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When they were finished, Isabel glanced at the time, shocked to find it was nearly four o’clock in the afternoon. “I should see how Grandpa is doing. You want to come and ask about digging in the woods.”
“Sure, if you don’t think he’ll mind.” Jackson picked up his T-shirt draped on a kitchen chair and shrugged into it.
“Nah. Grandpa has always liked you. In fact, he was the one who talked me into apologizing.” Her cheeks heated over remembering how she’d treated Jackson that first night. “Again, I’m sorry I was such a bitch.”
Jackson reached up and tugged on her hair then he arrowed a thumb toward the bedroom as he led them toward the front door where they put on their shoes. “You’ve more than made up for it. Besides, I wasn’t nice that night either.”
“Probably because you’d been in the rain, getting all muddy as you saved my dog.” She stepped outside after Blaze exited and Jackson followed her. “By the way, I owe you money for the vet.”
Jackson waved a hand in dismissal as they walked toward Grandpa’s cottage. “No money. Promise you’ll go on another date with me and we’ll call it even.”
She turned to face him, Blaze trotting on ahead. Resting her hands on his shoulders, she said, “Oh, we’re definitely going on more dates, Doctor Hunky. That’s a fact.”
He pulled her in close for a hug. “You know how I love facts.”
Chuckling, she kissed his chin and took his hand, tugging him to Grandpa’s cottage. She opened the front door and when she didn’t see her grandfather sitting on the couch, concern crept into her chest.
“Grandpa?”
“Out here, Belly.”
A breath whooshed out of her and Jackson squeezed her shoulder.
“It’s hard not to worry, isn’t it?” he asked.
Isabel led him to the doors at the back of the cottage that opened to a small porch. “Yeah, I keep thinking about him having the heart attack and if someone hadn’t found him, he’d... he could have...” She shook her head. “I can’t.”
Jackson’s hands on her upper arms as he stood behind her offered all the comfort in the world. “He’s doing okay now, right?”
She nodded.
“That’s all that matters.” He kissed the back of her head then stepped around her. “C’mon.”
Isabel followed Jackson out to the porch, so glad he was here. She’d somehow gotten all the wonderful things about the Jackson she’d known in high school plus an upgrade to a man who put her before archaeology. With the appearance of the stone dagger, she didn’t know how long that would last, but she reminded herself to focus on having fun with Jackson while they were here together.
After all, they both had dreams that would take them away from Maplehaven once again.
