Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

“You get your marching orders?” TJ stood at the door to his motel, wearing a floral Hawaiian shirt over a thermal. He’d paired it with sweatpants and flip-flops and looked ridiculous.

Jason peered past him into the motel room. Orange light illuminated the dated two-toned gold striped wallpaper. The bed was an unmade disaster, and open carry-out containers littered the floor and tables. “God, you’re a slob. You gonna let me in?”

TJ rolled his eyes, then gestured Jason forward.

Jason shut the door behind him as he came in. “Turns out the owner of the cabins is related to Jen, so I was politely told my cabin rental couldn’t be extended as I’d originally planned.”

“Sorry to see you go, man.” Gathering a few containers of food, TJ stuffed them on top of an overflowing trash can. “I thought you might actually pull out a win on this one.” His sarcasm on the last part was dripping.

Jason cocked his head at TJ quizzically. “Why are you saying that like you’re staying here?”

TJ flopped onto the hard loveseat in the room. “Because I am. I’ve gotten to see a lot of this town while I’ve been here and, I don’t know. There’s just something about it. It’s like a place where you feel like maybe if you stay long enough, you won’t be alone. I’m sick of living out of crappy motels and eating like a pig. And I’m sure there are plenty of cheating spouses in the area who could use my services. I figure after you pay me—if I don’t end up in jail from Ned’s charges—I may try to take the domestic route.”

Jason stared at him, blinking. TJ...liked it here? “Damn near a crime for you to use your talents on cheating spouses.”

“All part of the job. And jobs like that sometimes lead to bigger ones, you know.” TJ grinned widely. “I’m sending you your invoice via email later today. Make sure you’re sitting down when you see it.”

Jason smirked. As though he’d never seen a huge bill from TJ before. Or just in general. He nodded slowly. “Yeah, I will. I just wanted to thank you. For everything. You’ve been the closest I’ve had to a friend lately, which I know may sound ridiculous, but I want you to know I’m not going to leave you hanging with the legal issues.”

TJ got up and walked over to him. Clapping him on the shoulder, he nodded, his eyes reflecting concern. “So that’s it, then? What about that baking thing tonight? Isn’t the last part of the competition tonight?”

“What am I supposed to do? Her brother said she was filing a restraining order against me.”

TJ shrugged. “I don’t know. Show up, make a grand gesture? Say Anything style. You know—boombox in hand, declare your love.” His hands moved in wide motions to match his words.

“You’re aware this is real life, right? That doesn’t actually happen.” After Jen had texted him to ask about the bills he’d paid the day before, he hadn’t heard anything else. No thank you, which hadn’t been why he’d done it. Not even outrage. Just . . . nothing.

Every notification from his phone since then had been torture.

“There’s a reason those things have stood the test of time, my friend.”

Jason gave him a cynical chuckle. “Yet one of the most famous lines to come from Hollywood is from Casablanca when the guy loses the girl and ends up with his weasel friend instead.”

TJ dabbed his eyes in mockery as though he had tears. “Am I your Louie? I’m touched.”

Jason couldn’t help the genuine laugh this time. He sighed, then shook TJ’s hand. “I’ll see you around.”

He left the motel and got back into his car. He had one more place to visit before he left. As he drove, the route took him right through Main Street. His heart felt as though someone had encased it in a sheath of ice. Unlike TJ, he couldn’t think of coming back here. Every single corner of this town reminded him of Jen.

He pulled up in front of Mildred’s house minutes later. Before he could get out, he saw her in the backyard of her house. On the top of a ladder, hand in the gutter.

His pulse quickened as he got out of the car. He came around, trying to make as much noise walking as he could. He didn’t want her to get startled by him and fall off the ladder, after all.

“Look what the cat dragged in. I was wondering when you’d turn up around here. Don’t tell me—you’re leaving town?” Mildred looked down at him, then tossed a handful of leaves out of the gutter.

“Mildred, what the hell are you doing up there?” He waved at her to come down. “Can’t you hire someone for that?”

“I quite like heights, thank you.” Mildred grinned at him. “Only time I get to be taller than everyone else.” But she began a slow descent.

Jason’s palms hurt from watching her sway on the creaky old ladder. He held out a hand toward her as she drew closer. She took it, then climbed onto the leaf-covered grass. “Please promise me you won’t do that crap anymore. I’ll pay for someone to come and take care of this for you.”

