Page 69 of Always Been You

Nana rolled her eyes. "She said that there were two little girls that were depending on her and needed her now more than ever. And she said that she and Carter had talked about what would happen if one of them were left to raise the girls by themselves and they made each other promise that no matter how bad it got, they'd get up each and every day and be grateful that they got to be with their girls. They promised each other that they would live life to the fullest, and they would show the girls that there was life and joy even after loss."

Ethan's teeth ground together as he thought about Carter not seeing his little girls grow up and Lori having to be a single parent.

Nana continued, "She said that at times it’s been a lot harder than she thought it would be to keep that promise, but she was determined not to let him down. No matter what."

She paused. "She asked how you were doing."

"I'm..." he was about to say that he was fine, but he stopped himself.

Nana shot him a look.

"No. You're not fine. So stop saying it. I know you’re upset about Carter. I know you blame yourself. But it’s not your fault.”

The doorbell rang and for the first time since he’d got home he was happy for the interruption. It turned out to be a delivery, and though he very much expected Nana to pick up right where she left off when she returned, she mercifully just sat and watched her shows, leaving him to his own thoughts.

Thoughts that were filled with one person: Jess. His grandma was right. He wasn’t fine, he was a sinking ship and there was no way he was going to take her down with him.

"Well, Elvis, if this doesn't do the trick I don't know what will." Jess pulled the underwire on her bra and her modest cleavage spilled over the top of the white material pulled taut against her chest.

Her cat glanced at her with feigned disinterest, flicked his tail once, and then went back to licking his paw and then wiping it on his head.

"Let's hope Ethan's more impressed than you."

After a final check in the mirror, Jess grabbed a trench coat that she was glad she hadn't got around to storing for the summer and threw it on. She wasn't sure what would grab more attention, her driving around with a winter coat on in one–hundred-degree weather, or the outfit she was rocking beneath that coat...

Probably the outfit.

It was a short drive to Ethan's, but the last thing she wanted was to be pulled over in her naughty nurse ensemble...although, it would probably get her out of whatever infraction she got pulled over for in the first place.

She grabbed her bag filled with some “props” and was headed out the door when her phone vibrated. She looked down and saw that Ali was facetiming her.

"Hey, I was just heading out. I'm running late," she answered.

"You? Late?" Ali spoke in a shocked tone.

"Hardy har har."

"What are you wearing?" Ali tilted her head up to see more, forgetting for a second that they were talking on a screen.

"A jacket."

"You know it's a hundred degrees outside, right?"

"Yep."

"Then why are you..." Her friend's face clouded with confusion before it relaxed in realization. "Wait a minute. What are you wearing under the coat?"

Since Elvis's reaction was lukewarm at best, she figured she'd get a second opinion. She opened the coat and tilted her phone down.

"Holy hot tamale!" Ali yelled.

"I'm a naughty nurse," Jess pointed out the obvious.

"Yeah, I got that. You better be careful not to give the patient a heart attack."

"Speaking of the patient, I need to go. Daisy texted that she left almost twenty minutes ago."

"Okay, I was just calling to see how Ethan's doctor's appointment went yesterday."

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