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“Thanks. I’ll come by tomorrow.”
“All right,” Donovan said. “Later.”
“Bye.”
Jackson lowered his phone, warmed by his brother’s call. Setting the phone aside, he focused on his laptop and the hundred tabs he had open in his browser. He was eager to comb through his uncle’s books, but there was plenty of information to gather online for now.
Sometime later, Jackson snapped awake. It took him a few moments to realize he was on the couch in his cottage. Blaze stood by the front door, his tail swishing expectantly.
A soft knock sounded and Blaze let out a whine.
“Is that your mama out there?”
Jackson ran a hand through his hair and smoothed his wrinkled T-shirt, hoping he didn’t look as if he’d been asleep. He’d changed out of his dress pants and into cotton shorts when he’d come home, wanting to be more comfortable.
Opening the door, he found Isabel standing there, still wearing that purple dress and looking sexy as ever even with the lines of fatigue and worry near her eyes. Every atom in his body wanted to gather her into his arms, but he wasn’t sure if she’d be receptive to that contact right now.
After she spent a few moments rubbing Blaze all over, their eyes met and he knew.
Reaching out a hand, Jackson took hers. He barely had to tug and she stepped into his arms. He folded his arms around her back while she wrapped hers around his waist. Resting his chin atop her head, he took a deep breath as she did, the simultaneous action somehow syncing them again. He could stand like this forever with her. She had to believe she belonged right there.
She had to.
“Your grandfather is all right?” he asked.
She nodded against his chest. “The man needs to get it into his thick skull that he has to rest.” She stepped back. “He was unloading and stacking wood tonight.” She shook her head. “Can you believe that? Unloading and stacking wood! Why would he think that was a good idea?”
“You mentioned guests coming this weekend,” he said. “Is that what he’s worried about? Being ready for them?”
“Yeah. I told him I can do that stuff. That’s why I’m here. I guess I didn’t realize how much there was to be done, but in my defense, he didn’t mention any of the numerous tasks either. I thought he had more staff than he actually does, but much of what you see here,” she said as she gestured to the cottage around them, “is a one-man operation. He has a tiny staff, but he takes care of pretty much everything else. I’ve got to help him.”
Jackson took her hand and led her to the couch, happy when she didn’t protest. Blaze followed and jumped up to the cushions after Jackson and Isabel sat.
“I can help too,” he said.
“You don’t have to.” Isabel rubbed Blaze’s ears and the dog squeezed his eyes closed, releasing a low hum of approval at her touch.
Jackson knew the feeling.
“I want to help Eugene,” he said. “The man is letting me dig up his woods for crying out loud. Helping him around here is the least I can do.” He rested his hand on Isabel’s thigh, encouraged when she didn’t brush him away. “I also want to help you.”
Isabel placed her hand over his. “Thanks.”
“It’s also an elaborate plan to spend time with you without taking you away from what you came here to do.” He tapped his temple. “Genius, remember?”
She squeezed his hand then looked up at him, her green eyes full of emotions. “I acted like a jerk at the hospital, Jackson, and I’m so sorry.”
He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “You were worried about your grandfather. All that matters now is that he’s okay and... we’re okay.” He held his breath as she looked at their still joined hands resting on his thigh now.
“I’d like us to be okay,” she said quietly. “I’d like us to be more than okay.”
He released his breath and pulled her into his lap. Cupping her cheek, he said, “We will be. We will be because I love you, Isabel. I’ve only ever loved you.”
She leaned forward and captured his mouth in a gentle yet deep kiss. “I love you too, Jackson. I’ve loved you since I was a silly teenager.”
Jackson hugged her close. “You’re still silly.”
She pushed back, swatting his chest. “Yeah, but my boobs are bigger now.”
