14

With everything going on, the week flew by, and before I knew it my dinner with Simin and Eshaal was upon me. I was nervous as hell, and I couldn’t even explain why. The phone call with Simin a week ago had done a lot to reassure me, but I still harbored this nervous feeling about seeing them face-to-face. She’d said she wanted to see me healed—and I was, but the scars were still there. Would she be disappointed? Or sad to see such a stark reminder of that painful day? I didn’t know how I’d react if she was.

I sat in the parking lot of the restaurant where we were set to meet Simin and Eshaal feeling like my stomach was trying a new origami knot. Thankfully, Jon had driven us here because there was no way in hell I could have focused on the road.

Also, Jon didn’t chide me for my nerves. I was sure he could see them, but he also seemed to understand they were there and weren’t going away with a pep talk.

“Ready?” he asked me gently.

No. “Yes.”

“You’re a cute liar.”

“Thanks, babe.” I sighed heavily.

I forced myself out of the truck. Only way up was through, right? I didn’t know if that phrase applied to situations like this but…either way, I had to move.

Jon slid his hand into mine as we walked toward the restaurant doors. I felt better with the contact, lacing our fingers together. It was comforting because I knew that no matter what happened, Jon had my back. He always did. It was one of the many reasons why I wanted to marry this man.

We’d chosen to go to Buca di Beppo, an Italian restaurant where they served family-sized portions and didn’t have too many pesky electronic things to worry about. It had a very relaxed, quiet atmosphere and was somewhere that was easy to hold a conversation. The familiar surroundings helped some. A little.

We reached the waiting area to the left of the hostess stand upon breaching the doors, and it was there I spotted them. It took me a second, and I did a double take, as neither Simin nor Eshaal were in traditional dress. Instead, they were dressed like American women, wearing pants and without any head coverings—Eshaal even sported a Mandalorian shirt. Eh? I mean, they both looked radiant, but I was surprised.

“Donovan!” Eshaal leapt off the bench and ran straight to me, throwing both arms around my waist.

I felt Jon let go of my hand and step away, and I hugged her back on instinct, looking down at someone who had been a little girl and was now a young teen. “Eshaal? My god, you grew.”

She tilted her face up to grin at me. “I did!”

Simin came in closer, joining her daughter in the hug. This close, I could see the barest traces of the scarring at her temple, but hers had faded better than mine had. I couldn’t see any of Eshaal’s, of course, with her wearing pants. The worst of her scarring had happened on her thigh and calf. She really did look like an American teenager, with her glossy hair in a bob and pierced ears.

The second I had them close, I felt all those nerves just…fade. Like a tide rushing out, they were gone in an instant. I didn’t know why some part of me had felt they’d be disappointed to see me. It was a fear I had harbored, and now that I was in this moment, I couldn’t explain why I’d ever felt that way. Not when there was so much joy in this reunion.

Simin’s eyes were bright with unshed tears as she beamed up at me. “Finally, we find you again. You disappeared once you left for the States.”

“Yeah, a lot of medical treatments and rehab kept me busy.” Plus the pain had sucked the energy out of me. I didn’t want to say as much. “But you two, you look amazing. How did you end up here?”

“I remarried.” Simin half turned and gestured to the man who had been waiting with them. “Meet my husband, Matthew.”

This man was very obviously American by birth. His sandy blond hair and fair skin were a dead giveaway. I was avidly curious how these two had met, but that was a conversation for the table. For now, I let go of Simin so I could shake his hand.

“Matthew, great to meet you.”

“And you. I’ve heard nothing but praise for you, and after hearing how you protected my wife and daughter, I’m wholeheartedly glad to meet you in person.”

I loved how he said that, like Eshaal was as much his daughter as if he’d sired her. Simin’s first husband might have been a piece of shit, but I had a feeling her second husband was worth his weight in gold.

Eshaal whispered, “Who’s that?”

Ah. I gestured Jon in closer. “Everyone, meet my fiancé, Jon. Jon, this is Simin and Eshaal.”

