Chapter 52
Jeremiah’s private hangar is a pilot’s dream. The place is massive, and he has thirteen planes, each one more fascinating than the last.
And yet this place is missing something.
Maybe it’s the bit of clutter.
Or the cranky old men.
Or the sneaky cat, missing half a tail.
Whatever it is, I have trouble picturing myself working here every day. It’s like a vacation spot. I want to visit, look around, play with the cool things.
But at the end of the day, I want to go somewhere that feels like home.
“You don’t like the Corsair?”
I jerk my head to the side to find Jeremiah beside me, studying my face intently. Which is when I realize I’m frowning.
“Oh. No. I mean, yes. Corsairs are super cool. Love the gull wing design. But I . . .”
How do I say this without being rude to the first guy my mom has dated that I actually like?
“But you don’t want to work here.” He shrugs. “That’s fine. Either way, you can still enjoy the planes when you want. And it’s a standing offer.”
“That’s . . . generous.” I eye him, suspicious.
He moves his stare to a de Havilland Beaver, which is a model that comes equipped with floats. I’d love to try a water landing someday, and as if hearing my thoughts, a small smile takes over Jeremiah’s mouth.
“I’m glad you like planes. That it was already one of my interests.”
“Why’s that?”
“I love your mom. I want you to like me,” Jeremiah states matter-of-factly. “People think I’m odd. Hard to get along with. I was ready to bribe you.”
I choke on a laugh. “Bribe me?”
He nods, as if bribing people were a normal relationship builder.
“If you’d liked horses, I would’ve bought a dude ranch. Books? Would’ve fashioned you a personal library with all your favorites bound in leather. Horror movies? I would’ve built you a haunted house in my backyard.”
I stare at Jeremiah, trying to figure out if he’s serious. He’s got a great poker face, so I’m not sure.
“You don’t have to bribe me. You just need to be good to my mom.”
He nods, hands in his pockets, eyes on his planes.
And I decide to ask a question that’s been nagging me. “How old are you?”
“Thirty-eight.”
Holy shit. He’s closer to my age than hers. Not that I care if Mom dates a younger man but...
“And how old do you think my mom is?”
He glances my way, but doesn’t meet my eyes. “I know she’s fifty-two. She wouldn’t go out with me at first. She said I wouldn’t want to be with an older woman for long, so why bother?”
Sounds like my mom. Lots of pride. But something made her change her mind.
“How did you eventually convince her to give you a chance?”
Jeremiah runs his hand along the smooth body of the de Havilland. “I tried bribing her.”
I bite back a grin. “With what?”
He grimaces. “Alpacas. She loves the yarn. Now, I’ve got a whole farm of the things.”
I burst out laughing. When I can breathe again, I ask, “And that worked?”
Jeremiah slowly shakes his head. “She told me she could buy herself yarn.”
True. Bribery is not the way to win over a Dunn woman.
“What did you try next?”
Jeremiah slips his hands into his pockets and stares at the ground. “I told her all the things I wanted to do to her. In detail. Then asked if she could buy herself that too.”
Hell, I don’t know whether to cringe or crack up again. “And that got her?” My voice comes out strangled.
He bobs his head back and forth, not a nod or a shake. “I thought so at first. But later, Nicole told me it was my honesty. She said it was attractive. That not many people say exactly what they want like that.”
The man tilts his chin up, and for the briefest moment, his eyes touch on mine before slipping away again.
“Honesty, huh?” My humor fades as I think on the simple idea of being completely and utterly truthful.
I don’t consider myself a liar, deceiving people like my ex did. But there’s plenty of myself I don’t share freely. Especially now, when I know what the pain of betrayal is like.
Jeremiah starts walking again, and I keep up with him.
“I don’t like lying,” he says. “Seems like a waste of time and brainpower to me. And now, I’ll never have any reason to. Honesty got your mother to go on a date with me. Now, I love her. And she loves me. And I want you to like me. If you want any of these planes, you can take them home with you.”
He says it so easily that my mind needs a minute to process the information.
“An airplane goody bag? Hell, I can only imagine the type of birthday parties you throw.”
Jeremiah snorts, and I smile.
And I decide to try out this whole honesty thing. “I like you better than any guy my mom has dated,” I tell him. “And I think I like you just as a person too. We’ll see. I need some time.”
Jeremiah nods. “That’s okay. I plan on being in your mother’s life for a long time.”
When I glance at the side of his face, I see half of a wide grin.
And I wonder if maybe Jeremiah has everything figured out.