Page 93 of Own the Eights Gets Married
“Me neither,” Georgie answered.
“It’s not a happy story. His parents had gotten mixed up in drugs, and his early years were tumultuous, to say the least. He’d never been around a couple who loved each other. You see, I’ve been a widow for almost twenty years now, and Simon never knew his grandfather. I suspect he wasn’t sure what real love between a committed couple looked like before meeting the two of you. He talks about you all the time. You’ve had a great impact on his life.”
Georgie swiped a tear from her cheek. “That’s very kind of you to say. We’re grateful he’s a part of our life,” she added, catching his eye, then turning back to Esther.
Our life?
That had to be something. She still thought of them as having a life together—or that they used to have a life together.
His gaze washed over Georgie, and the slight hint of a smile she gave him when she caught him looking at her was there, barely a breath beneath the surface of her schooled features.
“You know, he has a girlfriend now. He and Talya spend just about every waking moment together,” Esther continued.
“I suspected there might be something going on between them,” he replied.
“He says she’sepic,” the woman added with a glint in her eyes when the door to the room flew open.
“Mr. Marks, Miss Jensen, what are you doing here?” Simon asked, carrying in a large to-go cup of coffee.
“They’re here to take you to the Shakespeare Shuffle,” Esther said in a firm, don’t-mess-with-grandma tone.
But the kid wasn’t having it.
“I told you, Grandma. I’m not leaving you,” he answered firmly.
“Sweetheart, you heard what the doctors said last night. They only kept me overnight for observation. And the nurse stopped by after you left to tell me I’ll be released later today,” Esther replied.
The teen set the coffee on the bedside table. “I should be here.”
“No, you should be at the race. You’ve worked too hard to miss it,” Esther replied.
Jordan glanced between grandmother and grandson and saw the pain in Esther’s eyes.
“How about we do it together, Simon?” he offered.
Simon frowned. “You want to run the race with me?”
“Why not?” Jordan asked, switching from concerned mentor to motivational trainer.
Simon shrugged.
“You don’t think you can keep up with me?” Jordan pressed, knowing how to challenge the teen.
The kid scoffed. “I can keep up. But what if I mess up the sonnet,” he said, deflating as he glanced at his grandmother.
Jordan pinned the teen with his gaze. “We’ve been training for this from the moment you entered the gym. And you’ve got the sonnet down. I’ve listened to you recite while running, jumping rope, and doing deadlifts. I’d venture to say you could recite it while being chased by an alligator.”
Simon’s expression softened. “Maybe.”
“Jordan’s right, Simon. I overheard you practicing with Talya. You’re ready,” Georgie added.
“Talya,” Simon repeated, as a grin spread across his face at the mention of the girl.
Jordan shared a look with Esther, and she gave him a conspiratorial wink.
“Look at the time! You need to get going!” the woman said, pointing at the clock on the wall.
Simon’s gaze bounced between them, then landed on his grandmother. “Are you sure?”