Simin latched onto Jon’s hands, looking him over with growing delight. “Jon, it is a pleasure to meet you. We worried for our Donovan, hoping he could meet someone to look past his scars, so it’s a joy to us that you did.”

Oh, if she only knew.

Jon clasped her hands in return, expression soft and warm. “It didn’t take a second to look past his skin, trust me. I’ve always wanted to meet you and Eshaal as well. I’m glad you hunted Donovan down and made this meeting happen. Shall we all grab a table?”

“Yes, we should.”

Habit poked me reprovingly in the back of the head. Shit, must do that first. “Uh, everyone, Jon’s a psychic. Your electronic devices are not safe around him. I’ve got an EMP-shielded bag you can put everything into while we have dinner.”

I swear to you, it was like something clicked in Matthew’s head. He looked at Jon with new awareness. “Oh my god, you’re Jonathan Bane.”

“That’s me.” Jon shrugged, smiling.

Simin didn’t make the connection and whispered to her husband, “Who?”

“The Reader who’s always making headlines in criminal cases,” Matthew said, filling her in. “He’s nationally famous for being able to read anyone in a glance. Wow. I did not expect to ever meet him in person.”

Jon took the whispering in stride as I gathered up phones and watches, putting them into the bag. Then I handed it to Matthew for safekeeping, as I doubted he would want me to hold it.

Eshaal bounced over to the hostess and asked for a table. I kept studying her, trying to reconcile the scared little girl I’d once met with the vibrant young teen in front of me. She looked so much healthier, freer, and my heart relaxed seeing her like this.

As we followed the hostess to a table, I signaled Jon with my eyes and jerked my chin subtly toward Matthew. He okay ?

Jon gave me a reassuring nod.

Phew, good. I’d hoped my first impression of the man was right, but Jon’s assurance put me fully at ease.

We were escorted to a table that sat six and got comfortable. Eshaal sat right next to me, Simin across from me, which neither of our partners minded. I was just as eager to speak to them, so I was glad for the seating to be arranged this way.

“Simin, how did you and Matthew meet?”

“We met in London, after you went home. He worked in the embassy building, and I was constantly in and out of there for a few months, trying to get my visa straightened out. We kept bumping into each other.” She gave him a sweet smile. “He asked me out for coffee and it was the best date I’d ever had.”

Probably the only date she’d ever had up to that point, considering I knew her first marriage had been arranged.

“I rushed things a bit,” Matthew admitted. “I was working as an ambassador’s aide, and I knew I had a time limit. But I was able to convince her that I adore both her and Eshaal and I couldn’t imagine leaving them behind in London. We had a courthouse wedding in London, then a proper wedding celebration here with all of my friends and coworkers. Both of them wished so much you could be at the wedding, but we didn’t know where you were.”

“Probably still in rehab. I was there for a good year before I was released.”

Simin looked visibly upset. “Oh no. Donovan, did it take that long for you to heal? I thought you got all your treatment at the London hospital.”

“Yeah. Sadly, the hospital in London only released me so I could get more treatment in America. But I’m fully recovered now. Once I got my feet underneath me, I moved back in with my parents temporarily. That’s how I ended up here in Nashville. I was job searching, trying to get back to real life, when I interviewed for a position at a psychic detective agency.” I shot Jon a warm smile. “And met him.”

Jon picked up the story smoothly, sharing my smile. “I knew in a glance how amazing he is. I insisted he be hired. My boss was worried about me—I have something of a track record with criminals attacking me—so he said if I was so sure of hiring Donovan, then he could be my bodyguard and assistant. With us working side by side, it didn’t take long for us to fall for each other.”

Took about ten minutes on my side. Man was easy to love; I had no defense on that score.

“When will you get married?”

“September is our goal. We’re trying to lock down a date and a venue right now. I hope you three can make it?”

“Four,” Jon corrected in a factual tone.

Eh? The hell was he saying?

Simin’s jaw dropped. “I’m barely showing!”

Ohhhh. Jon did another Jon-ism. “Simin, you’re pregnant? That’s great!”

