Page 39 of Anything for You
“You are.” Jen’s voice is authoritative and absolutely certain.
“How can you be so sure?”
“I saw the way she looked up at you. She trusts you, as much as a child who has been through what she has trusts anyone. Just keep doing whatever it is you’re doing. And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me. I’ve been exactly where you are.”
“Thanks, Jen. I’m really glad you’re her teacher. Fun coincidence.”
Jen laughs a little and shakes her head. “Not a coincidence at all. Hallie. She called the school first thing yesterday morning. Maddy had just been enrolled and Hallie requested that she be put in my class because I have experience with kids placed in foster homes, and I know you.”
I take a deep breath to try and control the emotion pushing up my throat.
“It’s okay,” Jen says quietly, leaning forward to put her hand on mine. “It’ll be like this for the first little while. The emotion comes in waves. It’s a remarkable thing you’re doing, but it’s hard. It’s okay to think that and to say it too. Lean on your friends and accept as much help as you feel like you need. When it comes to Maddy, just be there. It takes time and patience, but she’ll start to warm up to you.”
“Thanks, Jen. I needed to hear that.”
“I’ll tell you as many times as you need. Now, we probably have fifteen or so minutes before Cara brings Maddy back from their tour. What’s going on with you guys? Give me the gossip.”
It feels good to laugh after the intensity of the last thirty-six hours. “There’s not much gossip to tell. Hallie is planning her wedding, Julie is happily married to a very hot and extremely cheerful former football player, I suddenly have a seven-year-old to take care of, and Molly continues to be…Molly.”
“It’s still hard to believe Julie married Asher Hansley.”
“He’s the best thing to ever happen to her. She’s still herself, but she’s lighter with him. It’s really nice to see.” My heart warms at the thought of my friend finding her forever love.
“So…Hallie and Ben and Julie and Asher. What about you and Molly? Any men in your lives?”
Jeremy’s face immediately floods my brain. I feel my cheeks heat, and Jen doesn’t miss it.
“Oh my god, there’s someone.”
“It’s nothing.” I try to wave it away, but Jen isn’t having it.
“Oh, come on. I may spend my days around seven-year-olds, but I know what’s going on in a woman’s head when her face looks like yours does right now.”
Unused to sharing with anyone who isn’t Hallie, Julie, or Molly, I hesitate, but then think,what the hell.
“I’ve had a couple of…moments with Jeremy over the past couple weeks.”
Jen stares at me. “Jeremy.”
“Yes.”
“Like, Jeremy Wright, former hockey player and current philanthropist with dark swoony eyes and a hockey butt and thighs I want to bite despite being out of the game for more than a decade?”
I snort out a laugh. “Aren’t you married?”
“Happily, but if you can’t appreciate thighs and a butt like Jeremy’s, you might as well be dead.”
“I’m definitely not dead,” I mutter, now battling back an image of the aforementioned hockey butt on display while Jeremy bent over to install a screw in the desk he built for Maddy.
“Ohmygod,” Jen squeals. “You like him.”
“I don’t know about that.”
I definitely like him.More than like him, probably.
“Tell that to your face. Now, tell me everything.”
So, I do.
