Chapter 17 #2
“Because. I’m only here temporarily, and he’s got a good job and life here. It’s a fling. Nothing to get worked up about.” Except everything he said and did worked her up in a way that nothing else—and no one else—ever had.
“Do me a favor and don’t discount the possibilities in this new relationship.”
“It’s not a relationship. I don’t know what it is, but it’s fun. We both know the score. Our lives are very different, not at all compatible.”
“Are you compatible in other ways?”
“Gran! What’re you asking me?”
“You know what I’m asking. Does he do it for you in bed?”
“Oh my God! I can’t even believe you’re asking me that.”
“Why not? I thought we were both adults here.”
“You’re my grandmother. Jeez.” Jordan’s nervous laugh had Evelyn giggling as Jordan felt her face burn with embarrassment.
“Honestly, Jordan, grow up and answer the question. Does he do it for you in bed?”
“I, um.”
“It’s a yes-or-no question, my love.”
“That’s an emphatic yes.”
Evelyn released her trademark full-throated laugh, which brought a smile to Jordan’s face. “Tell me more.”
“I will not.”
“Oh, come on! I’ve been widowed for half my life. Throw a girl a bone.” She lost it laughing again. “I said bone.”
“I can’t deal with this conversation.”
Evelyn laughed and laughed, which made Jordan laugh, too. “Is he handsome?”
“Very—and he’s tall. Six foot six. He’s huge, and he’s the Gansett Island fire chief.”
“I can’t wait to meet this tall man who does it for you in bed.”
“Gran! If you say that to him—”
Evelyn lost it laughing again. “Relax, honey. I’ll be on my best behavior. I can’t wait to meet him and Riley and see my girls.”
“We’re excited to see you, too. Let us know your plans so we can pick you up.”
“Will do. I’ll see you soon. In the meantime, put all this Brendan nonsense out of your mind and focus all your time and attention on your tall, sexy fire chief who does it for you in bed.”
“I never should’ve told you that.”
“No, you shouldn’t have, but I’m so glad you did. Love you to the moon and back, my sweet Jordy J.”
“Love you, too, even when you’re embarrassing the hell out of me.”
“My work here is finished. Talk soon and keep me posted.”
“I will not keep you posted.”
“That’s very selfish of you.”
“I’m sorry for everything I’ve put you through, Gran. I should’ve listened to you and Nik about him.”
“Sometimes you have to figure things out for yourself, and all the warnings in the world won’t register until you see things with your own eyes.”
“The video should’ve been enough. I allowed myself to be sucked back in again after that, and that never should’ve happened.”
“Be gentle with yourself, Jordan. You loved him. You kept hoping he would be better than he was. None of this is your fault. He was lucky to have your love and was too stupid to realize it. That’s on him, not you.”
“I’m working on coming around to your way of thinking.”
“Since I’m always right, come around to my way sooner rather than later, you hear me? And go have some fun in bed with your sexy fireman.”
“Lalalala, can’t hear you.”
They hung up laughing, and as she always did after talking to her grandmother, Jordan felt a thousand times better than she had before.
Evelyn had saved her sanity and Nik’s when they were growing up.
She’d been their touchstone, even going so far as to move to Los Angeles for several years so she could attend their games, recitals, shows, chorus concerts and every other thing they’d done.
Though they were forced to live with their father during the school year, Evelyn had taken every chance she could get to see them, to take them on vacations, to have them for sleepovers.
She’d thrown them birthday parties and made their friends feel welcome in her home, all the while doing everything she could to help their mother combat mental health and substance abuse issues.
It was no wonder that Nikki and Jordan considered Evelyn their personal Wonder Woman.
When Nik had been attacked by her college boyfriend, Evelyn had swooped in to bring Nikki to their home on Gansett to recover from the trauma that had been compounded when the young man later died by suicide.
Jordan didn’t want to think about what might’ve become of Nik without their grandmother taking care of her through the worst days of her sister’s life.
Jordan loved Evelyn Hopper more than she could ever find the words to express. She was determined to make her grandmother proud by dealing with this latest wrinkle with Brendan and moving on with her life.
Nikki came into Jordan’s bedroom, carrying a mug of coffee that she handed over to Jordan. “You didn’t get in your daily quota.”
“Thank you. Did you hear back from Davy?”
“Not yet. Hopefully, he conveyed the message, and we won’t hear from any of them again. Were you talking to Gigi?”
“At first. Then Gran, who’s off her rocker.”
“What’d she do now?”
“She was asking me about compatibility with Mason—in bed.”
“Sounds about right. So are you? Compatible with him in bed?”
“Jeez, you’re just like your grandmother.”
“Thank you. You couldn’t pay me a higher compliment.” Nik sat on Jordan’s bed and curled her legs under her, settling in for some girl talk. “You must’ve been compatible if you told Gran about him.”
“Don’t you have to get to work?”
“I’m the boss. They’ll wait for me.”
Realizing she was cornered, Jordan sat next to her sister, holding back a wince as sore muscles protested the contact.
“Holy crap. Are you sore?”
“A little.”
“So he’s big all over, then?”
“You could say that.”
Nikki clapped her hands and laughed. “I love this so much. He’s just what you need to get your mojo back.”
“My mojo is definitely back. In fact, I’m finding mojo I never knew I had.”