“Sorry.” She turned her hand over and laced her fingers through his. “Did they get the guy?”
Jonah nodded. “Felipe said the State Police got him a couple of hours north, looked like they were heading to Canada. The two girls in the backseat are safe. They’d been reported missing in Nevada four days ago.”
Her stomach twisted. Those poor girls. What must they have been through? She shuddered.
“Cold? I can get you another blanket.”
“No. Just thinking about the girls. You read the reports, but it’s not something you expect to touch here. We’re a friendly small town, not the city.”
“Yeah.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “You scared me.”
“I bet. I understand.”
He frowned. “You understand what?”
“That it’s too much. Loving a cop isn’t for everyone. I don’t expect—”
“Stop. I’m so proud of you. So amazed by you. Even if we are a small town with very few problems, you care about people enough to go out every day and face danger. It’s incredible. You’re incredible. Scary? Sure. But it’s who you are. I love you. That means I love who you are.”
Warmth spread through her. She searched his face, struck by the earnestness in his gaze and the love shining from his eyes. She blinked as her eyes filled with tears.
“What’s wrong? Does it still hurt?”
She shook her head, a laugh bubbling out of her throat. “No. It’s just you. I love you, too. Thank you for really seeing me. Who I am.”
His lips curved. “That’s my pleasure. The doctor said you’d have full range of motion after a lot of physical therapy and healing. Felipe’s guessing you’ll be off work for at least three weeks, then stuck at a desk—his words—for at least three more.”
“Sounds about right.” Gloria sighed. “Did you say my mom’s on her way?”
“Yeah. She should be here around two. Ruth’s going to put them up at the B&B. Ursula said she could still pitch in while everyone adjusts to being home. They can stay with you once you get sprung from here, or keep on with Ruth. We can play it by ear.”
“The B&B. I don’t—there just isn’t room in my apartment. Is Harry coming, too?”
“I think so. Serena should have more details when she gets here.” Jonah stopped talking as the door opened and someone came in with a breakfast tray.
Gloria reached for the lid covering her food and gasped as it jostled her injured arm. Her eyes watered.
“Let me help you.” Jonah stood and scooted the rolling tray closer before removing the dome and unwrapping the utensils. “Do you want to sit up a little more?”
“I guess. Thanks.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. This sucked. She didn’t want to be in the hospital, injured. She was supposed to be at work, helping keep the streets safe. Providing help, not getting it. Gloria glanced at Jonah who watched her, concerned. “I’m all right.”
“Do you want me to leave?”
How awful was it that she wished he’d never come? Never had to see her like this in the first place? Too late now. “No. It’s okay.”
Jonah glanced at the door then back at Gloria. “If you’re good for a minute, I’m going to run down to the lobby where I can get a few bars on my cell and make a couple of calls. Back in ten?”
“Sure.” Taking care not to move or jar her injured arm, Gloria reached for her fork. She poked the yellow glob that was, ostensibly, eggs and sighed. At least her pain was receding as the medicine kicked in. Her mother was going to be the first to tell her that this pity party was unattractive and selfish. But still. Wasn’t she allowed to wallow for a few minutes? Especially when she threw in the fact that even getting shot hadn’t managed to motivate Jonah to kiss her?
At this rate, she’d be on her death bed before he worked up the courage to do more than hold her hand.
“Oh, sweetheart.” Gloria’s mom dropped a shopping bag at the side of the hospital bed and placed her hands on her hips. “You look dreadful. Didn’t you ask someone to bring a little blush? Or lipstick?”
Gloria laughed. “Mom. You know I don’t bother with that stuff when I’m healthy. Why would I ask for it in the hospital?”
“I don’t know where I went wrong with you.”
“Billie May.” Harry came to Gloria’s mother’s side and shook his head. “You leave that girl alone. She’s been shot for cryin’ out loud. She don’t need you pickin’. Hi, honey. You look great.”
“Thanks, Harry.” Gloria managed a smile for her new stepfather and glanced back at her mom. “You didn’t have to rush up here for this. I’ll be heading home soon.”
