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Again, all JJ could do was nod.
“Do you really think he would want you to spend the rest of your life alone? Do you think that he would want you to be miserable all alone like you are?”
“But I was perfectly happy before I met Kenn,” she protested. “My life was going along just fine.”
“Was it, really? Can you honestly say you enjoyed all the nights you spent alone?”
“Yeah, I can.” She became defensive. Then she thought about the lonely nights. “Well, most of them.”
She struggled to control her tears. “You sure ask a lot of questions. And you’re beginning to sound like my sister, Nan.”
Alex smiled. “Any resemblance between the characters in your book and real people is purely coincidental. Isn’t that the disclaimer you give your readers at the beginning of your books? Before I visited you, I believed that legalese malarkey.”
Her character paused and her tone turned serious again. “But seriously, these are only questions you’ve been asking yourself for so long. Remember, while I’ve gained some limited knowledge on my own, anything that comes from my heart is there because you placed it in there first. I am first and foremost a creation of JJ Spritely.”
Then she smiled broadly and added, “And of that, I’m proud.”
JJ laughed out loud at that last comment. Alex continued. “My guess is that Geoff wouldn’t want you wallowing around here missing him forever. You’ve done your share of grieving. Now it’s time to get on with your life. I know Geoff would agree.”
Blake sprinted out quickly offering JJ a box of tissues. JJ and Alex gave him dirty looks. He smiled back at them, seemingly oblivious to their irritation and sprinted back into the house. JJ pulled several tissues at a time out of the box and blew her nose. Then she took two more to wipe the tears from her eyes and cheeks.
“Besides,” Alex offered, “it’s only a football game. You’re making no lifelong commitments by going to a football game. Just go and have a good time.”
“But you’re praying that more comes of this,” JJ said, with a slight smile. “You’re still convinced he’s the next love of my life. And you’re still hoping we get together so you can go home.”
“Well, yeah. But I realize now that those pleadings and maneuverings were pretty selfish on my part. And I apologize. I looked at your situation through a simplistic lens. Life in this world, I’ve discovered, has more complexity than I imagined.”
JJ wasn’t sure she believed a word of what Alex had said but appreciated the thought. She carefully considered her next words.
“It’s only natural that you’re searching for a way home. And honestly, it seems like a logical way to get back home,” JJ admitted. “After all, you leaped out of the pages of a romance novel. How else would you view life?”
She rocked back and forth in the rocker. She stared aimlessly across the street. Mr. Higley had just pulled his red truck into his driveway, stopped it at the end of it as he picked up his mail, waved and smiled at her. “Beautiful day, isn’t it,” he said.
“It most certainly is, Mr. Higley, it’s gorgeous.”
“The missus and me are celebrating our fiftieth wedding anniversary today.”
“Congratulations, Mr. Higley. Send Mrs. Higley my love.”
She could only imagine spending half a century with the same man.
Chapter 27
Kenn sat at the Physics Café, alone in a booth, his back against the wall, legs stretched out along the seat. He looked like a man lost in thought, Blake observed. Did he dare interrupt whatever was going through his mind?
“Go ahead and at least ask.” Alex nudged him. “All he could say is no. I’ll be over here in this booth. There are a couple of girls from the cheerleading squad I want to talk to.”
Blake cleared his throat. “Tell me again why I’m doing this.”
“Because we have to find out his true intentions toward JJ. If he isn’t ready for a serious relationship with her, then we’re just setting her up for heartbreak. And I would hate to be responsible for that. But if he does think he could really care for her, then we’re steering the couple toward the love of their lives. Oh, God, at least I hope so.”
He had never interfered with anyone’s life before. Well, not in a serious way. He had to admit that his antics of the last week or so had really interfered with both JJ’s and Kenn’s life, perhaps in ways that pushed them toward each other a little sooner than they had anticipated. Then he really thought about it. No, if anything, left solely to his influence, the two wouldn’t be talking at all.
“Hi, Kenn,” he said casually. “May I join you?” It looked as if Kenn had been studying the whipped cream swirls in his cappuccino.
“Blake.” Kenn appeared sincerely pleased to see him. “Of course, you can. Sit down. Where’s Alex?” Kenn immediately placed his feet on the ground and swung his torso around so he was facing the other side of the booth.
“She’s sitting over there,” he said, as he pointed in the general direction of Alex, “talking with some cheerleaders. I didn’t think I could survive such an intellectual conversation.”
