“I’m so sorry,” I tell him, kissing away his tears.
“I’ve treated her with kid gloves ever since,” he says, his voice hard. “I’ve treated my own mom like a fucking kid.”
“You were worried.”
He swallows. “I was. So damn much.”
“Maybe you don’t have to be. I mean, I guess you’ll always worry about her because you love her, but maybe it isn’t your responsibility.” I pause. I’ve only met Evie once, but she doesn’t strike me as frail. “Your mom’s pretty fierce.”
Wes chuckles. “She is.” He smiles against my lips. “She says she wants to fall in love, maybe get married one day.”
“She deserves that. Everyone deserves love in their life.”
Wes looks at me with so much tenderness in his eyes. “Like you, babe. You deserve it so much, too, Jett.”
I realize he’s right, this wonderful, gorgeous man who has decided, out of all the people in the world, I’m the one he wants. Idodeserve it. I’m ready to accept it, and I’ll spend every second trying to make Wes feel it too, and how ready I am to love him, unafraid and uninhibited.
Wes tugs on my hand. “We should go downstairs. But just so you know, my family probably heard every word.” He raises his voice a tad. “Nosy busybodies, the lot of them.” There’s scrambling from downstairs, then rushed, muffled voices.
I laugh. “I don’t mind. I’m done hiding.”
“That you are. So anyway, how did you know where to find me?”
A blush creeps along my cheeks. “When I couldn’t reach you, I called Mike. I thought if anyone knew where you were, it’d be Dennis.”
Wes’ eyes widen. “Didn’t know you had Mike’s number.”
I rub at my chest, thinking about how I felt when I called Mike. The nerves. The shame, too. “I didn’t. I called the company. Jon picked up, and after a little persuasion, he gave me Mike’s number. I think he could tell I was desperate.”
“Why didn’t you call Dennis instead?” Wes plays with my earring, and the simple touch spreads like wildfire through my body.
“I didn’t think he’d tell me,” I admit. “The two of you seem pretty protective of each other.”
Wes shrugs. “We are, but Dennis also knows I love you.”
“Yeah?”
“Of course. Now c’mon. I think we’ve tortured my family long enough.”
Wes’ grandmother hugs me for the longest time, until Evie pushes her away, narrowing her eyes at me. “D-d-did you… apologize t-to my s-s-son?”
“Jesus, Mom!” Wes blurts, shaking his head, while his granddad snorts.
I laugh at the two of them. They’re the cutest. “I did, Evie.”
She tips her chin forward. “G-g-good. Th-then you g-g-get a… hug.” She lifts onto her toes, engulfing me in a fierce embrace. “D-don’t h-hurt him… a-aa-again,” she whispers against my ear.
“I won’t. I promise.” My eyes lock onto Wes’ over her shoulder, which are watery again. He’s so beautiful, and so fucking strong. What he went through with his mom and now with me. Still, he’s so positive, so relentless in his belief that everything will work itself out.
I ease Evie away from me. “Wes says you need surgery soon.”
“I d-do.”
“I’m really sorry.”
Evie shrugs. “It… is w-w-what it is.”
“Still, it must be frightening.”
