Chapter 44 #3
Willow’s pacifier fell out and she stirred.
James glanced at the bottle of formula on the TV tray beside him.
Maggie hopped up, handed it to him, and returned to her spot next to me.
As James stared at the bottle like it was the enemy, a single tear rolled down his cheek.
Sage had been so excited to breastfeed, and he felt like he was betraying her every time he had to give Willow formula.
But Willow sucked away, settling right down, no worse for the wear.
Maggie watched me expectantly, waiting for a response.
“I mean, I love that idea.” I scowled. “But I know how much you wanted to be a thoracic surgeon or hematologist-oncologist.” I didn’t want her to change her plans to make me happy.
“Yes.” She leaned closer, expression animated.
“But I realized something over the past six weeks. A lot of health issues that could be fixed or at least managed well with early intervention get misdiagnosed at the primary care level. Or ignored altogether. Some doctors just want to give patients a slap-a-bandaid-on-it fix and send them on their way.” She squeezed my hand, eyes sparkling.
“Sage isn’t the only person whose life might’ve been saved if she’d been diagnosed earlier.
My mom might’ve been too. Her oncologist told us that.
” Magnolia’s eyes welled the same way James’ still were.
“Do you know how devastating that is? To find out that your mother’s death could’ve been prevented if her family doctor, who should’ve been her medical watch tower, had run the proper blood work?
” She blinked, forcing the tears to stay put.
“I want this,” she pleaded as if she needed my permission. “It feels right.”
“Magnolia.” I kissed the tip of her adorable nose. “I am game for whatever you choose. If you feel good about it, that’s good enough for me.”
She beamed, cheeks bursting with a smile, and hugged her knees to her chest. I laughed when I caught sight of her toes.
“You likey?” she asked, wiggling them for me to see.
She’d gotten a French manicure—only instead of the normal pink and white, her toes were bright orange with the ends painted navy blue. The big toe on each foot had a V-sabre, our alma mater’s logo.
“Oh, I likey,” I said, pressing a kiss to her mouth. “I likey a lot.”
We stared into each other’s eyes and at the same time whispered, “Wah-hoo-wah.”
I glanced over at my brother, realizing I probably needed to cool my jets for his sake. But he’d tipped the recliner a little further back and was sleeping with Willow in the crook of his arm.
“I swear, Ford—” Griffin bellowed on the other side of the kitchen wall. “You always gotta be up in everybody’s business, manipulating people, and throwing your money around! Nobody asked for your help.”
James woke up then. He had no choice but to stay where he was.
But Magnolia and I jogged back through the kitchen.
We slid into the living room to see Juliette tugging on Griffin’s hand, trying to get him to back down.
The extended family had gone outside and was now playing touch football, thankfully.
Ford stood in front of Griff, neither ruffled nor surprised.
“We’re not up in your business,” Peyton stepped between them, trying to shield Ford from Griffin’s vitriol. “We’re just giving Juliette an opportunity.”
“The opportunity of a lifetime,” Ford amended.
Griffin shrugged, eyes like granite. “Well, I hate to have to inform you, but your little ploy to get me back to Seddledowne isn’t going to work. Jules is perfectly happy modeling for DayGlow.” He snorted. “Did you actually think your start-up idea was going to lure her away?”
I winced at the disrespect in his tone. Aunt Peyton looked like she was two seconds away from throat-punching him.
Ford didn’t seem the least bit fazed by Griffin’s hurtful words.
He folded his arms and looked Griff in the eye.
“If that’s the way you want to see it, that’s your choice.
At Clean Slate Productions, we enjoy giving people a fresh start.
It’s what we do. But we’re also a business, and facts are, your wife could level up by starting her own makeup line.
And we could level up by diversifying our interests.
We feel that between Peyton and Juliette, they could make something really great happen.
” He tilted his head. “So you might want to start thinking like a husband, discuss it with your wife, and make the decision together.” He shrugged one shoulder.
“Or you could continue to make a jackass of yourself and keep throwing out hateful jabs you’re going to regret later. It’s really up to you.”
A muscle in Griffin’s jaw ticked, but he at least turned to face Juliette.
“Ford’s right,” she said quietly. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. I’d get to start a company with my name on it and model makeup that I created?”
Griffin’s jaw ticked. “Let me guess, you have to stay in Seddledowne to do it. That’s part of the deal.
” Juliette’s silence answered that question.
Griff threw his hands up in frustration.
“Jules, this is what Ford does. He twists people into doing what he wants. Well, guess what?” He whirled on our favorite uncle.
“I'm not going to be your stupid puppet. I’m perfectly happy out west, and I am never, ever moving back. So just stop,” he seethed.
“Stop manipulating my wife and using her as a pawn so you can be the hero that got Griffin to come home.” His eyes flashed. “The answer is officially no.”
“Griffin,” Magnolia groaned under her breath.
Aunt Peyton shook her head, disappointed in Griffin’s behavior. Ford deferred to Juliette with a flick of his brows.
But Griffin had underestimated the woman he married. Big time. Her jaw jutted. “Wow,” was all she said. Then she rolled her shoulders back and shoved her hand at Peyton for a shake. “I accept your offer. When do we start?”
Griffin gaped as they shook on it. “Why are you doing this?” he asked Juliette, looking at her like she was suddenly someone he didn’t know. “You know how I feel about this place. This town.”
Juliette turned to face him, expression soft.
“I like it here. A lot. Your family is…incredible. And now they’re my family.
You know what that means to me.” She put her hands on her hips.
“Since the second day we got here, all I could think was, I don’t want to leave.
Ever. I want to be here for Christmas and Easter and Halloween and every Sunday dinner.
And I want to watch Blaze play football, and see Belle argue with Madden’s son, Christian, the next time he’s at the ranch.
Everybody keeps talking about how spicy they are together.
I want to castrate a bull and learn to ride a horse.
I want to experience all of it. In person.
Not over FaceTime.” She sniffed. “That’s why I cried myself to sleep last night—not because I’m about to start my period.
Because I was devastated at the thought of leaving.
” Her brows met in a V. “I don’t get how you can stand being anywhere but here.
Especially with everything going on with James.
Just think about it. If we were here, we could help him. ”
I thought her explanation might’ve softened him, but no. The longer she talked, the colder Griffin grew. “You don’t want to live here. You’ll be bored in six months. That’s a promise.”
“No,” she said, frustrated. “I won’t. I already know that. I will never get tired of being here. It’s peaceful and quiet, and I could really—”
“No,” Griffin said, his tone final. “I’m not staying. This is insane. You can’t make life-altering decisions that quickly,” he said flippantly, but it was a cover. I could tell he was panicking inside.
Her head tilted to the side. “You mean, like getting married after knowing someone for three days?” The room went uncomfortably quiet. She pressed a hand to her heart. “Sometimes you just know.” The way she said it was fierce and censuring.
Now would’ve been the time to tell her she was right and maybe they should give it some thought. Instead, he checked his watch. “We have a plane to catch, Jules. Are you coming or not?” he asked like it was as simple as a yes or no, and he really couldn’t care what she chose.
Juliette watched Griffin for a few seconds, looking devastated. Then she whispered, “Not.”
Griffin’s eyes filled with angry tears. “Fine. Have it your way.” He yanked his wedding band off and slapped it into her hand. “Hope it’s worth it.”
Then he grabbed the handle of his suitcase, threw the door open, and slammed it shut behind him.
Two hours later, he was on a plane to Phoenix.
Alone.