Page 78 of Loving Lies (Granton University 3)

“Yeah, I…” He drew in a breath and nodded. “I guess there was never a question of if I could or not. It was just a matter of when.”

His eyes looked bloodshot as if he’d been crying, or maybe he hadn’t been getting enough sleep. And he hadn’t shaved in what looked like weeks. His hair had grown out, showing off some wispy curls that stuck out in places giving him a fashionable just-rolled-out-bed look. She wanted to sink her fingers into it and never let go.

With a forced smile, she said, “Good. I…” The words died on her lips. She didn’t want to talk about walking. There was so much more she wanted to say. “I saw what you did to Logan’s hamburger,” she finally blurted.

He blinked. “Logan?”

“Yeah. Paige’s boyfriend.”

“Oh,” he murmured as if realizing something big. Then he flushed and nodded. “Right. You’ve mentioned him before. I remember.” He shook his head. “Sorry. The smiley face was meant for you.”

Joy filled her chest. “Really?”

Eyebrows crinkling, he nodded again. “Yeah, you—I…” Running his hand through his hair, he closed his eyes briefly. “You looked sad, and I remember how you said your mom’s smiley-face hamburgers always made you smile. I wa

sn’t trying to draw you out here or anything. I just…I wanted you to smile.”

She smiled now. She was unable to do anything but smile. “It worked.”

His expression broke. Sorrow filled his features. “Tess.” Her name cracked on his lips. It was an apology. A curse. A prayer. Thanksgiving. Elation. That one word was everything.

With a sob, she sprang into action, launching herself at him. He dropped his cane to catch her, pulling her tight against him as he buried his face in her hair and swept her off the ground. When his fingers cradling her scalp began to tremble, he turned his face in to kiss her temple.

“I got your letter,” she whispered, clutching him for dear life.

“Letter?” Jonah pulled back to search her eyes, his eyebrows crinkled with confusion. “What letter? You’re not talking about…” His face drained of color as panic flared across his face. “Oh God.”

“The letter Sam made you write,” Tess said, nodding. “The beautiful, amazing letter you wrote to me. Yes. That letter. A…A friend stole it from her for me.”

He opened his mouth, his expression stunned. “You…Who? Bailey?”

Tess grinned and shook her head. “No, but it doesn’t matter who. It matters that I got it, and it changed everything. I looked everywhere for you. Bailey and Paige and Logan and even Sam looked everywhere for you. I needed to tell you there is no other guy. There’s only ever been you. I don’t even know who you were talking about.”

“It was Logan.” When she wrinkled her brow, his lips tipped up in a grin. “I saw you hug him just outside Grammar Hall, so I stayed away. I didn’t even think I might’ve been mistaken until he came into the diner with you today…with that other girl.” His eyes searched her, and his breaths came a little faster. “So, you forgive me? Even after—”

“I forgave you months ago,” she said.

She grabbed the front of his shirt and hauled him forward until their lips collided. A groan tore from low in his throat as he ground his mouth to hers. She made a sound against him but it wasn’t any kind of resistance.

Spinning them until he pressed her back against the brick wall of the warehouse across the alley from the diner, Jonah took control, licking his tongue into her mouth and caging her face in his hands.

Tess climbed him, desperate for more, needing this connection more than she needed her next breath.

“I missed you.” He broke away from her only long enough to murmur, “God, how I—”

“Oh…wow.” A stunned voice broke Tess and Jonah’s kiss apart.

Jonah whirled around, keeping Tess tucked safely behind him until they saw who’d surprised them. Then he slumped more against the wall, using his arm to catch himself and prop his weight against the warm brick.

Standing in the doorway to the diner, a guilty-looking Bailey raised her hands. “I…I thought this was the bathroom.” She opened her mouth again, but then almost immediately clamped it shut. “Okay, fine. I was checking on you.”

Tess rolled her eyes and grinned. “Go ahead. I know you’re dying to demand answers.”

Bailey crossed her arms over her chest. “Why do I have a feeling you left out a few details about your hospital visits, Tessie Ann?”

“Um…” Tess bit her lip and gave a guilty cringe. “Because I might have forgotten to mention a few things, maybe.”

“Yeah, I’d say so.” Bailey arched a skeptical glance at Jonah before returning her attention to Tess. “That was so not your first kiss with him.”

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