Page 39 of Jon's Helter Skelter Cold Case

Also, Jon didn’t chide me for my nerves. I was sure he could see them, but he also seemed to understand they were there and weren’t going away with a pep talk.

“Ready?” he asked me gently.

No. “Yes.”

“You’re a cute liar.”

“Thanks, babe.” I sighed heavily.

I forced myself out of the truck. Only way up was through, right? I didn’t know if that phrase applied to situations like this but…either way, I had to move.

Jon slid his hand into mine as we walked toward the restaurant doors. I felt better with the contact, lacing our fingers together. It was comforting because I knew that no matter what happened, Jon had my back. He always did. It was one of the many reasons why I wanted to marry this man.

We’d chosen to go to Buca di Beppo, an Italian restaurant where they served family-sized portions and didn’t have too many pesky electronic things to worry about. It had a very relaxed, quiet atmosphere and was somewhere that was easy to hold a conversation. The familiar surroundings helped some. A little.

We reached the waiting area to the left of the hostess stand upon breaching the doors, and it was there I spotted them. It took me a second, and I did a double take, as neither Simin nor Eshaal were in traditional dress. Instead, they were dressed like American women, wearing pants and without anyhead coverings—Eshaal even sported aMandalorianshirt. Eh? I mean, they both looked radiant, but I was surprised.

“Donovan!” Eshaal leapt off the bench and ran straight to me, throwing both arms around my waist.

I felt Jon let go of my hand and step away, and I hugged her back on instinct, looking down at someone who had been a little girl and was now a young teen. “Eshaal? My god, you grew.”

She tilted her face up to grin at me. “I did!”

Simin came in closer, joining her daughter in the hug. This close, I could see the barest traces of the scarring at her temple, but hers had faded better than mine had. I couldn’t see any of Eshaal’s, of course, with her wearing pants. The worst of her scarring had happened on her thigh and calf. She really did look like an American teenager, with her glossy hair in a bob and pierced ears.

The second I had them close, I felt all those nerves just…fade. Like a tide rushing out, they were gone in an instant. I didn’t know why some part of me had felt they’d be disappointed to see me. It was a fear I had harbored, and now that I was in this moment, I couldn’t explain why I’d ever felt that way. Not when there was so much joy in this reunion.

Simin’s eyes were bright with unshed tears as she beamed up at me. “Finally, we find you again. You disappeared once you left for the States.”

“Yeah, a lot of medical treatments and rehab kept me busy.” Plus the pain had sucked the energy out of me. I didn’t want to say as much. “But you two, you look amazing. How did you end up here?”

“I remarried.” Simin half turned and gestured to the man who had been waiting with them. “Meet my husband, Matthew.”

This man was very obviously American by birth. His sandy blond hair and fair skin were a dead giveaway. I was avidlycurious how these two had met, but that was a conversation for the table. For now, I let go of Simin so I could shake his hand.

“Matthew, great to meet you.”

“And you. I’ve heard nothing but praise for you, and after hearing how you protected my wife and daughter, I’m wholeheartedly glad to meet you in person.”

I loved how he said that, like Eshaal was as much his daughter as if he’d sired her. Simin’s first husband might have been a piece of shit, but I had a feeling her second husband was worth his weight in gold.

Eshaal whispered, “Who’s that?”

Ah. I gestured Jon in closer. “Everyone, meet my fiancé, Jon. Jon, this is Simin and Eshaal.”

Simin latched onto Jon’s hands, looking him over with growing delight. “Jon, it is a pleasure to meet you. We worried for our Donovan, hoping he could meet someone to look past his scars, so it’s a joy to us that you did.”

Oh, if she only knew.

Jon clasped her hands in return, expression soft and warm. “It didn’t take a second to look past his skin, trust me. I’ve always wanted to meet you and Eshaal as well. I’m glad you hunted Donovan down and made this meeting happen. Shall we all grab a table?”

“Yes, we should.”

Habit poked me reprovingly in the back of the head. Shit, must do that first. “Uh, everyone, Jon’s a psychic. Your electronic devices are not safe around him. I’ve got an EMP-shielded bag you can put everything into while we have dinner.”

I swear to you, it was like something clicked in Matthew’s head. He looked at Jon with new awareness. “Oh my god, you’re Jonathan Bane.”

“That’s me.” Jon shrugged, smiling.

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