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“Of course. And anything else you need. Anything your mom needs, you let me know, okay?”
“Thanks.”
“Listen, El, I know it all sounds like just words right now. Over the next few days, you’ll get sick of hearing people sayingif there’s anything I can do.I’m not just saying it, I mean it. I can’t bake you a casserole or do any of the things that you’ll no doubt be inundated with. But if you need transport, logistics, travel planning, anything organizing, just know that you’ve got me, and the whole team at the estate at your beck and call, okay?”
“Thanks.”
Jacob knew that he probably wasn’t getting through to him right now. Elliott wasn’t in any shape to process it all. He’d have to call Trick and talk to him.
“I appreciate it, Jacob. I really do. I think Dad organized and paid for everything that he could take care of in advance. But I’ll let you know if anything comes up. And really, what I want most from you is to be there – and if you can get some of the team there, I’d appreciate that, too.”
“It’s done. And El?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry. I know there are no words that will help right now, but your dad was a great man. Give your mom a hug from me?”
“Thanks.” Elliot’s voice broke on the word. “I’m going to go now.”
Jacob closed his eyes to keep in the tears. He felt so bad for Elliott. And he couldn’t help remembering …
“Jacob?” He opened his eyes when Becca put her hand on his arm. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I … Elliott’s …”
He loved her all the more when he saw tears shining in her eyes. “I gathered. I’m sorry.” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. “It’s reminding you, isn’t it?”
He nodded and brought his hands up to cover his face as the tears rolled silently down his cheeks.
“Shh.” He felt like a little kid as she held him and rocked him and stroked his back. As he let the tears flow, it hit him that this was something he hadn’t had when his parents died. He’d been the strong one for Xander and Hannah, well, for Hannah. He’d taken care of everything; the funeral, the business, the household. He’d made arrangements and dealt with lawyers and transfers and every little detail. He hadn’t been able to stop and grieve, he’d had to step up. Sophie hadn’t … he wondered if she’d tried to console him, and he just hadn’t noticed. He didn’t think so, but he couldn’t be sure. It didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was that Becca was here now. She was giving him the space, and the support to finally let it all out. She was caring for him – loving him, in a way that no one else ever had – or ever would.
When he finally pulled himself together, he went and rinsed his face at the kitchen sink and dried it before coming back to her and wrapping his arms around her.
“Thank you.”
“I love you.”
He pressed a kiss to her lips. “I love you, too.”
Chapter Twenty
“Are you okay?” asked Slade.
Becca nodded. “Yeah. I’m fine.” She gave him a rueful smile. “I’m a bit nervous, I guess. I mean, I flew in the plane with Jacob to get back from Oakland. But that washisplane andwithhim. This …” She looked out through the window at the jet that had just landed and was taxiing toward the building. “I told him that we could wait and go and see my folks next weekend or some other time. I hate to think how much it cost him to rent this one just for me.”
Slade touched her arm. “You’ll be fine. If I know you, and I think I do, you’re not worried about the actual flight, right? You’re more worried about the pilots and feeling like you don’t belong.”
“Yeah. You do know me. I’m not used to this … I don’t …” She let out a short laugh. “I won’t say that I don’t like it. I am grateful, obviously. I just wish Jacob was coming with me. And now I feel terrible for saying that. I know that he needed to go to the funeral. I love that he wants to be there for Elliott. I love that so many of you guys are going.”
“He wanted you to go as well.”
“I know, but that didn’t feel right. I’ve never even met Elliott. And I didn’t want Jacob to have to think about me. He wants to support Elliott, and I want him to be able to do that. If I were there, you know as well as I do that he’d spend as much time making sure that I was okay as he did with everyone else. That’s not what it’s about. You know what I mean.”
“I do, and I know that you’re right.” He chuckled. “Jacob knows it, too, but he still would rather have had you with him.”
“Do you think I was wrong, then?”
“No! I think you made the right call. Everyone who works for him is curious about you. They all want to get to know you. But there’ll be time for that. This weekend isn’t that time.”
