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JoJo touched my cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“You took up for me,” I said quietly.
“I did?” She furrowed her brow.
Somehow knowing it was her instinct to do so made it all the sweeter. “With your mother. You told her to stay away from me.”
“She’s vicious. You don’t need that.”
I curled my fingers around her waist. It was clear from the moment I met Penelope that she knew without a doubt that her mother loved her unconditionally. And even though she’d had little to do with her grandmother and aunt—well, probably because of this—she’d known there were people who believed in her.
It had made her into the fearless, intelligent, and wise young woman she was. Which begged the question whether I would have been a different man had I had people in my corner throughout adolescence and adulthood.
Did my parents simply not love me or had they believed that sparing the rod would make me lazy and unmotivated? When did they ever simply encourage me?
“No one ever looks out for me.” Again, the words were out before I expected them.
As she stared up at me, I felt something soul deep.
“Maybe it’s time we changed that.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
JOJO
“Stay. Please.”
Asking the man still technically married to my sister was wrong on so many levels. If I believed there was any reconciliation—that he had any feeling other than animosity toward her—I wouldn’t have done it.
But being with Kane, even when we argued, felt more right than being without him. I had so far to go to make things up to him. Honestly, I couldn’t.
I made decisions we both had to live with, though there were signs today that he might be able to forgive me.
Like he hadn’t gone back to the office this afternoon.
I’d seen the mountain of work on his desk. Clearly he was an important attorney and in high demand. But it was nearly four o’clock, and he was still sitting in my living room.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I thought you were too busy for me.” One corner of my mouth lifted.
“I make time for what I want to.” He returned to making notes on his legal pad.
So we’d both been catching up on some work. But he was here.
“How about tea? Would you like some?” I set aside the map I’d been focused on.
“Think the tea leaves will tell you how to get your park?” He smirked.
Not so long ago I’d been protesting the removal of homeless from that park alongside Penelope. I hadn’t forgotten about my offer to purchase the land from the new owners, but I hadn’t figured out how to solve the situation.
I narrowed my gaze, though it was half-hearted. “Maybe.”
He followed me to the kitchen and leaned against the island counter opposite the stove.
While I filled the kettle and turned on the burner, he was quiet. I gathered the tea and cups before taking a position across from him.
“Define stay.”
