before, but I do.”

Relief flooded his face.

“But I can’t say yes. Not yet.” She lifted her hands, and the words tumbled out. “It’s too fast. I’m just getting used to loving you. Eva Grace is getting used to you being her father.”

“Is this”—his gaze searched hers—“because of the past?”

She wanted to be honest. Had to be honest if their relationship had any chance of long-term success.

“I don’t think so. I believe I’ve put it in the past.” She spoke slowly, her heart clenching at the hurt she saw in his eyes. “But again, everything has happened so fast. It hasn’t even been two months. I need time. This isn’t a no. It’s a not right now.”

She watched him slip the ring back into his pocket, saw him force a smile.

“I understand.” He tugged her to him, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I’ll wait as long as it takes for you to be sure. I want you confident that I’m someone you can trust and love forever.”

She rested her head against his broad chest and fought the urge to weep. “You said you had something to show me.”

“That’s for another time.” His arms tightened around her. “You’re shivering. Let’s get somewhere warm.”

She kept her arm looped through his as they strolled back across the bridge. But he was right. A deep cold had permeated every inch of her body.

She loved him. She wanted to be his wife. But something inside her wouldn’t let her accept his proposal.

His phone rang when they reached the opening of the bridge leading to the Green. He pulled it from his pocket and frowned.

“Who is it?”

A muscle in his jaw jumped. “Carole Devlin.”

Veronica’s mother. Carole, a news anchor for a Minneapolis station, had raised her daughter alone.

Abby remembered how she and Veronica had bonded over the fact that they’d both grown up without a father. The phone continued to ring. “Answer it.”

Jonah shook his head. “I’ll call her back.”

“It must be important for her to call you,” she told him. “Seriously, I don’t mind.”

“Are you sure?”

Abby nodded.

“Carole. Hello.” He glanced at Abby. “Yes, I can talk. You sound upset.”

As he listened, his fingers tightened around the phone. “What’s her condition?”

After a few seconds, he expelled a breath. “That’s good news.”

Something had happened to Veronica, that much was clear. But what? Abby wondered.

“Why me?”

He listened, and although he held the phone tightly against his ear, Abby could hear the urgency in the woman’s voice.

Jonah’s brows slammed together. “Emotionally married? What the heck does that even mean?”

He stopped and closed his eyes for a moment. “I’ll think about it. I’ll get back to you.”

It was apparent by the strident voice on the other end of the conversation that that wasn’t an answer Carole was prepared to accept.

“I’ll get back to you,” Jonah repeated. “I’m not able to give you an answer right now. Yes, I understand the importance. But we’re no longer—”

Abby watched the red creep up his neck.

“Yes, I’m a man who believes in doing the right thing.” He glanced at the stream to the right of the walkway as if ready to lob the phone straight into the water. “I’ll be in touch. Goodbye.”

He shoved the phone back into his pocket, his jaw tight.

“Something happened to Veronica,” Abby stated the obvious. “Is she okay?”

“That’s debatable.” He met Abby’s gaze. “My place is close. We need to talk about this. Come with me?”

In answer she took his hand.

+

“Veronica attempted suicide.” Jonah’s voice broke. “Although I don’t love her, and I’m not sure I ever did, it makes me sad to think she was hurting so much she preferred death over life.”

“Her mother found her in time. Perhaps now she can get the help she needs.” Abby handed him the cup of cocoa she’d insisted on making and sat next to him on the sofa. She reached for the remote. One touch had the gas log blazing. “Did Carole say why?”

He wondered how she’d take him talking about Veronica, but he wanted no secrets between them. “She said Veronica felt like a failure after the divorce. She hadn’t been able to give me a baby. That mattered so much to her.”

Nodding, Abby sipped her own cocoa. “Veronica was a perfectionist.”

“Carole alluded to that fact.” Jonah gazed into the flickering flames. “Veronica is in a private facility, receiving counseling. They’ve diagnosed her with generalized anxiety disorder.”

“Sounds serious.”

“I guess.” A hard knot formed in his gut. “Carole says the counselor feels that Veronica is still emotionally married to me, whatever the hell that means.”

“She can’t let you go.”

He met Abby’s gaze. “It isn’t her choice.”