She frowned, then gritted her teeth. “Fine. If you insist. I don’t know why you pretend to care.”

“I do care.” Jason squeezed her hand. “You’re the only family I have, you know.”

“You could have more family if you tried a bit. But as soon as you have a tiny setback, you flee.”

Jason gaped at her. She’d told him so many times to leave Jen alone. What the hell was she playing at? “You told me to leave.”

“And you’re going to listen to a crazy old woman? Not to mention, I didn’t know you loved the girl. You’d be a fool to leave now.”

“Who says I love her?”

Mildred wiped her hands on her pants. “You’re paying the rent on a firetrap on Main Street for her—which you begged me not to tell her father about. And you still haven’t left yet. The Jason that showed up here a few weeks ago would have left for Chicago by now. You love that girl. Even if you won’t admit it. You’re just like your daddy, it turns out.”

Loved her?

No, he was just filled with regret for what he’d done to her. Money was the only way he had to make things up to her. She wasn’t making any sense.

“Well, I can’t even see her right now. She’s got a restraining order against me.”

“Psh.” Mildred blew a breath so hard out of her lips that her lips vibrated. “Her daddy told me differently. Says she refused to go get one. Then he called me back last night, tried to get me to call her and convince her she should take the money.”

“What do you mean? The money is going to be Colby’s. He’s the legal heir.”

“He’s not the legal anything right now. She must establish paternity first. She’s refusing that, too. Says she doesn’t want your money.” Mildred wagged a finger at him. “You want to convince her you’re not in it for the money? Convince her to take it. No expectations on your part. Maybe then she’ll believe you.”

He almost smiled. The idea of Jen refusing hundreds of millions of dollars was just about the most “Jen” thing he could imagine. She’d wanted so badly to prove that she could make it on her own—and he’d let her down with that, too.

“Do you think she’d allow me to finish the baking competition with her? It doesn’t even end for a couple of weeks, though, does it?” Jason raked his fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck.

“The final round is tonight—then Peter’s announcing the winners during his ‘Christmas Special.’” Mildred looked toward the heavens. “I swear if that man gets any more media recognition, I’m not even going to be able to tolerate him. He’s been feuding with my friend Bunny for years. The two of them just need to schtup and get it over with.”

He didn’t want to think about those two elderly people schtuping. Cringing, he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Never change, Mildred.”

Mildred whooped with laughter. “I tell it like it is, sonny. Now, you going to get your ass over to that baking competition? Jen deserves a shot at winning.”

“She’s not even going to go, I’m sure.” Not to mention the idea of seeing Jen in public under the circumstances they’d left things was intimidating as all hell.

Mildred held out her hand. “Give me your phone. And open the dial pad. I don’t know how to work those damn devices.”

Jason frowned, then took out his phone. He unlocked it and handed it over.

Squinting at the screen, Mildred took a good minute to type in a phone number, then dialed it. She lifted it to her ear as it rang. After a moment, she said, “Bob? It’s Millie. Millie Price. I’m calling from Jason’s phone. Ha ha, got you there, didn’t I? Anyway, can you get Jen over to that baking competition?”

She paused while Bob responded.

“Listen, Bob, I’m going to shoot you straight. I love Jen, and I love Colby. This dickwad grandson of mine...well, he’s only been around a couple of weeks.” Mildred gave Jason a laughing wink. “Jen doesn’t deserve to be humiliated in front of the whole damn town by not showing up tonight. Everyone is going to assume something went south between them. And she deserves to win.”

Another pause. Mildred nodded and then added, “We’ll all be there. What can he possibly do? Also, he’s going to do his best to convince her to take the money. Sound fair? Okay. Good boy. Now you get Jen there on time. Colby, too. Tell him Granny Millie is bringing him a big lollipop.”

She hung up and handed the phone to Jason. “All settled. Bob’s going to try to get her there. That’s the best we can ask for, right?” She linked arms with him. “Now, seeing as you have two working arms and legs, and you want to help so badly, why don’t you get up there and finish those gutters? I’ll go make you some hot cocoa.”

As Jason watched her shuffle back up toward the house without waiting for a response, he set his hand on the ladder. Her schemes were hard to keep up with. But for the first time in his life, he’d felt known. Understood. Loved. She’d seen so much without him having said a word. And he knew he’d miss that. He knew he’d miss her.