“Yeah. That thing’s permanently attached to him.”
Cutting through the crowd and nearly dragging Nick behind her, Jannie felt all warm inside at the sight of the smile Grandma gave her. Dad and Erik smiled too, halting as Jannie closed the distance to launch herself into Grandma’s arms, enveloping her in a tight hug.
“Oh, my dear child.” Bestemor’s voice was filled with love, as was her expression, strengthening Jannie’s conviction that, as the only girl, she held a special place in the older woman’s heart. “This great day just became perfect. You are the gift I wanted most.”
“Gratulerer med dagen, bestemor!”Jannie was thankful she remembered how to say, “happy birthday.”
“Tusen takk!” Grandma’s eyes lit up. She loved it when Jannie and her brothers spoke to her in Norwegian, which she had patiently taught them.
Jannie hugged Dad and Erik, then looked into Bestemor’s weathered face, still beautiful despite her years, and saw no questions, pity, or reproach, only joy.
Another reason to adore her grandmother, who looked up at Nick, her blue eyes wide.
“Grandma, Dad, Erik, this is an old friend of mine from high school, Nick Kent.”
The men studied Nick with interest.
“Åh.” Grandma’s eyes twinkled. “Han er utrolig kjekk,”she murmured.
Jannie bit back a smile.Yeah, he sure is incredibly handsome.
Nick smiled politely at Bestemor, turning questioning eyes to Jannie.
“She said it’s nice to meet you,” Jannie said.
Dad chuckled, and Erik snorted softly, a half-smile revealing one of his dimples.
“Pleasure, son,” Dad said, extending his hand.
“The pleasure is all mine.” Nick shook Dad’s hand, then Erik’s. “Quite an accomplishment for your family. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Dad said, “but I can’t take any credit. Adam did all of this on his own. In fact, I might have called him crazy a time or two during the process.”
“Good thing he didn’t listen to you.” Jannie moved in to hug him.
Dad wrapped her in a firm embrace, then held her at arms’ length, that worry line Jannie knew well appearing between his eyebrows. “You disappeared on us.”
What could she say? “I know.”
The line grew even deeper, just like it used to when he scolded her as a child. “We didn’t like it.”
“Dad,” Erik quietly said, “this isn’t about us.”
Well, this was out of character for Erik. It looked as if he hadn’t only gained a lot of muscle, but he’d also grown bigger balls to go with that new body of his.
“It’s about the entire family,” Dad said. “Like it or not, what happens to one of us impacts us all. Your mother wanted to—”
“She needed some time.” Erik’s lips thinned. “I get that. You should too.”
Jannie had to press her own lips together to hold back a laugh. Who was this guy, and what had he done with her shy, nonconfrontational little brother? She glanced at Nick and saw him regarding Erik with bemusement, but there was evident respect there too.
Eager to shift the focus from herself, Jannie reached into her Goyard tote and pulled out a small gift-wrapped box. Might as well give it to her early. “For you, Grandma.”
“For me?” Grandma showed the same enthusiasm she always did when Jannie gave her something, no matter how small. “And perfectly wrapped, of course. It’s almost too pretty to open.”
“What’s inside is prettier. I can’t wait to watch you unbox your gifts at dinner.”
“Oh … yes.” Something in the way Grandma replied seemed off.
