Page 122 of Hot for the Jerk

I shook my head stiffly.“I’m on a shit-ton of pain meds right now.I don’t feel anything but good.”Then I guided her face back down to my chest, and with that silent permission, she opened the floodgates and sobs shook her body with a violent force.

“Okay.”I stroked her hair, careful not to get my IV tangled in her wild curls.“What happened?”

“Pickford.”

Of course it was fucking Pickford.

“He accused me of endangering your family.Your nieces and nephews.He said it was bad enough bringing potential danger to the school, but I brought it to your doorstep, to your family as well.He said, ‘Hasn’t that family been through enough?’”

Fucking Pickford.When was the universe going to do us all a favor and give that man a massive coronary?

“So rather thantalkto me about it, you picked a fight and ended it.”It wasn’t a question.We both knew that was what she did.Only, now I also knewwhyshe did it.It made sense … sort of.I still wished she’d just told me what was going on in her head rather than shut me out.We had a lot of work to do to build her trust in people outside her little cousin circle.

Gripping my hospital gown in her little fist, she nodded against my chest.“I’m a mess.I’m not ready for a relationship.And I definitely don’t deserve someone as wonderful or stable, with their shit together, as you.”

“Look at me, Raina.”

Once she lifted her watery gaze to mine, I gave her an irritated eye roll.“How about you letmedecide what I do and don’t deserve, hmm?Because I happen to think I absolutely deserve someone as incredible, strong, hilarious, prickly, smart, and quirky as you.Because youareincredible, Raina.Stop trying to convince yourself that you’re not.That you’re not ready, that you’re a mess, and that you don’t deserve to be loved.Because you are ready.You’re not a mess, and you absolutely deserve to be loved.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“For what?”

“For all of it,” she moaned.“For getting you tangled up in this, for … ending things between us.For getting all your bones broken by my brother.”

“I chose to get tangled up in this.And as far as I’m concerned, youtriedto end it.I went along with it, knowing you were in mental distress, but I planned to sort it out with you once the craziness died down.So technically, things never ended between us.There was nothird actbreakup here.Just a terrified mother not thinking clearly.Just a terrified mother shutting out people she’s not sure she can trust, and thinking it’d be easier to just shoulder the burden herself.And as far as the broken bones go … bones heal.Iwill heal.What matters is that a little boy we both love is safe and back with his mother.I would let Ozais break every bone in my body twice over if it meant getting Marco back to you.And I’d let him do itevenif you ended it with me.”

“I love you, Jagger.”She swallowed hard.“I really, really love you.And I know you didn’t go snooping on my computer.I just … I panicked.”

“It’s about damn time you realized you loved me, you little cactus.Now come here.”I grabbed the back of her head and guided her toward my mouth.It was a brief, peck of a kiss, considering most of my face was swollen, but it was still a kiss.It still had healing powers.

“Thank you,” she murmured, her salty lips against mine.“For not giving up on me.Or us.And for saving my son.”

My fingers tightened against her scalp possessively.“I won’t ever give up on us, as long as you promise that you won’t either.”

Her nod and smile were powerful enough to heal all my broken bones—if that was how broken bones healed.“I promise.”

I was doing all the things I was supposed to do, but the healing in my knee proved to be a bigger bitch than any of us anticipated.I still couldn’t stand for long periods of time, and I could forget about trying to get out for a run until at least the fall.

But, it was March, my face was healed, and I was walking without a cane, walker, or crutches.We needed to take our little victories when we could.

Nine of us stood before the Council of Island Elders.The Vino Vixens of Westhaven Winery and the McEvoys of San Camanez Brewery, with a joint proposal for equal ownership of the land, and a collaborative partnership.

“We weren’t expecting this,” Abe Jeffries said, his brown eyes shifting across all of us standing there, ready with our PowerPoint Presentation, binders for every single council member to have in front of them, and a mock 3D diagram of what we would do with the land.

“Yes, well, we weren’t expecting two of our family members to fall in love.It’s a beautiful partnership.So we’re taking it as a sign to not be in competition with each other anymore, but rather work together,” Bennett said.

Gabrielle grinned at Raina and me, standing next to each other, before addressing the Council.“Now, if you’ll all turn to page one of your binders …”

“As you can see,” I started, “all along, Westhaven Winery and San Camanez Brewery had similar visions for Bonn Remmen’s land.We want to showcase all that the island has to offer.Build a multipurpose pavilion where we can host weddings, family reunions, retreats, and other gatherings.There is space for both an outdoor venue, and an indoor one.”

“As well as ample room for an herb garden, a place to plant hops; and it’s south-west facing and largely protected from harsh winds, so it’s perfect for grapes on that natural slope,” Raina added.

I leaned against the table to take the weight off my knee.“We would love to preserve Bonn’s home.Upgrade it, of course, but turn it into the honeymoon suite.Or a place where the bridal party can get ready.It’s honestly perfect, it just needs some—”

“Extra love.”Raina slid her hand into mine.“We’ve also included the bunkhouse for seasonal staff at the pub, as well as the six new A-frame, one-room cabins.”

“Honestly,” Gabrielle chimed in, “it’s a perfect, beautiful blending of three worlds.Westhaven Winery, San Camanez Brewery, and Bonn Remmen’s legacy.Very little of the land will need to be excavated, and we plan to nurture the garden and indigenous plants he consciously planted there.”

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