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He was taking his badge back from the guard when somethingknocked into him, wrapping long arms around his waist.
He looked down and couldn’t help a smile. Jayce Ward. Lou’skid brother was one of his favorite people in the world. Probably because heseemed to be one of the only people who thought he deserved Lou. He wrapped anarm around the kid. “Hey, Jayce, how are you doing? I just saw your dad.”
Jayce’s head turned up. “I thought he was taking Molly andSprinkles to the vet.”
So that was the excuse he’d given. “I’m sure he is, but hewanted to stop by and make sure everything was okay at your sister’s place.”
Jayce stepped back and looked so much like his dad. “I bethe wanted to ask you if you’re planning on marrying my sister.”
“Jayce.” Daphne Ward caught up to her son. “I told you to bepatient.”
“But he’s with Lou, right?” Jayce looked from his mom to TJ.“I heard you’re Lou’s boyfriend now. I kind of thought you were always Lou’sboyfriend, but Mom told me no and then she said a bunch of stuff that I didn’tunderstand.”
Before his talk with Boomer he would have said yes, he wasLou’s boyfriend and plowed right through, but now he wondered. He’d spent thelast hour thinking about how she had to feel. He had to be patient. He got onone knee so he could look Jayce in the eyes. “Your sister is my best friend andalways will be, but we’re talking about maybe taking it to another level. Butyou need to know that no matter what happens between us, I’ll always love her,and I’ll always be here for you, buddy.”
“Cool,” Jayce said. “Because Mom says you’re taking me forpizza on Friday.”
“I am.” He’d learned to simply agree with the Ward women.Although there was something Daphne hadn’t thought about. “Unless your sisterneeds me. I’m sticking close to her for the time being.”
“Oh, she’ll be with you.” Daphne gave him a soft smile asshe stood next to her son. “Her dad and I are having dinner with your parents,so I thought it would be fun for you to spend some time with Jayce.”
TJ stood, staring at the woman he wanted as a mother-in-law.“That sounds like you’re planning something. Don’t push her, Daphne. She needstime.”
“She needs to change her mindset.” Daphne leaned over andpressed a kiss on his cheek. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Everything is going to workout. Was Boomer hard on you?”
“Of course not. I can’t say the same about Molly.”
Daphne chuckled. “Well, then all is right in the world. Comealong, son. Let’s go save the customers from Marley’s rage. You can have allthe sandwiches that didn’t sell from lunch.”
“Awesome. I hope there’s peanut butter and jelly. Bye, TJ.”Jayce raced for the door.
Daphne shook her head. “So like his dad. He ate theequivalent of three adult meals and he’s looking forward to a snack. And Imeant what I said. This is all going to be all right, and I am going to makeyou the most beautiful wedding cake.”
“I thought we were being patient.” He watched her go. Well,shit. Lou was going to be in an awful mood if her mom had been pushing her.
He rushed to the elevator, punching in the code that tookhim to the top floor, where his baby worked to change the world. Or at least tomake it easier to protect the world. Every time he watched her work, he was inawe of her.
Because she was the smartest person he knew, would everknow. Because she was transcendent. The truth of the matter was no one wouldknow her. They might know the things she invented, the enhancements she createdthat made the world work better. They wouldn’t stand and cheer for her in astadium, but she was every bit as special and gifted as a Michael Jordan orMeryl Streep. She was unique and special, and she would figure it out even ifshe rejected him. She would find what she needed.
Was he talking himself out of it again?
Psyching himself out was more like it.
He was a grown man who was now hearing his mom in his head.Telling him he could do this, that he was good enough.
If he wasn’t then he would change and make sure he wasbecause he loved Lou, and no one in the world was going to love her the way hedid.
The elevator doors opened, and he forced himself to walkthrough. Patience. He wasn’t going to think about what Daphne had said. Boomerhad advised patience, and he was following the plan. They’d been on histimeline and now they were on Lou’s, and he had to chill and hope she came toher senses before they were too old to enjoy their lives.
Because he would be sitting here waiting for her.
He strode down the hall as Lou’s door was opening. Kalawalked out and sighed when she saw him.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Kala sounded like she meant that,which made him wonder what terrible thing was about to happen.
“You are?”
Kala nodded, walking toward him. She settled her big bagover her shoulder. “Yep, because I’m pretty sure Daphne broke her. I don’t knowwhat she said because I was feeding a young Boomer. I’m not joking. Something’swrong with him. Anyway, Daphne came down to the cafeteria when Jayce was readyfor dessert, and I came back up here and Lou is all fucked up.”