“Why did Carole call?”

“She wants me to fly to Minneapolis and participate in family therapy.” He set down the cup he hadn’t touched and raked a hand through his hair. “Carole insists I need to be there to help Veronica move on.”

“What do you think?”

“The birthday bash is this weekend.”

The past week there had been lots of talk over the dinner table. They’d all been excited for the event.

“Eva Grace will understand.” Abby kept her tone reasonable. “We’ll tell her that an old friend of yours is in the hospital and needs your help.”

“You said she’ll understand.” His gaze searched hers. “What about you? Will you understand?”

Instead of answering, Abby placed her hands on either side of his face and gazed into his eyes. “What do you believe you should do?”

“I should go.”

She smiled and brushed a kiss across his lips. “Stay as long as you need. Eva Grace and I aren’t going anywhere.”

+

“Fabulous job, Abby.” Lilian de Burgh, dressed in an iridescent Victorian gown that appeared lavender in one light, blue in another, stepped forward.

The older woman gestured with one gloved hand to the large room that had been transformed into a turn-of-the-century ballroom. “Hazel Green would have approved.”

It was high praise, and Abby appreciated the kind words.

“Thank you, Lilian.” As the woman strolled off, Abby let her gaze drift around the ballroom decorated predominantly in silver and blue, Hazel’s favorite colors.

While rich jewel tones or light pastels had been popular in the 1890s, the gowns in the ballroom were every color of the rainbow. The men wore black tails with white shirts and silk bow ties in either black or white.

Most of those who’d chosen to attend this event were in their thirties and older. The millennials were celebrating Hazel Green’s birthday with a beer bash at a lake on the edge of town. For the youngest residents, a carnival complete with a bounce-house castle, had kept Eva Grace and other children busy this afternoon.

Abby wished she could have stayed home with her daughter tonight. That hadn’t been an option. The chair was expected to be visible at all the events. She’d stayed at the lake only a handful of minutes. Just long enough to make sure everything was under control.

The loud and energetic band by the water had had the crowd up and moving. If the number of people dancing was any indication, adding the beer bash had been a wise move. Abby had noticed several of Jonah’s officers mingling with the crowd, confirming that security was firmly in place.

Jonah would be pleased with their performance.

Abby’s heart twisted.

He’d called every night since he’d left, always speaking first to Eva Grace and then to her. Always ending the conversation with “I love you.”

Having him gone made her realize just how completely he’d become a part of their lives.

“Abby. I’m so glad I ran into you.” Liz’s pale-yellow gown was the perfect foil for her dark hair and hazel eyes.

Abby’s heart stopped. “Are the children okay?”

Liz’s mother was keeping both Sawyer and Eva Grace overnight. Abby wondered whether it had ended up being too much for the woman, considering Sandra had only recently completed radiation treatments. But Liz had assured her that her mother was strong enough and really wanted to do it.

Abby had told herself it wasn’t as if Liz’s mother had to entertain the children. And she hadn’t dropped off her daughter until four.

“They’re fine,” Liz assured her. “I just spoke to Mom, and she was reading them a book before bed.”

Abby released a breath. “I hope she knows how much I appreciate her watching Eva Grace.”

“Having her and Sawyer there tonight was good for her, too,” Liz said. “She didn’t feel strong enough to come to the party, but she loves children, so it’s a win-win.”

“I’ll pick up Eva Grace first thing in the morning.”

“Not too early.” Liz laughed. “Mom has pulled out her Mickey Mouse waffle iron and has a special breakfast all planned.”

Abby grinned. “Eva Grace will love that.”

“I’m so sorry Jonah couldn’t be here.” Concerned darkened Liz’s hazel eyes. “You mentioned an issue with his ex-wife?”

“She’s having some health issues.” Abby kept it vague, knowing it wasn’t her story to tell. “Her mother asked Jonah to come.”

“Are you okay with that?” Liz asked.

“I am. It was the right thing to do.”

“Good.” Liz turned to go, then pivoted back. “Oh. I keep forgetting to give you this.”

The reporter opened an ornate purse covered in sparkly beads and pulled out a picture. “We didn’t end up using it for the article in the paper, but I thought you’d want it.”

