Page 3 of Adored By Jonah

“Please tell me you’re going to be home in about three hours.”

“Why, what’s wrong?” She asks, her tone changing in an instant.

“I’ll tell you all about it when we get there, just tell me you’ll be home and I can come.”

“I’m home and of course you can come. You’re bringing Gracie, right?”

“Of course, I’m bringing Gracie.”

“Good. I can’t wait to see her, it’s been too long since I saw my beautiful niece.”

“We’ll be there in a few hours,” I say, my voice wobbling. I need to keep it together long enough to get to Liz’s house safely, then I’ll break down.

“Drive safe Sis, and whatever it is we’ll figure it out together, You’ll get through it, I promise.”

“I know, thank you,” I say, before hanging up on my sister. At the next red light, I set the GPS to her address. I’ve been to see her a few times, but I still need help making it to Jolly, Vermont without getting lost first. It’s a tiny mountain town she found by happenstance and she absolutely loves it there. Maybe I could too. But she’s right, whatever happens I’ll get through this. Gracie and I will be fine. We don’t need Mark.

Chapter One

Jonah Wright

Eight months later

Winterfest isin full swing at the Jolly ski lodge, the resort I own with my brother Justice. Justice and I started Winterfest five years ago when our grandfather left the resort to us when he passed away. While Justice doesn’t like having the entire town up at our resort, I love it. My brother is a great guy and all, but he’d rather be in the shadows being left alone to work on things around the property than catering to the masses. I, on the other hand, love having everybody here. It’s our way of giving back to the town, showing them how much we appreciate them.

Businesses from around town pitch in, volunteering their time and donating products to help put this event on each year. The bakery is giving away warm cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate, we’re running the bunny hills for the kids to slide down in inner tubes, Bill from the diner is making hamburgers and hotdogs while his wife Saffron is frying French fries. This is a big reason why I love living in Jolly. It’s a small town, but it’s my small town. This is where I grew up and these are my people. This is where I plan to be for the rest of my life. Now if I could only find the woman that will be by my side for it, that would be the cherry on top.

The grounds are packed, just like they always are. To my surprise, Justice isn’t being his normal grumpy self. Ever since he met Delaney, he’s done a complete one-eighty and changed for the better. Christmas this year had been a sight to see. Our parents came up from Florida, where they had retired, to celebrate the holidays with us. My parents loved Delaney from the moment they met her, and I can’t say I blame them. I love the difference she’s made in Justice. Although he’s still a cranky bastard, he’s a happier one.

I’m heading into the office to grab another battery for my walkie-talkie when I walk in and find Delaney and Justice making out like two teenagers. “Shit, sorry man. I didn’t know you guys were in here,” I say, backing out of the office.

“No, Jonah it’s okay. You don’t have to leave. Come back,” Delaney says.

“No offense Delaney, but I don’t want to watch my brother with his tongue down your throat,” I laugh from the doorway.

“Watch it,” Justice growls.

Delaney tries to slide off of his lap and sit beside him on the couch, but he bands his arms around her tightly and doesn’t let her move. He is so in love with her it's insane. He’s borderline obsessed. He told me once that he knew the moment he met her she was the one, his soulmate, and he’d never find anyone else that he would love as much as he loved her. I didn’t quite get what he meant, hell, I still don’t. How can you know in a split second that the person standing in front of you is the person you’re going to spend the rest of your life with? I don’t question him though, I’m just happy he’s happy.

I walk over to my desk and pull open the drawer where the extra battery is and grab it. Holding it up to them I say “Just need to grab this, you guys have a great time.” I laugh and walk out of the office. I hear Justice muttering about needing to put a deadbolt on the office door. He’s probably right. The number of times I’ve walked in on them going at it is too many to count.

Walking outside in the brisk twenty-degree weather, I look out at the crowds enjoying themselves. It’s freezing outside but it’s the perfect temperature for a winter wonderland. I walk over, intending to grab a hot coffee from Hank at the baker tent when I spot the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Her long, dark brown hair hangs loose and curly down her back with a red beanie on top. Even in all her layers, I can tell she’s got sexy curves that I’m dying to get my hands on. She’s also holding a little girl’s hand, a little girl who looks exactly like her with a little red bow in her matching hair.

If some lucky bastard was lucky enough to get a hold of this woman, he wouldn’t be stupid enough to let her go. I know that much is true. I keep an eye on her not willing to look away. Knowing she could possibly belong to somebody else doesn’t stop me from wanting her. The beautiful woman and little girl are trying to push through a large crowd of people. When she gets past the crowd the woman looks around frantically, her hand now empty. I watch as horror crosses her face and she begins searching, desperately trying to find her little girl. I’m on the move before I even realize what I’m doing. I need to find her and make sure she gets safely back to her mom.

I see the cute red bow and brown ringlets and move in her direction. By the time I get to her, she’s got big fat tears rolling down her cute chubby cheeks. I squat down in front of her so I’m on her level and smile. “Hey sweetie. Did you lose your momma?” She nods her head up and down. I reach over and wipe the tears off her cheeks and offer my hand for her to take. “I can take you to her if you come with me.”

She looks at my hand then looks up at me with a terrified look on her face then shakes her head no. “I don’t know you. You’re a stranger. My mommy said I can’t go with strangers.”

At least her mom taught her right. “That’s right, I’m a stranger and you shouldn’t go with a stranger. Can I stand here next to you while your mommy finds you?”

She shrugs her little shoulders sadly. All I want to do is pick this little girl up and take her to her mom but at the same time, I don’t want to frighten her or make her think it’s okay to go to strangers when it’s not. If she were my daughter, I’d want her to do exactly what she’s doing now. “Sweetie, my name is Jonah, what's your name?”

“Gracie,” she says with a trembling bottom lip.

“Gracie, I want to help you get back to your momma. Do you know her name?” She nods her sweet little head. “Good what is her name?”

“Mommy.”

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