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“Was hard to resist it, knowing it was in there.”
Jenna looks straight at me, and I have the distinct impression the woman can read my every thought.
“I was going to make apricot jam today,” Jenna says.
“Oh, I’d love to help.”
Working side by side with Jenna is pure bliss. She radiates calmness, relaxing me, making me feel safe, loved.
“It’ll pass by quickly,” Jenna says out of the blue.
I snap my head up from the table where I’m slicing apricots. “What?”
“This media attention. The good thing about gossip magazines is that by the time a new day rolls around, no one cares about yesterday’s gossip.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“This happened to us too.” Jenna takes the apricots I sliced and pours them into the large pot on the stove. She’s now with her back to me, so I can’t see her expression. “In the beginning, when Bennett Enterprises was on the rise, getting a lot of media attention, Richard and I had our share of run-ins with overeager reporters. It wasn’t always easy. We weren’t used to that kind of life. We had to be careful who we spoke to, what we said.”
I strongly suspect Jenna hasn’t told this to any of her kids, for fear she might sound ungrateful. “But rough patches come and go. Can’t all be smooth sailing, can it?”
“No, it can’t. But you’ve done a brilliant job with all of it, if you don’t mind me saying.” I join her at the stove and put a hand on her arm. Jenna is right. It’s exactly what Dad said too, and I make up my mind on the spot.
I need to see Daniel. Forget calling him. I mean, the man isn’t answering anyway. But I want to talk to him face-to-face. Once I was young and stupid, let him slip away from me. I’m definitely not that young anymore, and I like to think I got smarter over the years.
I will head to Sydney on the next flight. I thought about this the entire morning. What held me back was the fear Daniel wouldn’t want me there, and the price of the airfare. Buying a ticket on such short notice comes with an astronomic cost—about a month’s worth of rent. It would make a dent in my already depleted savings, but I don’t care. It will be worth it. As to Daniel, well... I just won’t let him push me away. I allowed it once, won’t do so again.
There’s also the small fact that I’m supposed to be working for the rest of the week. I’m not so sure the principal will be so understanding, no matter how good my cocoa cookies and donuts are. But I just have to take the risk. There’s n
o way around it. I’m all in, and I want Daniel to know this. I’ve been all in from the beginning but was afraid to admit it, even to myself. Not anymore.
“Jenna, do you mind if I leave in about an hour?”
“Oh. Why?” Jenna stops in the act of stirring the pot.
“I want to fly out to Daniel. The next plane to Sydney leaves in a few hours. Need to go home to get my passport and pack a bag.”
Jenna chuckles and raises both hands, sending a few drops of marmalade flying around the kitchen.
“Ah, I can’t let you do that, my child.”
I blink. “Why?”
Jenna checks the time on the grandfather clock on the wall. “Because Daniel will be landing in about four hours.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Daniel
By the time I step out of the plane, my legs are stiff. My entire body is protesting. A trip to Australia is always exhausting. Reversing the trip within forty-eight hours is insane.
I was afraid I’d fall asleep during the cab ride to my parents’ house, but I needn’t have worried. The cabbie’s murderous driving skills have me on high alert.
When he slows to a stop, I tip him anyway, out of sheer joy that I survived the ride. I walk the long path from the gate to the house, my spirit lifting with every step. I called Mom as soon as I had any semblance of a plan. I could’ve called any of my siblings, but when the going gets rough, no one’s better at being on top of things and calming the waters than Mom. I also knew Caroline needed Mom’s soothing presence after the entire incident.
I can’t wait to see the look of surprise on her face when she sees me. As I approach the front door, I see my father and Martin on the far end of the property. From here, I can’t assess Martin’s appearance, but I assume the man is recovering well if he can traipse the distance.
I follow the sound of Caroline’s and Mom’s voices to the kitchen. Caroline is laughing, and I let the sound wash over me, melt away some of my worries. As soon as I step in the kitchen, I feel like I’m literally going to melt. There are about a million degrees inside, but I forget all about it at the fantastic sight in front of me.