Her mom frowned. “What’s soon? You had surgery, hon, you’re going to be in here at least another day.”
“I know, but that’s still soon. You could’ve taken your time and driven up.” Gloria sighed. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful.”
“Are you in pain?” Harry reached over and squeezed her hand.
Gloria closed her eyes and focused. “Maybe that’s it.”
“Push the button then, honey. They give you the medicine for a reason.” Her mom pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat. “Then you can tell me all about how things are going with Jonah.”
“Jonah? What about him?” Gloria relaxed into the pillows as the pain began to ebb.
“That nice girl, Ruth, she’s his sister, right? She was telling us all about how the two of you are finally together. She’s happier than a pig in mud about it too, let me tell you.” Her mom smiled. “So it was hard to be annoyed that I’m the last to know my daughter’s in love.”
Did everyone know she was in love with Jonah? Clearly she wasn’t any good at masking her emotions, which would’ve been great to know before she tried to bluff a wanted felon at a traffic stop. “Yes, Mom. I love him and he loves me.”
“Oh, how exciting.” Her mom’s voice came out as a squeal and she clapped her hands several times. “When’s the wedding? I understand the two of you have been friends a long time, so surely there’s no reason to wait.”
Gloria scoffed. “Yeah, try telling him that. I’m not sure how we’ll end up at the altar when he won’t even kiss me.”
“Hmm. Well...” Her mom glanced over at Harry. “Maybe he’s one of those boys who doesn’t think you should kiss until your wedding day. Seems I recall that being a thing among church people.”
“He didn’t seem to have any trouble kissing Kenia.” Gloria frowned and pushed aside the image of the two of them on the dance floor at Micah and Serena’s wedding.
“Who’s that? Never mind, doesn’t matter.” Her mother waved her words away. “You’re just going to have to convince him it’s the right thing to do. Sometimes men need a little push.”
Harry laughed and leaned over to kiss his wife’s cheek. “Women do too, sometimes.”
Her mother’s cheeks pinked. “Yes, well. This is my daughter we’re talking about. She’s always been a go-getter.”
Gloria drooped. She was definitely that. Go-getter. Independent. Aggressive. Unfeminine. Choose the adjective, she’d heard them all. Was it too much to ask that just once in her life a man would want her enough to do the chasing? For two years, Jonah had pursued her when she wasn’t free. Now that she was, she’d had to practically beg for each step in a forward direction. “I don’t know, Mom. I don’t feel like it should be my job. I’m getting tired. Would it be okay if I took a nap?”
“Of course, baby. You close your eyes. Harry and I brought along plenty of things to entertain ourselves.” Her mom settled back in the guest chair.
Gloria closed her eyes. Jonah did love her. She didn’t question that. They’d talked about the divorce and she’d thought she’d convinced him she didn’t need more time to heal. So why was he still so hesitant to do something about it?
21
The dining room at the B&B was crowded and loud. Jonah set the platter holding a stuffed, roasted pork shoulder surrounded by vegetables in the c
enter of the table and headed back toward the kitchen.
“I still don’t think you should be doing so much.” Jonah took the serving dish out of Ruth’s hands. “You just got home.”
“I know. But it feels good to be back. Besides, I gave birth two months ago, so it’s not like I’m the one who just got out of the hospital.” Ruth turned and stirred a pot on the stove. “I’m bummed Gloria won’t be released until tomorrow, though. I was hoping she’d be part of our first full family lunch in a while. She is going to be family soon, right?”
Jonah’s ears burned. It’s what he wanted. More than anything. Seeing her in the hospital had driven that home. “I hope so. I figure I need to wait until she’s healed, though.”
“Oh my goodness.” Ruth turned, hands on her hips. “No. You do not need to wait any longer than you already have. You’ve been friends for three years, seeing each other and talking practically every day. Is there anything you don’t know about her?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t know she was married. So, maybe?”