It was the picture of her and Jonah watching Eva Grace at the cakewalk.

Abby studied the photo for a second before slipping it into her bag. She gave Liz a hug. “Thank you.”

When the music from the band ended and Leo took the stage, Abby held her breath. Nell, in full Hazel Green persona, stood beside the young mayor. For tonight’s event, Nell wore a gorgeous Worth gown that reflected the influence of the art nouveau movement with black velvet tendrils on ivory satin.

Hazel smiled as a large multitiered birthday cake was wheeled out. “Elegant” was the word that came immediately to Abby’s mind. The ivory frosting matched the satin on Nell’s dress. It had to be five feet tall, with gold bows and beading interspersed with layers of pink roses.

Though candles had been used on cakes in the 1890s—especially in the homes of the wealthy—they’d been left off this cake.

Nell stepped to the microphone as everyone cheered. She lifted a gloved hand and waved to the crowd. Instead of performing tonight, Nell had been instructed to offer a short remark of her own choosing to the crowd.

Nell’s gaze swept the partygoers.

When Nell hesitated for a split second, Abby turned. The tiny hiccup in that sweep wasn’t long enough that anyone who didn’t know her well and wasn’t watching intently would notice.

Abby searched the faces in that section of the ballroom. Dixon Carlyle stood at the back, a half smile on his face.

When Abby glanced back a second time, he was gone.

“Thank you all for coming to celebrate my special day with me.” The voice, the intonations and vocal variance, were classic Hazel. If seeing Dixon upset Nell, it didn’t show. “I arrived in this community an outsider, and you welcomed me. Without hesitation. Without questions. As a child, I traveled frequently. I never felt a part of anywhere I lived. Until Richard brought me here.”

Once again, Nell’s gaze swept the crowd, this time without interruption. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you for becoming my family. I love you all.”

She stepped back to stand beside Leo as everyone cheered.

Abby watched Leo give her hand a squeeze, the gesture definitely not part of the script. Nell didn’t even glance in his direction. A second later, she lifted that hand to wave to the crowd.

Because of her popularity, Abby didn’t have a chance to congratulate Nell on the brief comments. They’d been perfect and had come off as completely heartfelt.

By the time the party ended at eleven, Abby was exhausted. After confirming that the cleanup committee members had everything under control at both venues, she headed home.

Barely a second after she’d collapsed onto her sofa and kicked off her shoes, her phone dinged, indicating a text from Jonah. Can you talk?

She responded by calling him. “Hey, you.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d be available.”

Simply hearing his voice had everything in her relaxing. Abby put the phone on speaker and began to pull the pearl-tipped pins from her hair. “I just got back to my apartment.”

“I wish I could have been there.” He expelled a breath.

“How’s Veronica?”

“Making progress. I’ll be back tomorrow. I’ll tell you all about it.”

“You sound tired.”

“It’s been a grueling couple of days.” He offered up a laugh that contained little humor. “I confessed I’d sent money to you for years. It felt good to come clean. I never liked lying to her.”

“How did she react?”

There was a long silence. “She was upset, but I think she understood. She carries a lot of guilt for her behavior back then. The counselor is having her write down what she’d have done differently.”

Abby frowned. “What’s the purpose? It changes nothing.”

“I believe it’s a way to show we learn from past mistakes. Does that make sense?”

“I guess.” Abby gave up trying to unfasten the multitude of buttons on her dress while having a conversation.

“I did something similar in one of the letters I sent you.” Jonah cleared his throat. “For me, reflecting and putting it down on paper helped.”

“Well then, I hope the exercise helps her.” Abby’s insides began to jitter. She didn’t like thinking about Veronica, much less talking about her. “Tell me again when you’ll be back.”

It surprised her just how much she’d missed him. In a short time, he’d become an integral part of her life.

“I’ve got a five a.m. flight. It should get in around six thirty.” He paused. “I’d like to see you and Eva Grace first thing.”

“Eva Grace is spending the night with Liz’s mother. But I’ll be here.” The wariness in his voice had Abby injecting additional warmth into her voice. “I can’t wait to see you.”

“Good.” He blew out a breath. “That’s good. Sleep tight, sweetheart.”

“I miss you,” Abby murmured, but too late. He’d already hung up.