Chapter Twenty-Two #2
“You married him. That’s the point, Gia. You never saw what I did. I tried to warn you, and you brushed me off.”
Carmen raised a shoulder. “Your sister, she might be right. I told you he was bad news, and you ignored me too.”
Sage felt her mother pulling away and covered her hands with hers. “This is what I’m talking about. I can’t take this right now. I need you guys to get along. I don’t care if you have to fake it either.” She looked at Cami. “I saw your face. I know you feel guilty about Aaron being here. But—”
“She should. He—”
“Mom, he’s here. And I think you and Cami are tied for who doesn’t want him to be. But since he is, you have to present a united front. You can’t let him drive a wedge between us.”
Her mother leaned forward to get a better look at Sage. “You think he’s faking?”
“Honestly, I have no idea if he’s dying or if he wants to make amends or to build a relationship with me.
There could be a part of him that actually wants to do both even if he’s not dying.
But I’ve seen too many men in court and across the mediation table not to recognize that he’s angry.
I just don’t know if he’s seeking revenge or reparation. ”
She frowned at Jake, who was staring at her. She mouthed, What?
You’re hot , he mouthed back and then nodded at her family with a pointed glance at the massage oil in his hand.
Willow laughed. “I think he wants you to get rid of us.”
“I don’t believe you,” Sage said as she waved goodbye to her family.
“What’s not to believe? It’s not like I haven’t told you you’re hot, and smart, and gorgeous, and I haven’t hidden the fact that I wanted to pick up where we left off this morning.
It’s not as if we could do that with your family hanging out here.
Besides, as you pointed out to them, you have a lot on your plate. You need your rest.”
“You know exactly what I meant, and it wasn’t any of that.” She walked over to the table and picked up a box.
He took it out of her hands and put it on the table. “Leave it. I’ll put everything away later. I want to show you something.” He held out his hand.
She put hers in his. “I don’t think I can take any more surprises tonight, Jake.”
“I have a feeling you’re going to hear about this sooner or later, so I want you to hear it from me. It’s nothing bad,” he said, tightening his grip on her hand. “Trust me.”
“I do. I’m just tired.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “And confused.”
He let go of her hand and put his arm around her.
“I’m sorry if I made it harder on you. I was just worried you were too close to the situation, too emotionally involved to see through Abbott.
But you’re smart and one hell of a good divorce attorney, so I should have known you’d see through him if he tried anything. ”
She sighed. “The thing is, you were right about the car. He could have played with the wires, and I wouldn’t have known.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll check his rental out later and see if he was on the up-and-up. But you were right, Sage. Even if he’s got a hidden agenda, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t want you in his life. He’d be an idiot not to.”
“Don’t be sweet. Not tonight. I’m too emotional.”
His gaze roamed her face. “You’re right.” He stepped back and once again took her hand. “Let’s go back to the house. We can do this another day.”
“Really? You think I’m going to be able to let that go?” She gestured to the one-track road he’d been leading her toward. “Let’s go. Show me what you want me to see.” She held back. “Wait. You’re not taking me to see the stone memorial you made for Alice, are you?”
“No,” he said slowly.
“Okay, that wasn’t a hard no.” She stopped walking and crossed her arms. “Tell me what we’re doing out here.
At night. In the woods.” A bird swooped past them, and she ducked.
“I didn’t think birds were out this late.
Owls are, though, right? It must have been an owl.
” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Why are you smiling at me like that?”
“It’s cute the way you’re trying to convince yourself that you saw an owl and not a bat.”
“That was a bat?” she asked, from where she crouched on the road with her hands over her head.
“No. I’m pretty sure it was an owl.”
“Jake!”
He fit his hands under her arms and lifted her to her feet. Then he drew her close, wrapping her in his arms. “With some help from Flynn, I’ve figured out why Alice bought the farm.”
She tipped her head back. “Flynn knew Alice?”
“He did, and I’ll get to that in a sec.” He rested his chin on the top of her head.
“Alice saw me in Kendra. She comes from an abusive home, and Alice took her under her wing just over a year ago, and you…” He leaned back to look down at her.
“Alice saw herself in you. The way you defend women who suffer from abuse and neglect. The work you do pro bono at the shelter. It’s why she left the farm to us, and why she asked Flynn to build a home for abused women and children here.
She wanted us to continue her work but on a bigger scale.
She didn’t just want me to take over her legal practice; she wanted us to be partners in all of this. ”
He wanted it too. She could see it on his face, and she closed her eyes, a tear sliding down her cheek.
The last thing she wanted was to disappoint him, or Alice.
But her life, her position at the firm… She wouldn’t give up her dreams to make someone else happy.
She knew all too well how that story ended.
“It’s okay.” He dried her tears with the backs of his knuckles.
“I’m sorry. I wish—”
He placed a finger on her lips. “Don’t apologize. I don’t expect you to give up your dreams to make Alice’s come true.”
She groaned. “Jake!”
“I’m sorry, that came out wrong. But you know Alice would feel the same.”
“Obviously not, Jake. You’re right. It’s exactly what she wanted.
You and me doing this together.” She gestured to the woods, the pond, and the lavender fields.
“It makes so much more sense why she bought the farm now. It would be the perfect place for both women and children to recover and thrive.” She searched his face.
“Tell me the truth. You want to do it, don’t you? ”
He stepped back and looked around, and then he nodded. “Yeah, I do. And if you give me some time, I’ll buy you out of the farm and the practice.” He moved his head from side to side. “Even with my share of the house on Ocean View Drive, it might take me a while to pay you back.”
“That’s okay. It’s not like I need the money.” She winced. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
“You don’t have to be embarrassed that you make good money, Sage. Not with me.”
“I know, but it’s not just about my paycheck. I lead a simple life. I don’t go out, and I have a small apartment and I’m rarely there, so I just bank my money.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You don’t have to look at me like that is the saddest thing you’ve ever heard.”
“Not the saddest thing, but it ranks pretty high.”
“You’re lucky it’s how I live, mister. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to say, ‘Go for it, Jake.’ I’ll back you a hundred percent.”
“Seriously?”
She nodded. “I mean, I can’t foot the entire bill by myself.
We’ll work out a repayment schedule for your portion, but I’ll be your silent partner.
” She placed her hand on his chest. “I know you’re disappointed, but I promise, I’ll be there for you.
I’ll be as involved as I can be.” She smiled.
“Now show me where we’re going to build Alice’s House. ”
He lifted her up and spun her around under the moonlit sky, the wind whispering through the trees, his eyes shiny with emotion.
He opened his mouth, and she thought that he might tell her he loved her, and she didn’t want him to mistake his gratitude for love and regret the words later. So she kissed him instead.