Page 27 of The Widower's Girlfriend
He spins around and propels me forward in his normal way. Seems he’s always grabbing my hand and bringing me along with him. I’ve missed that too.
He approaches the reporters and pulls me alongside him. When his arm is firmly around my waist he begins talking and the reporters begin taking notes and taking pictures.
“I asked you here today to get the word out about a new initiative Jemma Reed and I have put together. I’ve teamed up with the Hoag Pediatric Cancer Center to provide counseling classes and one-on-one support for families dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. I’ve previously focused my work on widows and widowers, but we feel families could benefit from counseling at all stages of diagnosis. Please stay tuned for further information forthcoming about specific programs and when they will be launched. Thank you for coming.”
I’m stunned. My heart is tripping over itself coming to terms with what he’s offering. What he’s already planned out. Would a man no longer interested in me be making plans to work with my hospital on a long-term basis? Would a man hiding me away from the press bring me here today in front of all these reporters?
Shouted questions are lobbed at Walker. He answers a few and passes off a few to his agent, Asher, the man I saw him standing with when I first entered the lobby. One particular question catches my attention and pulls me out of my thoughts.
“How do you respond to your followers who feel like you’ve abandoned them with the new announcement earlier this week?”
Walker’s arm tightens around me and he opens his mouth to answer, but I stop him with a hand on his chest. “I got this one, if you don’t mind.” He nods, but his eyes are stormy.
I step forward and address the reporters for the first time. “Hello. I’m Jemma Reed. To answer your question, neither Walker nor I want to live our lives based on the reactions of others. Walker lost his wife eight years ago and will forever continue to grieve her loss. However, Walker did not lose his own life. He has as much right as anyone else to love again, however and whenever he deems appropriate for himself. We both regret that some aren’t able to see that point of view, but we won’t apologize for finding love in a world that could use so much more of it. Thank you.”
When I step back, Walker pulls me into his side, nuzzling my ear. “Thank you,” he whispers, sending shivers down my arms.
Asher takes over the last few questions of the press conference and Walker pulls me aside to an alcove off the lobby. His hands grip my upper arms, his face hopeful.
“Did you mean what you said? Did we find love?” His thumb brushes back and forth on my skin below the hem of my scrub top.
Time to get my man and make Charlotte proud. Time to make myself proud. I tug on the lapels of his suit jacket, bringing him closer.
“I know so.”
The words are barely out of my mouth when Walker crushes me to him, his hands tugging my hair out of the ponytail.
“Thank God,” he whispers. Then he’s pulling me back so he can look into my eyes. “I love you, Jemma. I don’t know how when we’ve only known each other for a few days, but there it is. I don’t want to run from it or question it. I want to savor it and nurture it.”
I can’t swallow with the lump in my throat, the tears threatening to spill down my cheeks at his words. “I love you too. Even though I tried to stay away so you wouldn’t lose your career over me.”
He touches his forehead to mine still not breaking eye contact. “I don’t care about my career if I can’t have you, Jemma. You gotta know that.”
I nod softly, accidentally dislodging his forehead from mine. A tear escapes and traces its way down my cheek, only to be caught and wiped away by his thumb.
“No tears, my love, just happiness. Let’s wring all the happiness out of this life that we can.”
A teary laugh burst out of my mouth. “How am I going to concentrate on work today after all this?”
His big hand covers my forehead. “You are feeling kind of feverish...”
The tears clear entirely now, leaving me feeling light on my feet. The heavy drag of uncertainty is finally gone. “Okay, mister. I’m not calling in sick.” I poke him in the gut and he jumps back in surprise. “Want to come over tonight after I get off?”
He kisses me again, quickly this time. “Just try to keep me away.”
Epilogue
Walker
The ocean breeze comes off the water much differently way out in the Pacific. At home in Newport Beach, the breeze is chilly, even in the middle of summer. Here on Kauai, the wind is warm, the air scented with the native flowers that grow wild all over the island.
When I got the call to speak in Hawaii, I couldn’t turn them down, even though my calendar has been packed the last few months. Ever since I announced my partnership with the Cancer Center, my publisher offered a huge book deal, the backlash from the announcement of my dating Jemma died down completely, and Asher’s phone was ringing off the hook with speaking gigs for a much wider variety of audiences.
In fact, dating Jemma and opening myself up to new experiences has been the best thing for my career to date. But that’s just my career. Dating Jemma has done amazing things to my heart, as well.
When Melissa and I were together, we’d been so young and blissfully in love. Naive, even, to the negative things that inevitably happen in life. I like to think our marriage would have weathered the test of time, but I’ll never know for sure. What I do know is that loving Jemma is everything my thirty-four-year-old self needs.
She loves every part of me, even when I have moments of sadness or doubt. She understands that a tiny part of my heart will always belong to another woman. She’s gracious, she’s silly, and she’s the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.
