Page 121 of Jonas

His response took the sting out of his reaction to me doing my job.

“How do I make this better for you?”

“Don’t get dead.”

Cripes.

That was specific and scary.

“I’m not going to get dead, honey.”

Jonas turned into the CVS parking lot where he was going to drop me off so I could walk the rest of the way to the pub and he could park across the street.

As soon as he parked, he snagged me around the back of the neck and pulled my face close to his.

“Promise, baby. Swear it, you’ll be careful.”

Oh, yeah, Jonas was panicking.

“I swear, honey.”

No sooner was the vow out of my mouth than his lips were on mine.

The kiss wasn’t like any we’d shared before. There was no urgency, no promise of something more. It was about intimacy and closeness. The kind of kiss we’d share thousands of times in the future, a hello or a see you later or a goodnight or for no reason.

Yet when he broke it, there was a tinge of sadness to it I hated.

“Jonas, I’ll be back in this car with you in less than an hour.”

He nodded and said the words, “You will.” But his tone lacked conviction.

“Honey—”

“Go, baby. Let’s get this done so we can get back to the farm.”

I leaned back in for a quick closed-mouth kiss. I opened the door but turned back and smiled. “If you think I’ve finally found my dream man and won’t do everything in my power to get safely back to you, you’re crazy. We have plans, Jonas—falling in love to do, memories to make, more kisses to share, nights making love, morning showers, swims in the creek, loads of stuff I can’t wait to share with you.”

I started to jump out when he called my name. “You’re right. You’ve got this. I’m acting like⁠—”

“You,” I cut him off. “You’re acting like you care about me. And I love that you’re worried and being protective. It’s what makes you—you. See you soon, J Dog.”

I heard his grunt as I slammed the door.

Therefore, I was smiling as I made my way to the restaurant.

I paused at the front door, took a moment to clear my emotions, and entered without looking across the street. I knew Jonas would be exactly where he said he would be; I didn’t need to confirm his location, or give him any more ammunition to worry.

Given the time of day, the pub was mostly empty—it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner. It was the perfect bastardized time to have a quiet conversation. I spotted Natalie sitting alone at a table in the corner. She looked worse than she’d sounded on the phone. As soon as she saw me she gave a listless wave.

There had to be more than what was happening at Delcon. She looked as freaked out as Penny had when she first arrived in the basement. The closer I got to Natalie, the more her paleness became noticeable.

“Hey,” I greeted softly.

She stood and pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. “Thank you for coming.”

“Of course. You okay?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. Something’s happening.”