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Jo pushed away from the table and met her grandma and Bridget in the living room. “Bridget? What are you doing here?”
“Are you kidding me? You’ve been ignoring my calls, and Delia is about to have a stroke because I haven’t given her your schedule.”
“I know I’m sorry. I’ve just?—”
“What’s he doing here?” Her grandma and Bridget asked at the same time as Craig walked into the living room.
Jo looked from her grandma to Bridget. “He came to apologize… for everything.”
Her grandma eyed him. “So, you aren’t going to try to push me out of my home?”
“No, Mrs. Stewart, I’m not, and I apologize for even suggesting it.”
She grunted a response and stalked out of the living room, clearly unwilling to accept anything he had to say. Jo didn’t really blame her. He’d come out swinging, and she wasn’t going to easily forgive that.
Bridget crossed her arms over her chest. “Apologized, huh?”
“Yes, I apologized,” he replied. “I was stupid.”
“Well, at least we agree on that.” She pulled her shoulders back, lifting her nose in the air. “I guess you’ll be heading back to New York now?”
With a sigh, he shook his head. “No, I’m taking some time to visit with my folks. I am from here, remember?”
Her eyes narrowed a fraction. “Fine, but you better not mess with Jo while you’re here.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “I wouldn’t even think of doing such a thing.” He looked at Jo. “I think I’ll get going. See you around?”
Smiling, Jo nodded. “Sure. I’ll see you around.”
Bridget followed him with her gaze, slowly turning as he walked to the door and left. The second it was shut, she whipped around and stared at Jo. “An apology? He doesn’t apologize for anything. I don’t trust him.”
“I wouldn’t say I trust him,” Grandma said as she returned to the living room. “But the apology does help.”
Jo sheepishly toed the ground. “It does, and I believe him.”
“What?” Bridget’s voice rose an octave.
Turning, Jo strode to the kitchen with Bridget and her grandma on her heels. “We had a good talk. I believe him.”
“What about throwing me out of my house?” Grandma asked.
Jo returned to her seat. “He saw me with Jack and said he got jealous and handled it wrong.”
“And you really believe that?” Bridget sat next to her at the kitchen table. “Isn’t he the guy you said couldn’t be trusted? That he was always scheming?”
“Yes, but… maybe being here will remind him of who he was. For now, I’ll accept his apology and hope that’s the case.” She smiled and decided there needed to be a change of subject. “When did you get into town, Bridget?”
“Just a bit ago. I came straight from the airport.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been answering the phone. I’ve been working on the house, and I was so tired at the end of the day, I didn’t have the brainpower to work on a schedule.”
“Well, Delia’s given me two days to come up with a schedule, or we’re both fired, so that’s why I’m here. You can’t ignore me if I’m standing in front of you.” She grinned.
Jo groaned and rubbed her forehead. “Great.” She blew out a puff of air. “Okay, well, let me finish my lunch, and we can hash it out while I paint.”
To say she wasn’t looking forward to it was an understatement.
She needed to talk to Delia again. There had to be a way to give them both what they wanted. Jo could write and take pictures. They didn’t have to be mutually exclusive, and she was less and less inclined to go along to get along with the hopes one day she’d get to do what she loved.
