Page 37 of Unexpectedly Falling
KINSLEY: Send me your address
NESSA: Why?
KINSLEY: So I can send you something other than clothes with sports and bar logos on it.
NESSA: I’ll just order something online
KINSLEY: Cool. Lie to me some more but first send me your address.
Sighing,I do as I’m told and send her Jensen’s address and grimace at the thought of the shit I’m sure will end up on the doorstep.
Kinsley is tough as hell on the field, but my best friend is the kind of adorable that makes her look both girl next door and also super sexy depending on the day. She looks good in everything, while I almost always look uncomfortable in anything not designed for a workout.
Fake it till you make itis my mantra for every single event that requires me to be in slacks or—God forbid—an evening gown.
18
JENSEN
The doorbell rings and I look at Nessa. “You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be, I guess.” She looks nervous, and I can’t reassure her because despite me reminding Miss Thelma to be nice, there’s no guarantee that she will be.
Turning the handle, I open the door and find the woman in question on the porch. She smiles but it’s soft, and there’s no cat-printed anything on her except a small pin on her white gauzy top.
“Stop starin’ and let an old lady in,” she huffs, and I chuckle as I take the pie from her and inhale the sweetness of the peaches and the buttery crust. Peaches may not be in season, but I know these were either canned or frozen from the summer, and I sigh as I place it gently on the counter.
Wrapping her in a hug, I drop a kiss on her shock of white hair. “Thank you.”
“Don’t start gettin’ soft on me now, boy,” she chides as she pulls back to pat my chest.
“I won’t let him, don’t worry,” Nessa says with a wry grin that has Miss Thelma’s eyes lighting up.
“Oh, you’ll do just fine,” she says, walking over and squeezing both of Nessa’s hands in hers. “It’s very nice to meet you, dear. Jensen has told me all about you.”
Nessa looks over Miss Thelma’s shoulder at me and smirks. I roll my eyes because this is a lot less fun when the attention is on me.
“I can’t wait to hear all about it,” Nessa says, her shoulders relaxing. “I’m Nessa and I’ve heard quite a bit about you as well.”
“Only the good stories, I hope.” She winks and then turns as I scoop Remi up from the bassinet and hand my daughter to the one woman who has seen me on my best days and my worst.
“Meet your great-granddaughter, Remi Maeve.”
Miss Thelma’s entire face is one of awe as she gently trails her wrinkled finger over Remi’s cheek. My daughter doesn’t move, content to dream as one more person falls immediately in love with her.
“Oh, Jensen, you did so good,” she says reverently before turning to Nessa. “And you, my dear, what an amazingly selfless thing to do for your cousin—to honor her memory and wishes. We cannot thank you enough for bringing her here.”
I swallow the lump in my throat as Miss Thelma sways side to side and Nessa blinks quickly, her eyes glassy as that statement settles around us.
“Remi is amazing, and I’ll do everything I can to preserve her mama’s memory. I have some boxes of pictures at my parents’ house from when we were growing up to sort through, but I’m just really thankful this all worked out given the circumstances.”
Nessa’s hand glances over the crown of Remi’s head as she says the words, and I have to excuse myself to the kitchen to catch my breath.
I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this onslaught of emotions.
“Hey…” Nessa’s voice is soothing and so is the way she touches her hand to my forearm. “Are you all right?”
“I like her better when she’s snarky.”
