Chapter 11
Mia
Jason has such a wonderful family. They’re kind and welcoming and I love watching them interact.
Growing up, I always wondered what it’d be like to have siblings.
It’s fun watching Jason with his brothers.
They bicker and tease each other, not in a hurtful way, but more to rile each other up.
It’s clear they love each other and look out for each other.
Hearing what Jason did for his younger brother made my heart melt. He wanted Brody to follow his dream of fixing up old houses so he made it happen by going into debt to buy the house with him, and then went into more debt when Brody couldn’t pay the mortgage. A lot of siblings wouldn’t do that.
‘Did you hear about the caterers?’ Nick asks Jason.
‘No, what about them?’
‘They called last night and said their kitchen flooded from a burst pipe. They won’t have it fixed in time for the wedding.’
‘So what are you going to do?’
‘Luckily, we found another caterer,’ Lyndsay says. ‘They just confirmed this morning that they’ll be able to do it.’
‘It’s that place outside of town,’ Nick says. ‘Rita, the catering manager, said her daughter lives in your building. Deidre? Dylan? Something like that.’
‘Danielle?’ Jason says.
‘Yeah, that was it,’ Nick says. ‘Her mom’s handling the catering for us.’
‘Wait, so you’re saying Danielle’s mom will be at the wedding?’ Jason asks Nick.
‘She’ll be there all day, setting up in the morning and staying late to clean up. Why?’
Jason sighs. ‘Danielle stopped me in the parking lot this morning and invited herself to the wedding with me. I told her no, but from what I’ve heard, she’s crazy and doesn’t take no for an answer.’
Brody laughs. ‘So you’re bringing some crazy chick to the wedding?’
‘No, I told her I was taking Mia.’ He shakes his head. ‘Shit. Now what am I going to do? Danielle’s mom is going to tell her I was at the wedding alone.’
‘Maybe Mia would agree to go with you,’ Martha says. ‘If you asked nicely.’
Jason turns to me. ‘You don’t have to do this, but if you do, I’ll totally owe you. You can ask me to do whatever you want. I’ll even go pick you up in Madison so you don’t have to drive here or pay for gas.’
‘That’s not really asking her,’ Brody says.
Jason gives him an annoyed look before turning back to me. He takes my hand and looks in my eyes. ‘Mia, would you go with me to the wedding?’
Everyone’s quiet as they wait for my answer.
If I do this, I can’t tell Jason about the baby, not today.
I’ll have to wait until after the wedding.
I should wait even if I don’t go to it. I don’t want to take attention away from Nick and Lyndsay the week of their wedding, and news that Jason’s going to be a dad will definitely do that.
What’s one more week? I could wait a week if it means giving Nick and Lyndsay their perfect day that’s focused just on them.
‘Sure, I’ll go,’ I say.
‘Thank you,’ Jason says, sounding relieved. ‘I’ll pay you back. I promise.’
We finish breakfast, then go to the barn with Nick. He gives me a tour of the place, then takes me out to the orchard, where he tells me about all the different types of apples they grow. I’d love to stay and learn more, but Jason needs to be at the baseball field soon to meet up with his team.
‘So that’s my family,’ Jason says as he drives down the gravel road that leads away from the house.
‘They’re great! You’re lucky to have them.’
‘Yeah, we fight now and then, but most of the time, we get along.’ Jason glances at me. ‘Thanks again for agreeing to go to the wedding. And I wasn’t kidding when I said I’d go to Madison and pick you up.’
‘I can drive myself. I’ll have to figure out what to wear. I assume you’re wearing a suit?’
‘Yeah, all the groomsmen are wearing black suits with white shirts and pink ties.’
‘Pink is the wedding color?’
‘Pink and white to match the apple blossoms. We’re doing the pictures in the orchard.’
‘That’ll be pretty. Maybe I’ll look for a pink dress, unless you don’t want us matching.’
‘We can match. And whatever you buy, give me the bill. I’ll pay for it. You shouldn’t be paying for a dress for a wedding you didn’t even want to go to.’
‘I don’t mind going. I love weddings.’ I smile at Jason. ‘We had fun at the last one.’
‘Yeah.’ He clears his throat. ‘Maybe too much fun.’
‘Do you regret it?’
‘I don’t regret it. I just didn’t want it to end.’
‘I didn’t either,’ I whisper, gazing out the window.
Jason reaches over and takes my hand. ‘I wish we could’ve found a way to make this work. But I can’t move to Boston, Mia. I have a life here, and my family. I can’t—’
‘I know. I never expected you to.’
We continue the drive in silence until we reach Jason’s apartment. We go inside so he can change clothes, then leave again to go to the game.
