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“Jonah,” she said, “there are so many things in this life that we have no control over. Take the control where you have it. The one thing you can control is the way you feel about something. Accepting that you may never know the truth of why your parents did what they did is a choice you can make.”
I gave a small smile. “You know, I think you’re the most intelligent, insightful, beautiful woman I’ve ever had the privilege to meet.”
Her beautiful cheeks turned raspberry.
“Oh, come on, don’t be embarrassed.”
“It’s just… No one has ever said anything like that to me before.”
“Are you kidding me? Not even loverboy Oliver Nichols?”
She shook her head. “I wasn’t lying to you. I didn’t ask for that kiss. As far as I’m concerned, he’s just a friend.”
It hadn’t looked like friendship to me, but fine. I’d let it go. After all, she had gone to dinner with me, not him.
“If no one has ever said anything like that to you before, everyone who’s met you is either blind or stupid. Or both.”
She laughed softly. “Of course they’re not, but thank you for saying it to me, Jonah. It means more than you know. On today of all days.”
Right, she had come to me because she had been distraught. Something had happened to Melanie earlier today, and like a completely selfish bastard, I had forgotten to ask her about it. Then, instead of making the day about fun as I’d originally hoped to, we’d begun talking about my own issues.
“Tell me what’s bothering you today. What brought you to me?” Anything that brought her to me worked in my favor, but I did not want her suffering.
“Oh, nothing really.”
I cupped her cheek. “It’s not nothing. You don’t strike me as the kind of woman who goes running to a man’s house unless something is truly wrong.”
She visibly swallowed. Then she hoisted herself up so she was sitting on the concrete ledge of the pool, her legs dangling in the water.
I spread her legs and stood between them, rubbing up and down her arms. “You can tell me. I will help if I can.”
“I wish you could help. The truth of the matter is, no one can.”
“That doesn’t sound like the insightful therapist I know.”
She let out a sarcastic chuckle and sniffled. “I don’t have any insight for myself, I’m afraid.”
“Maybe I’ll have some,” I said. “We Steels have brains, you know.”
She smiled. “Oh, I know. A lot of brainpower had to go into making your ranch the empire it has become.”
“That was a few generations before me, I’m afraid,” I said. “But we do need a substantial amount of brainpower to keep it going. That’s for sure.”
She nodded, saying nothing.
“Come on, Melanie. Let me help you.”
She sniffled again. “I’m going to be taking a little…vacation.”
My heart raced. I hoped she wouldn’t be gone long. “A vacation? That’s nothing to be so sad about. Where are you going?”
“I don’t know yet, and I don’t really want to take a vacation.”
“Then why take one?”
“I don’t have a choice. I have to leave my practice for a few weeks. Your brother has probably already gotten a call from Randi canceling all of his appointments for the next three weeks.”
I opened my mouth into a circle and then shut it quickly. “I’m so sorry. Why?”
