Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
MISSING PIECE
Jessa
I tugged my hair into a low ponytail, ready for another bartending shift at Hops.
I grabbed the letter I wanted to mail on the way to work.
For Theo, I’d written two more touching stories from me to him, one about how people come and go in our lives, but the memories we carry can last. The other was about Blaze the Dragon getting a little brother. I hoped he’d like that one best.
Things hadn’t changed much. I still thought about Griffin and Theo nonstop, despite Aunt Patty’s promises that my hurt and feelings would eventually fade. I took things day by day at this point.
With my keys in hand, I stepped onto the creaky porch. The low afternoon sun hit my eyes—and so did the glint of a sleek black Mercedes pulling into our driveway behind my rusted hatchback.
Griffin climbed out like a dream I hadn’t finished having, heartbreakingly handsome, and here.
I hadn’t heard from him in a week. Not a text or a call. And now here he was.
He waved, a sheepish grin tugging at his mouth.
For a second, my heart tripped over itself, traitorous and fast. I scanned the back seat for Theo, but it was empty.
By the time I met him halfway down the cracked sidewalk, I still hadn’t decided if I wanted to hug him or turn him away.
“Would you mind moving your car? I’m late for work,” I said, shoving the letter at him before my hands could shake. “You can save me a trip to the post office and give this to Theo.”
He took the envelope but didn’t look at it. His eyes were on my house, hopping from the sagging porch swing to the chipped paint, and the overflowing trash cans.
His perfect jaw flexed. “This is where you live?”
The judgment in his tone stung. “Home sweet home, Holly Creek,” I said, crossing my arms. “It’s far from a penthouse, but we make it work.”
I could tell he wanted to argue, dressed in another immaculate suit that made him stick out like a sore thumb in our neighborhood of tired porches and rusted mailboxes.
“Don’t do that,” I warned. “Don’t look at this place as if it’s beneath you.”
He blinked, a flash of pain crossing his eyes—but before I could say more, his attention snapped to the roof. “What’s that man doing?”
“Our landlord is finally fixing the leaks after we threatened court,” I said.
Griffin’s jaw clenched. “I’ll be right back.”
“Grif—don’t—”
Too late.
He stormed across the lawn, all controlled fury and six-foot-three of it. I couldn’t hear what he said to Stan, but I saw they shook hands. Griffin handed the man a card from his breast pocket. Stan’s eyes bulged, and moments later he peeled out in his truck like the devil was chasing him.
“What the hell was that?” I yelled.
“I bought him out.” His voice was calm—too calm. “I’ll be your mother’s new landlord.”
I stared, dumbfounded. “You—you what?”
“By tomorrow, I want an email with a list of every repair. Big or small. I’ll have a crew here to take care of everything.
Hell, for that matter we’ll add on an addition so your family can be more comfortable.
Cars too—I’ll replace those with new ones.
And I want you back in the city with Theo and me, where you belong. ”
“You’re unbelievable,” I snapped. “You can’t just throw money at my life to get your way.”
His gaze softened, the fight fading from his voice. “That’s not what I’m trying to do anymore.”
“Really? Because it sure looks familiar.”
“I did all this because I need the mother of my child and her family to be safe and secure in their own home.”
The words punched the air right out of me. My heart cracked open, equal parts fury and longing. “Despite what it looks like, we don’t need fixing.”
He shook his head. “No. I’m the one who’s broken. You were the only thing that ever made me feel whole.”
Tears burned my eyes. I fought them hard. “You’re used to control, Grif. You can’t manage love the same way.”
“I know.” He cast his eyes down. “I tried. And I lost you because of it. I’m so sorry that I didn’t fight for you in front of Sam. And that I let you walk out of my life in New York. I’ve deeply regretted both ever since.”
He gave an apology? Only in my dreams did I think I’d get one, but never expected… I chewed my cheek, knowing full well well he wasn’t the only one at fault here. “And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the baby the day I arrived. I was waiting for the perfect time and that never happened.”
He reached into his chest pocket and pulled something small out. He pressed it into my palm.
My breath caught at the sight of a single red dried pasta noodle.
“Theo must have slipped this into my pocket when I dropped him off. I couldn’t stop thinking about it—the way you used it to fill the missing piece in the game. Jessa, you’re my—” He choked up, and continued with a shaky voice. “You’re my noodle. The missing piece in my life.”
My hand flew to my mouth as a sob escaped me. I’d never been someone’s noodle before.
He swallowed hard. “You were right. I let fear win. I was terrified of failing again. So I tried to protect myself the only way I knew how—by confusing money with love, by hiding behind a contract, never letting go of control. But I’m done with that, Jessa.
I love you. I love Theo. And I love the baby we made.
And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it. ”
He pulled off the bandage on his ring finger and held it up for me to see. I gasped. My name, Jessa, inked in stark letters, appeared around the base.
“You got my name tattooed on you?” My tears broke free.
“In a town between the city and here, when I stopped for gas, I noticed a tattoo parlor.”
“But you said you hate needles,” I whispered.
“Then you know what it means,” he breathed. “That I’d take any pain—every damn jab life throws at me—to be worthy of you.”
“But that’s permanent.” I swiped my tears.
“Exactly. Not fake, not temporary. As soon as our child is born, I’ll have theirs and Theo’s tattooed somewhere as well.”
“Oh, Griffin. I can’t believe you did that.”
“That’s not all. I canceled the IPO. Fired Sam, too. So you see, I don’t care about legacy or money. I care about you. About Theo. About the life I almost destroyed. I don’t want a fake fiancée. I want forever.”
Behind me, I heard the screen door creak. My mom and Aunt Patty stood there silently watching. But for me, the entire world narrowed down to him. He dropped to his knee.
“Jessa, I know I don’t deserve forgiveness,” he went on, tears cutting down his face.
“But I’ll earn it, one day at a time. I’ll show up for every appointment, every craving, every sleepless night.
Hold your hand during delivery. I’ll be the father that this baby and Theo deserve and the man you believe I could be. ”
I dropped to my knees too, and the boards creaked beneath us. My hands cupped his face.
“You’re so entitled,” I sobbed, half laughing through it. “Thinking a pasta noodle and a tattoo could fix everything.”
His lips twitched. “Did it work?”
“It worked,” I choked out. “Because you finally showed up as you—not the billionaire. But the man I love.”
He exhaled, his forehead pressed to mine. “Say you’ll marry me. Come back to New York not as my nanny or a fake fiancée, but as my wife.”
I kissed him instead. Desperate. Forgiving. Holding on to every second with him until I pulled away breathless.
I whispered, “Yes. I’ll marry you.”
Relief tore through him. He gathered me up, holding me so tight, my body remembering the feeling of being in his arms.
From the doorway, my mother sniffled. “Well, Patty. Look at that. It’s about damn time one of us Cole girls got a happy ending.”
“Here. You left these behind.” He slipped the diamond ring back on my finger, and put the earrings on my earlobes. I laughed through tears, looking up at the man who’d just torn down every wall that once stood between us.
We were each others missing pieces. Together, we were finally whole.
Want TWO more bonus scenes featuring Jessa and Griffin, one steamy, and one sweet? Get it here.
Read about their wedding on the next page =>