Simin looked pleased but also shocked on some level. “Jon, you can see that?”

“I can see a lot. Sorry, I forget what I’m told and what I’m just seeing.”

I loved how he was downplaying this. “Assume you have no secrets, it’s the better bet. He does this all the time. But I’m really happy for all of you, congrats.”

Eshaal did look excited about the news. “I always wanted a sibling. I finally got one thanks to Dad.”

Awww, she really had accepted Matthew fully as a parent. I was glad about that, too.

“What else can you see?” Simin prompted Jon. “Gender?”

“Hmm, a bit too early to tell. Healthy, though. Glowing with health.”

His response pleased Simin enormously. “My doctor said so, too, but strangely I feel better hearing it from you.”

Matthew seemed intrigued by this, but there was also a strange expression on his face, one I had a hard time deciphering.

“Can you really see everything?”

Jon waffled a hand back and forth in a seesaw motion. “Yes, but I can’t always pinpoint what I’m seeing. Emotions don’t always come with signs and a roadmap, so while I can often see what the emotion is, and what it’s connected to, sometimes I’m making an educated guess. If you’re wondering if it’s all right to ask that , then please do. He’ll be overjoyed.”

Again, more Jon-isms. I had a feeling I was somehow the topic though. Gut feeling, nothing else.

It seemed to reassure Matthew, as he shared a very loaded glance with his wife before turning to me. “In truth, after we learned we’re pregnant, we thought of asking you to be the baby’s godfather.”

Of all the things I had expected him to say, it wasn’t this. For the second time that night, pure joy hit me, and I could barely restrain myself from reaching across the table and hauling them into a massive bear hug.

“I—I—yes. Absolutely yes.”

They looked happy but relieved, too, and it was the relief that didn’t sit well with me. I could feel those Havili instincts kick right in. “Why, is there a problem?”

“Kind of,” Simin admitted to me, face screwing up in a pained grimace. “After everything that happened in London, I’m no longer in contact with my family. They wanted me to withdraw the charges, forgive my husband, and get back with him.”

“The hell?” I blurted out, a little too loudly for a restaurant, but I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “After what he tried to do to you?”

“It’s part of what made me break fully from my culture and religion.” Sadness filtered through her, shoulders slumping. Matthew put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her. “How could I reconcile with either when they were the very things used to force me into such an abusive relationship to begin with? I’m not saying it’s the right choice for everyone, but for me and Eshaal, I think it was. I honestly feel breaking away from it all was the best thing for us. Eshaal and I went through therapy for a while. I think we’re both far better for it.”

I could tell they were. “I’m glad you did.”

“As for me,” Matthew chimed in, “I’m an orphan. I don’t have any relatives that I know of. Ever since marrying, we’ve both been worried about our child. Well, children now. What would happen to them if something happened to us? Simin wanted to ask you to be our designated guardian of the kids, just in case. I felt it a bit much to spring it on you.”

“Not at all.” I said this firmly because I meant it. “I’m glad you did. And please put me down as guardian.”

Jon nodded along with me. “I’m more than fine with this. I mean, I hope it never comes to that, but I don’t blame you for making plans, just in case. You really can’t anticipate what lies ahead.”

I knew such words for fact. I’d had no idea going in for a job interview would help me meet the love of my life and future husband. Even a prophet couldn’t anticipate everything.

“Speaking of things wanting to be asked…” Jon looked right at Eshaal. “Ask.”

Eshaal blinked, then abruptly looked shy. “Is it okay?”

“Of course.”

What the hell were these two talking about?

Turning to me, Eshaal asked, “Can I be your flower girl at your wedding?”

Now how in the world could I say no to that? “I’d love for you to be.”

She gave a little chair dance. “Yaaaaas.”

A waiter came to take our order, the conversation naturally pausing there. With all of this news out, I honestly couldn’t remember being nervous anymore. It felt so natural to sit here with my friends, talking of the future, planning for joy. I should have never lost contact to begin with. I’d missed so much of their journey to this happy life they had now.

One thing was for sure: I wouldn’t let go of them again.