Now would not be a great time to tell him the truth—that I have no fiancée. That he’d been right and Jane’s happiness with me had been directly related to money.
“I’ll…” I clear my throat and blink my eyes. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Good. Don’t forget your fiancée. I want him to have peace.”
My Grandpa’s last wish was to meet the fiancée that I no longer have. Someone that optimistically-romantic Nash had thought would love him no matter what. I’m not that naïve anymore. But that still leaves me with a very big problem.
I don’t have a fiancée to introduce to him.
“I’ll do my best,” I tell Mary.
“See you soon.” She hangs up, but I can’t seem to pull the phone away from my ear—almost like if I keep holding it there then the news will be better.
It won’t. I slide my phone back into my pocket.
There’s no more time.
“He’s dying,” I tell Magnolia. Because I have to admit the truth out loud.
I thought I’d have more time. That he would be with me longer.
So much has been left unsaid.
“I’m so sorry,” she tells me as she hesitates briefly before resting a comforting hand on my arm.
She doesn’t even know what I’m talking about. For all she knows, my goldfish, Blackbeard, is dying. But her concern is exactly what I need to spur me into action.
“He wants to meet my fiancée,” I explain.
“That’s great.” She nods.
“I don’t have a fiancée.”
“That’s bad.”
I open my driver’s door, wondering what I’ll tell him.
“I’ll tell your boss that you have a family emergency. I don’t want you to lose your job,” she reassures me.
“That’s very sweet of you.”
If only I’d told Grandpa the truth sooner, he wouldn’t be waiting for the impossible.
“Do you have anywhere to be right now?” I ask.
“The unemployment office.”
“Great. You’re hired.”
“That soon?” She asks with raised eyebrows. “You didn’t even ask for a resume.”
“It’s temporary work,” I say as I hold out a hand to her. “Do you trust me?”
She stares at my outstretched hand, then looks back to my face. “Yes, as strange as that is.”
“Perfect. I’ll explain on the way. Get in. We don’t have any time to lose.”
I grab her box of stuff and stash it in the back seat. I extend my hand toward her again, and she takes itwithout hesitation. We hurry to the other side of the car, and I open the door for her.
