Footsteps sounded behind her. “Don—” She turned. It wasn’t Donovan. “Grams, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be out there eating cake and opening presents. I got you an epic gift.”
Grams stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Jada. “I’ll do that after I make sure my granddaughter is okay.”
Jada dropped her head to her grandmother’s shoulder. Comforting hugs from her were how she’d survived her childhood with her mental and emotional well-being mostly intact. “I’m okay.”
Grams stepped back, grasping her hands. “You’re not, but you will be.”
Jada wiped at the stupid tear that refused to stay in the duct. “How do you know?”
“Because you come from hearty Townsend stock, strong enough to withstand those weak Matthews genes.”
A snort of laughter bubbled up in Jada’s chest. Her father would not be pleased. He’d done his genetic map sequencing for funsies and had been extremely happy with the results.
Grams leaned against the counter. “But that’s not the only reason. The only person I’ve ever seen defend his partner as fiercely as Donovan did you is your grandfather, God rest his soul, when those old white men in the league office couldn’t fathom a woman taking interest in running a team, even with her husband as her partner. He put them in their place more than once.”
Jada shrugged. “Donovan’s a good guy. He would have done that for anyone.”
“Perhaps, but would he have looked like he was half a second away from leaping across the table to tackle your father like he was the opposing team’s quarterback instead of a fifty-seven-year-old nerdy scientist?”
“Grams…”
“Don’t Grams me. Now, I know for a fact you and Donovan weren’t dating when you met in my office. You could barely stand the sight of each other. I don’t know what scheme you two cooked up with this whole dating thing, but I do recognize a man and woman in love.”
Every muscle in Jada’s body froze.
Yep, Grams had done the unthinkable—gotten her to stop obsessing over and seething about her parents. Now, thoughts about her feelings for her date crowded every corner of her brain.
Donovan couldn’t be in love with her, the eternal screwup, could he? She couldn’t be in love with him so quickly, could she?
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Penny for your thoughts.” Donovan settled his large frame next to Jada on the beach towel and held out a wineglass. Jada gave serious thought to grabbing the wine bottle out of his other hand and swigging straight from it, but that seemed like overkill. She reserved the right to change her mind, though.
“My thoughts are worth at least ten cents.” Jada gratefully accepted the glass and took a deep, fortifying sip of the excellent Chardonnay, then returned her attention to the gently lapping waves of the ocean.
They’d come back to his place after the dinner from hell and, after a brief detour to the kitchen for wine, headed straight for the beach. Moonlight cast an otherworldly glow on their surroundings. There was no other soul on the beach. Jada was grateful. She needed the tranquility.
He placed a hand over his heart. “I stand corrected. Do you accept credit cards?”
A brief smile touched her lips. He could always make her smile even when she felt like crap. “Cash only, but for you, I’ll make an exception.”
He looped an arm around her waist, and she lay her head on his hard chest. His heart beat steadily and sure underneath her ear. Unfortunately, calm remained out of her grasp. So many thoughts were rioting through her head.
“I’m willing to pay anything, you know,” he said quietly.
Why did he always know the right thing to say? What had she done to deserve having this man in her corner, who supported and encouraged her at every turn despite everything she’d put him through?
“I know.” Jada sighed. Her parents, what Grams said. It was a lot. Thoughts on all of it kept pinging around in her head. She went with the safer, less scary, more immediate concern. “My parents are my parents and expecting them to change is a fool’s errand. Sorry I put you through that.”
“Don’t apologize. I was there of my own free will.” He tucked a strand of hair whipping around her face behind her ear.
“Yeah, but…” She cringed, remembering the things her parents had said.
“Hey, don’t worry about me. I’m sorry you had to go through that. Parents can put you through hell, I know.”