Page 61 of Jonathon, After All

“No, it wasn’t,” she said sadly, patting his cheek. “It’s so good to have my sweet Jonathon again. I knew you were lost and hurting, but I didn’t know how to help you find your way back.”

Jonathon pushed out a hard breath and nodded. “I wanted to tell you and I felt terrible hiding it from you for all these years. But I was afraid of how you’d react,” he said, earning a hard grunt from Muriel.

“I would have dragged you back to Austria by all that silly hair and demanded that the Margrave fix what he had broken.”

“I know,” Jonathon whispered with a wince. “That’s why I never told you.”

“You should have. But what happened? We heard the Margrave was here and we were watching his limo from the sitting room. What have you two decided?” she asked and narrowed her eyes at Jonathon. “The groveling had better have been epic. Don’t you dare let him off unless he’s crawled and begged, boy.”

“It was sufficient,” Jonathon said, then held up a hand so he could whisper behind it. “But I haven’t made up my mind yet and crawling may still be necessary. Begging is almost guaranteed.” He gave them both firm nods, making them giggle and titter.

“All I know is, I’m so glad to have my sweet Jonathon back,” Muriel said as she curled her arm around his and turned them toward her sitting room. “I will forgive everything, if you’ll tell us the whole truth now,” she qualified, earning a heavy sigh from Jonathon.

“This is very overdue and I acknowledge that a lot of this could have been avoided if I had confided in you from the very beginning.”

Muriel made a knowing sound, but waved it off. “What’s done is done. What matters now is that von Hessen makes it right before he gets his way.”

“He might not. The only thing I’ve promised Leo is an open mind and a week for him to court me,” Jonathon warned, earning a hearty chuckle from Muriel.

“I think we both know how much the two of you can accomplish in a week. You may have fooled me once, but you’re gravely mistaken if you think I’m letting a margrave slip through my fingers a second time,” she told him and Jonathon snorted.

“We’ll see. I sent Leo back to the Plaza so we could talk and discuss my next move. I’m not doing anything without your approval from now on when it comes to Leo and the Foundation.”

“Good and it’s about time,” Muriel replied and the three of them immediately put their heads together over tea and cake.

Jonathon filled Muriel and Tilly in on most of the details about their past at Schönbuhël—romantic and gory. He explained how friendship and flirtation had quickly escalated into a passionate affair, and how Sabine had expertly and surgically separated them once they had parted ways after Schönbuhël.

“Oh, I hope that woman gets what’s coming to her!” Tilly had said, looking very much like she wanted to be the one making that delivery.

Muriel surprised them, tutting and clicking her teeth. “I hate to say it, but I think I might have done the same thing if I were in Sabine’s shoes. I remember how dedicated she was to von Hessen and how tense she was that entire month. All she cared about was getting the Margrave back on his feet and ready for that ceremony. An affair with a young American would have looked like the end of the world to her,” she said and Jonathon frowned.

“But I thought you said—” he started to mention Muriel’s comment about setting him up in a place in Vienna and providing his cover story, then stopped before he gave himself and his secret vent away. “I can’t believe you’d say that, when it was her fault that I didn’t end up with a margrave.”

“Do not hate the player, hate the game,” Muriel quoted with a dramatic shrug. “Sabine was doing her job—rather well, mind you—and I should have been doing mine. If I had been in her shoes, I would have done the same thing.”

“So, you think I should forgive her?” Jonathon asked, earning a gasp from Tilly.

“I wouldn’t!” she said and Muriel nodded.

“I’m not inclined to either,” she replied, making Jonathon frown as he rubbed his temple.

“I’m so confused.” He glanced at Tilly and she looked just as mystified.

Muriel stuck her nose in the air. “Such is the nature of the game, my dears. I can concede that Sabine played better than us and that it probably wasn’t personal. But we are still on opposite sides until she apologizes and lays down her weapons. Not that it’s for me to decide when she’s apologized enough. That’s entirely up to you,” she said to Jonathon.

“That is the part I need the most help with,” Jonathon said as he reclined, stretching his legs and crossing his ankles. “I’ve agreed to have dinner with Leo tonight and we’re going to see if there’s still…a spark. I’m really nervous about that, but I think I’ll be fine, regardless of how things turn out this time. Seeing Sabine again, though, after everything that’s happened…” He hugged his stomach as it ached and turned sour. “I have to face her and hear what she has to say before I can even think about moving on with Leo, but I really don’t want to.”

“We’re ready for her this time,” Muriel said with a determined sniff. “We’re all ready for her and I sincerely doubt that von Hessen will allow her to make a fool of him again.”

“Let’s hope not,” Jonathon murmured, recalling all that had transpired since the gala—with Leo, the Ashbys, Max, Leo’s brothers, and his bodyguard, Markus—upstairs in 8B.

“My goodness!” Tilly said and laughed in disbelief. “Talk about a whirlwind! And you barely left the building. But how was it, seeing the Margrave again? Forget all that business with Sabine, the gala, his brothers, and the other Margrave being there. Did you still feel something for him? All of this is pointless if you feel nothing now,” she said, cutting right to the chase. Tilly never was one for beating around the bush or dawdling if there was work to be done.

Jonathan pushed out a hard breath, nodding. “I was an overwhelmed, weepy mess most of the time, but…” He thought back to the moment he rushed out of the kitchen and threw the roses at Leo. Once Jonathon had calmed down he felt the same longing to be closer to Leo. When their hands touched, he had ached to fall into Leo’s arms, they seemed just as safe and strong as Jonathon had remembered. He probably would have if they had been alone. “But I still feel something.”

“I’m sure you’re nervous as well. Where is he taking you tonight?” Muriel asked and Jonathon shook his head.

“I have no idea. I agreed to a week and we both agreed to meet with Sabine tomorrow, and then I kicked us all out of 8B. Giles and the kids returned with their lunch and I didn’t want to impose for another minute. Leo said he would send word in a few hours and that he’d pick me up at six.”

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