Page 93 of About that Fling
“We can talk about this later,” she said. “For now, I need to get home. Thank you for the amazing weekend. I told your sister I’d call her tonight, but if you talk to her first, can you give her my regards?”
“I will.”
“I’m sorry about Nana, Adam. She was an amazing woman.”
“I’m glad you got to meet her. It wasn’t much, but?—”
“It was everything,” she said, squeezing his hand. “You have no idea how much it meant to me.”
Adam nodded, feeling a lump welling up in his throat. “I’m glad. It meant a lot to me, too.”
She gave him a sad little smile, then unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. He watched her swing her legs out of the car, watched as she shut the door and strode away.
He might have actually kept driving if she hadn’t walked around to the driver’s side and opened the door. He looked up at her, confused for a moment, and a little dazzled by the sight of her, silhouetted by golden sunlight streaming in through the side of the parking garage.
“Um, my car?”
“Right,” he said, getting out. “I’ll just grab my bag from the trunk. Thanks again, Jenna.”
She nodded as he popped the trunk and collected his suitcase, taking great pains to close the trunk softly and without force. He walked around to the front of the car where she stood beside the open driver’s side door.
“Drive safely,” he said. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Jenna said, then leaned up to kiss him softly on the lips. It was probably meant to be just a peck, but she seemed to dissolve against him, her mouth opening to his as he pulled her into his embrace and their bodies melted together. The smell of car exhaust mingled with the scent of her perfume, and her hair was the silkiest thing his fingers had ever explored.
She drew back with a sigh. “Goodbye, Adam.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
His mouth kept tingling as she drove away, and he watched her taillights blink and fade and trail around the corner of the parking garage. He watched until her car drove out of sight, until the scent of her shampoo faded from his fingers, until he lost the urge to kick himself in the head.
The last one was the toughest. Because what she’d said was true.
As much as he hated it, as much as he wished it weren’t so, a tiny, awful part of him felt smug at the thought of Mia’s marriage in trouble.
He gritted his teeth, hating himself, loving Jenna, and wondering what the hell that left him with.
An hour later, Jenna was saying goodbye to Mia at the door. “You’re sure you don’t want me to come with you to your birthing class?”
“That’s okay.” Mia slung her purse onto her shoulder. “Mark said there’s still a small chance he might make it. Not a big one, but it could happen.”
Her expression was so hopeful it scrunched Jenna’s heart into a tiny, painful knot. “I know he hated having to cancel,” Jenna said. Maybe he can still make dinner?”
“Maybe,” Mia said shrugging. “The reservation’s kinda early, so that doesn’t leave a lot of time.”
“I’m sure he’ll do his best,” Jenna said. “And if he doesn’t make it, I know he’ll wish he was there instead of repairing his ex-wife’s roof.”
Mia winced. “It sounds awful like that. The hole is right over Katie’s bed and it’s been raining like crazy. They can’t get a repairman out there on a holiday weekend, and Mark knows how to fix things.”
“Absolutely,” Jenna said, leaning forward to give Mia a hug. “Call me if you change your mind about the birthing class. I can be there in ten minutes. That’s the benefit of living this close to the hospital.”
“Thanks, sweetie. You’re a great friend.”
Jenna nodded and tried not to cringe. “You, too.”
She closed the door behind her, feeling lousy and wistful and guilty all over again. Part of her wanted to celebrate the fact that Adam had said he loved her. That she’d said it back. She was still glowing from the amazing weekend they’d had together.
