Page 105 of Kiss the Girl
“In other words,” Georgia chimed in, “he wanted one of our grandfather’s famous barbecues in his honor. The kind we used to do in the summer with all of our favorite foods, tons of goodies from Mrs. Henderson, and a few other surprises that he asked for Susannah and myself to handle.”
“When is this happening?” Austin asked.
“Two weeks from Saturday,” Susannah replied. “We need that time to pull everything together so that we do it all the right way. The way he requested.”
In the back of his mind, Jackson marveled at how everyone was going out of their way to give Cash a proper sendoff, considering how little he’d done for any of them previously. It just proved what his father said not five minutes ago in the video.
There wasn’t a greater group of people alive.
His family was simply amazing and it was crazy how something tragic like death just brought out the best in them.
“Is there anything you need from us?” Emma asked. “Food we need to bring or anything like that?”
“It’s all being taken care of,” Georgia said. “The boys can tell you about some of the big summer cookouts we used to have here. Sometimes the whole town would show up and celebrate whatever holiday it was, but this time, it’s just for the family and some close friends. The people who knew Cash and loved him.”
“Mom?” Jackson asked quietly. “Are you okay with all of this? Really?”
Grace smiled serenely. “Your father was right when he said I wanted nothing from him. He already gave me the greatest gift in the three of you. When he got that inheritance and he was going to split it between the four of us, I knew then that I didn’t want it. But you know how he was and he was persistent.” She looked at each of her sons. “What I want most is to know that you’re all happy and healthy and doing what you want in this world. And if this money from him makes that happen, then I’ll be happy.”
“Yeah, but…he kind of owed this money to you,” Austin said. “All the years of struggling and living without…”
Grace waved him off. “The money would have been great back then. I don’t need it now.” Reaching over to Savannah, she squeezed her hand. “Besides, this young lady is family. And she did more for Cash during his illness than any of us. It does my heart good knowing that she won’t have to struggle and might take some time to focus on herself.” She smiled at Savannah. “And I hope you stick around and let us all be a part of your life because you’re already a part of ours and we love you.”
“Thank you, Grace,” she whispered, and Jackson was certain she was going to argue about the inheritance, but…she didn’t.
Susannah had put out snacks and drinks and they all visited for a little while longer before, one by one, they left. Austin wanted to get home to Mia and Everly, Garrett and Emma wanted to check in at the clinic, Grace and Dom were going to have dinner with his kids and their families, and Georgia and Beau had dinner reservations at the country club. Before he knew it, his aunt excused herself and he was alone with Savannah. Neither was in a rush to leave, but his mind was racing with questions that he knew he needed answers to.
“How…how did you know to show up here today?” he blurted out and cursed his own impatience.
Twisting in her seat, she faced him. “When I left your apartment the other morning, my plan was to pack up my stuff from the rental and go back to Seattle. I needed time to clear my head and deal with my grief and just…I don’t know…figure out what I was supposed to do with my life.”
Damn, he hated how Cash had nailed that scenario.
“So I loaded up my car and headed out of town. I drove through Magnolia and…and…ugh, this is so stupid.”
“And what?”
“I stopped at Henderson's because I wanted something sweet to eat,” she admitted. “I figured I’d grab a big box of cakes and cookies and cupcakes and just eat my feelings.” With a laugh, she added, “I was really looking forward to it, too.”
“But…?”
“But I ran into your mother as soon as I stepped inside.” Rolling her eyes, she explained, “I almost turned and ran out, but she spotted me and, naturally, she wanted to make sure I was okay and I just sort of…broke down right there in the middle of the bakery. The next thing I knew, we were in Mrs. Henderson's office having coffee and eating freshly baked crumb cake.”
“Oh my God…I forgot about the crumb cake,” he said with a laugh.
“It was practically lethal. I swear the FBI could break a lot of cases and get any confession they needed using that cake because I spilled my guts to your mom. She told me there was no way I could drive all the way to Seattle in the shape I was in and said she was taking me home with her. And she did. Dom went back and got my car and I’ve been staying with her for the last few days.”
“What?! Seriously? You’ve been at my mother’s house and you wouldn’t return any of my calls? Or texts? Why?”
As soon as the words were out, he regretted them because he knew better than to ask a question you didn’t want the answer to.
“Because I needed a little time, Jackson,” she said with a huff. “We have seen each other just about every day since the day we met. Everything was so intense and emotional and…I needed time to just breathe.”
“Oh.”
“Do you know what I was thinking that morning before you found me on the floor?”
He shook his head.