“Bzzt. No. The answer is no. Or if there is, it’s something that doesn’t matter. You’ve disagreed about things and managed to stay friends. You not only love her, but you like her. Just ask her already.”
“You think?”
Ruth nodded. “I know. Grab the salad, I’ll get this. Then let’s get everyone settled. That pork smells amazing. What did you call it again?”
“Porchetta. It’s an Italian stuffed pork. It seemed festive. And you and Corban being home is definitely reason to celebrate.”
Ruth stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Jonah’s cheek. “Thanks. We’re so glad to be home. Did I mention we invited Gloria’s mom and stepdad to lunch?”
Jonah froze. “No. You didn’t mention that.”
“Ah. Well, I did.” She grinned over her shoulder at him. “They seem nice.”
Maybe since Ruth had already cornered him about his plans for Gloria the rest of the table would leave it alone? Surely between oohing and ahhing over the baby and talking with Ursula about her pregnancy there’d be enough to keep him out of the spotlight? Dragging his feet, he crossed the hall to the dining room and set the last bowls on the table before taking his seat.
“It’s so good to be home and back with all of you.” Corban reached for Ruth’s hand and brought it to his lips. “Why don’t I say grace and we can dig in? I think Jonah outdid himself today.”
Jonah bowed his head while Corban blessed the food. This was almost perfect. If only Gloria could be here with them. Maybe Ruth was right. It was time to take his foot off the brakes.
“So. When Jonah gets back down here on the planet with us.” Everyone chuckled at Corban’s words.
Jonah’s face heated. “Sorry.”
“He’ll carve up that pork roast. Everyone else, grab what’s closest and pass to the right.” Corban grinned and reached for the salad that sat in front of him, dropping a small spoonful on his plate before passing it to Ruth.
“How are you feeling, Ursula?” Ruth took some salad and passed it before fixing her gaze on her sister-in-law. “Any morning sickness?”
Ursula chuckled. “Not really. Maybe a little queasy every now and then, but nothing major.”
“Unfair.” Ruth shook her head, taking a roll as the basket passed by her. “Maybe it’ll come. You’re only what, three weeks along?”
“Four.” Ursula shrugged. “If it does, so be it. My mom says she was never sick, so maybe I’m going to inherit her good pregnancy genes. Still, it’s a long time between now and January.”
“It’ll be here before you know it.” Serena glanced at Micah. “If we’re talking about babies, maybe now’s the time for us to share some news of our own.”
Jonah frowned. Hadn’t Serena said she couldn’t get pregnant? It had caused a fairly major bump right as they’d gotten engaged. Well, major for her. Micah had never been worried. “News is good.”
Serena offered a slight smile. “It’s one of those good with the bad things. The movie is, for all intents and purposes, cancelled. I’m still officially attached to the project, but it’s not looking like there’s going to be a director—or a production company at this point—any time soon.”
“That makes my schedule for the next eighteen months easier.” Jonah finished slicing the porchetta and passed it down the table. “But I’m sorry.”
Serena shrugged. “Micah’s response was pretty much the same. It’s okay. As much as I love the script, without the right director it could end up being a disaster. I really feel like the original director was the best one for the project. But between Ruth giving birth and Ursula getting pregnant, we decided maybe we don’t need to wait to start a family. So we’re starting to look at adoption agencies.”
“Really?” Ruth grabbed Corban’s hand. “That makes me so happy. All the cousins growing up together close in age. But what if another movie comes along?”
Micah sipped his water before speaking. “We’ll cross that bridge if we get to it. Adoption isn’t exactly a fast process, so it might not be an issue. But we’re agreed that this is our top priority, so unless the movie is one that she simply can’t pass up, that’s what we’ll do.”
Serena nodded.
Harry swallowed the enormous mouthful of food and thumped himself on the chest. “This is some mighty fine food. Thanks for including us when we’re nothing to y’all but paying guests. But it sure is nice to know Gloria’s found herself a family like yours here in Idaho. Her mama’s been hoping she’d move back to Georgia, but I think we both can see that she’s right where she belongs, can’t we, hon?”
