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He pulled back as confusion filled his eyes. “What is it? Are my kisses funny?”
“I’ll tell you in a minute.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, her fingers playing with the curls at the back of his neck. His lips were soft and warm as they moved over hers, his tongue sweeping into her mouth and setting her on fire. Emotion rose thick in her throat. She’d wanted this moment, dreamed of this moment, for so long. His lips against hers, his arms around her, his taste and warmth filling her mouth.
She couldn’t believe this was finally happening. Jimmy was back. In her shop, in her arms, and kissing her. Maybe dreams did come true. Maybe she would have a happy Christmas after all. She fought the tears from filling her eyes as she kissed him back, hoping the moment would never end.
Hoping he was in Pineville to stay.
Praying he wouldn’t break her heart again.
He broke the kiss and pulled back, looking down at her with such tenderness pooling in his eyes that it stole her breath. “Roni, I’ve missed you so much.”
He kissed her again, and she held him tight, hoping she could trust this, could trust him not to break her heart all over again.
“Please tell me you’re going to stay?” She cringed at the slight pleading in her voice.
Before he could respond, his phone rang. “Sorry. It could be Gerald.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket as concern filled his face. “It’s my mom.” He answered the phone.
His face tightened, and her heart dropped.
“I’m on my way.” He put the phone back in his pocket.
“Is everything all right?”
“I have to go. It’s my dad. He had a little setback. The EMS are there.”
“Of course,” she said. “Go. I hope he’s okay.”
“Me, too.” He leaned down, gave her a quick kiss, then was out the door.
CHAPTER17
Jimmy focused on his driving as the snow came down faster and harder. He called his mom again. His dad was home in bed. He was okay. The EMS were able to take care of him, but he wouldn’t be okay if Jimmy got into an accident trying to get home to him. The roads were slippery as he drove down his parents’ street toward their house. He parked the truck in the driveway and hurried inside.
His mom was sitting in the living room watching television.
“How’s Dad?”
“Better.” His mom sighed and clicked off the news. “I was able to get him to bed, and he’s sleeping soundly. Luckily, it wasn’t as serious as I originally thought.”
“What happened?” Jimmy sat on the sofa next to her.
She shifted slightly on the sofa so she was facing him. “Earlier, he wanted to go to Frankie’s. I knew it was too soon, but I’ve been telling him about how well we’ve been doing, and he wanted to see for himself. He was so tired of being cooped up in the bedroom so while you and Roni were upstairs, I gave in and drove him to the Riverwalk. I think he just did too much too soon. He was having such a good time, but then he started having some chest pains. I brought him home, but then he was having a hard time catching his breath, so I called the EMS. He’s okay but the doctor wants him on bed rest for the next three days.”
Guilt squeezed Jimmy’s chest. “I’m sorry, Mom. I should have been here.”
She scoffed. “Don’t be sorry. There wasn’t anything you could have done that I didn’t do. Neither one of us want you to disrupt your life for us. That’s why I didn’t call you as soon as it happened. I didn’t want to disrupt your evening with Roni. How did it go?”
Didn’t want to disrupt his evening? “Mom, this wasn’t nothing. You had to call the EMS. You should have called me so I could have been here with you. I should move back. You need me.” As soon as he said the words out loud, he knew they were right. They felt right. They felt like what he wanted to do.
His mother stared at him for a long moment, then reached for his hand. “Your father and I would love for you to move back, very much. But he wouldn’t want you to come back just for him. Just because he’s sick.”
“I know, and I wouldn’t…”
“You need to think very carefully about this, and if you do decide to come home, do it for yourself. Because it’s right for you and no one else. You need to be sure about what you really want. Okay?”
He gave her a small smile. “Okay.” He wondered if that speech was about him moving home because of them, or because of Roni. Before he could ask, his phone rang. He glanced down at the display.
“Roni?” his mom asked.