* * *
‘Which one is yours?’ the woman next to me asks as we sit in the bleachers, watching the game. It just started, but the other team already scored.
‘Oh, I’m not a mom,’ I tell her, wondering how old she thinks I am. I hope I don’t look old enough to have a kid in high school.
She laughs. ‘Sorry, I said that wrong. I meant which one is your brother? I assumed you’re an older sister. You’re far too young to be a mom.’
‘I don’t actually know any of the players. I’m friends with Jason, the coach.’
She turns to me, smiling. ‘So Jason finally got himself a girlfriend? It’s about time. That man is so picky I was starting to think he’d never settle down. He’s dated just about every girl in town.’
‘Really?’ I ask, wanting her to tell me more.
‘He doesn’t date as much now, but when he was younger, he was going out all the time. It was like he was on a mission to find a wife. We all thought for sure he’d be married by now. But he just didn’t click with anyone I guess. Well, except you. How long have you two been seeing each other?’
‘We’re not dating. We’re just friends. I live in Madison. I’m only here for the day.’
She leans over to me, her eyes on the field.
‘If I were you, I’d snatch him up while you have the chance.
He’s a great catch. I mean, look at him.
Those muscles. Those eyes. That smile. And he’s great with the kids.
They all love him. He’ll make a great father someday.
’ She nudges me. ‘Friends can become more, if you know what I mean.’
‘I do. It’s just that I’m not staying here. I’m moving back to Boston in a few months.’
‘Oh, that’s a shame. Jason will never leave here. He loves Haydon Falls. Loves his students. His family. I’m sure he’ll find someone eventually. A man like that doesn’t stay single forever.’
My heart sinks hearing her say that. But she’s right.
I’ll move away and Jason will find someone else.
Someone he’ll marry and have children with, but what does that mean for our child?
Will he still want to see him or her? I can’t imagine Jason not wanting to be part of his child’s life, but what if that changes when he has children with someone else?
The woman next to me jumps up. ‘Andrew, go! You’re almost there!’
I look up and see a kid trip and fall before reaching home base. That must be Andrew because the woman next to me, who must be his mom, slumps back down on the bleachers.
‘He trips every time,’ she says. ‘I love the kid, but baseball isn’t his sport.’
I watch as Jason goes over to the kid and consoles him. The kid looks at Jason like he’s the coolest guy ever. He’s right. So is the lady next to me who said Jason’s a great catch. I bet everyone in town would say Jason is great, but I still can’t have a future with him. Not when I’m moving away.
* * *
‘Did you really like the game or were you just being nice?’ Jason asks as we walk along the trail that leads to the falls. It’s a short walk, and when we get there we can’t stay. We don’t have time. We’ll see the falls, then go to an early dinner before I have to leave.
‘I liked the game,’ I say, ‘but I liked seeing you coach it even more. You’re really good with the kids.’
He shrugs. ‘I try, but I’m not always sure I’m getting through to them.’
‘I wasn’t either back when I was teaching. But I think we make a difference in their lives even if we don’t always know it. Just think about your science teacher, the one you said made you like science. Did you ever tell him how much he meant to you?’
‘No, but I would now if he was still around. He moved away when I was a senior in high school.’
‘That’s what I mean. We don’t always know the effect we have on our students.’
‘Yeah, I guess.’ He stops and looks up. ‘What do you think?’
My eyes follow his gaze to a large waterfall, the water crashing down on big boulders underneath.
‘I was thinking it’d be smaller. This is impressive. I can’t believe we’re the only ones here.’
‘It gets busy during the summer and fall when the tourists come through town. This time of year it’s just locals and they’ve seen it enough times to not feel the need to come back.’
‘I would. If I lived here, I’d come here all the time.’ I close my eyes and listen to the water crashing down. ‘I love that sound. It’s so powerful but also calming.’
‘Mia.’
I open my eyes and see Jason in front of me, looking at me like he did the night of the wedding. I gaze back at him, feeling the heat between us bubbling up, trying to ignore it, wishing I could.
Jason wraps his hands around my face. ‘I know I shouldn’t do this, but fuck . . . I want to. It’s been torture being around you the past day and not being able to kiss you.’
‘Then do it,’ I say, my heart thundering in my chest. ‘Kiss me.’
He leans down and gently presses his lips to mine. He’s being cautious, unsure if we should be doing this. Maybe we shouldn’t, but it feels too good to stop. My lips part and his tongue slips past them as his arms lower to around my waist, pulling me closer.
We kiss for several minutes, maybe longer, the sound of the rushing waterfall surrounding us. It’s romantic, and getting me all tingly inside.
I slowly pull away. ‘We should go.’