Gloria’s mom nodded, dabbing at her eyes with her napkin. “We sure can. And you, Jonah, if you love my girl half as much as I think you do, don’t keep her waiting around for you. She’s got a powerful need to be loved. She hides it well, but it’s there all the same.”
Everyone stared down the table at him.
Jonah swallowed. “Yes, ma’am.”
Harry laughed and took his wife’s hand. “Let the boy alone, Billie May. I don’t reckon Gloria would thank you for getting involved. That said, listen to the woman, she knows her daughter. And that girl is worth keeping.”
“Yes, sir. That’s the plan.” At least, it was now. Maybe he was a little thick-skulled sometimes, but enough people said the same thing to him, he could get a clue. Looked like he’d be heading over to Arcadia Valley’s local jewelry store, Facets, in the morning. “Apparently, I’m done waiting.”
Everyone chuckled.
Jonah smiled and looked around at his family gathered around the table. Yep. The only thing missing was Gloria.
Jonah peeked around the hospital room door as he knocked.
“Come in.” Gloria still sounded tired. And maybe a little sad.
“Hey.” He frowned and scrutinized her expression. “What’s wrong?”
“I have to stay another day. My surgical site isn’t healing the way they hoped, so they want to keep an eye on it a little longer. I want to go home.”
“I’m sorry.” He ignored the box in his pocket. Maybe this wasn’t the right time, after all. He glanced at the screen of her tablet as it lay on her lap. “What are you reading?”
Pink tinged her cheeks and she reached for the off button. “Just a poem I memorized in high school.”
He lifted his eyebrows. “Who’s it by?”
“Shelley. It’s...I was thinking of copying it out for you. Probably would have, if I hadn’t gotten shot.”
“Yeah? Can I see?” He held out a hand for the tablet.
Gloria hesitated before pressing the power button again and swiping to activate the screen and handing it to him.
Jonah glanced at the title. Love’s Philosophy. Okay. He skimmed the first stanza, his eyebrows knitting together. He kept reading, pausing on the last lines. What is all this sweet work worth if thou kiss not me? His eyes flicked up to hers and held them. “I spent a lot of yesterday being told I’m slow and over t
hink things. I take it you’d agree.”
Gloria pressed back into the pillows, her cheeks now a fiery red. “Well. I just...yeah, I guess. I love you, Jonah. I want us to be together.”
Maybe it was the right time, after all. “You do, huh?”
“I do. If you don’t—if you’ve changed your mind, I wish you’d just tell me.” Gloria’s good hand balled, gathering a fist full of the sheet.
“As it happens—”
Gloria drew in a quick breath.
Jonah stood, lowered the rail on the side of the hospital bed, and perched beside her. He pried the fingers of her hand away from the covers and held it. “As it happens, I have changed my mind about something. See, I figured you needed more time, regardless of what you said. I didn’t want to rush you, or push you, because I didn’t want you comparing me to Frank. I know there are places I won’t measure up. He was a Marine. I’m just a cook.”
“Jonah.”
He put a finger to her lips. “I love you. And I’m ready to take you at your word and stop trying to give you space you don’t want. Or need.”
Gloria swallowed.
Jonah reached into his pocket and withdrew the small square box with the word “Facets” written on it in ornate cursive. He popped open the lid and held it out. “Gloria Sinclair, will you marry me?”
Her mouth formed a little “o” and her eyes filled, tears brimming over to slip down her cheeks. She reached for the box with her good hand and gasped.
Jonah grinned. Since Gloria was a police officer, he hadn’t gone for a big, flashy solitaire, but the circle of diamonds had caught his eye. The jeweler had assured him that it wasn’t going to catch on anything. “It’s called an eternity ring. I thought it was perfect, because that’s what I want for us. Eternity.”
“Oh, Jonah. Yes. Of course I’ll marry you.”
Donuts & Daydreams: An Arcadia Valley Romance (Baxter Family Bakery Book 4) Page 18
