Page 79 of Meant to Be
“Sure.”
“I mean something other than medical journals. Do you read books?” Jenny reached over to the table beside her bed and picked up a well-read leather-bound book.
“I used to.”
Jenny handed Sydney the book. “It’s Jane Austen. NotPride and Prejudice, which is good, but this one is better.”
Sydney read the title:Persuasion.
“It’s all about a second chance at love.”
Sydney’s gaze went right to Jenny.
“I know who you are… I mean, you’re the one that broke Mitch’s heart. I couldn’t believe it when I realized it. I wanted to hate you for it, because liking you would be disloyal to Mitch. But, I can’t help but like you. And I’ve been around enough to know there are two sides to every story. You may have hurt him, but my guess is, it wasn’t your intention.”
“No.”
“You and Mitch are like Anne and Wentworth.”
“Wentworth forgave Anne. Pursued her even.”
Jenny’s eyes widened. “You have read it. Didn’t you just swoon over Wentworth’s letter?”
The mention of letters made her think of Mitch’s letters her mother promised to send her. She’d need to make a stop at home to check her mail. “You pierce my soul.”
“Oh, yes.” Jenny’s face turned dreamy. “I love Kevin, but he never talks like that.”
“Most people don’t these days.”
“They probably didn’t then either. But, in the story, Wentworth pretended to not know her and then he ignored her. He even showed attention to Louisa.”
“True, but then he forgave her. Mitch won’t forgive me.” Or maybe he would, but that didn’t change his stance on love and commitment, which she now understood was mostly a result of the betrayal and loss he experienced in the military.
“Mitch isn’t quite the hound dog people make him out to be. He hasn’t been with anyone in a long time. I see the way he is when he’s with you. I think he’s pursuing you.”
“No, he’s not.”
“You’re living in his home.”
“That’s just to protect me.”
Jenny rolled her eyes. “Really? You think it’s standard practice for detectives to bring people under protection into their homes?”
“No.”
Jenny’s vehement hope for true love for Mitch warmed Sydney.
“We have a history, so it makes sense he’d offer to protect me. But it’s not what you think.”
“What about you? Do you want more? I see how you look at him too.”
Sydney shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Jenny let out an exasperated grown. “Why do people make life so hard?”
Sydney knew it was a rhetorical question but responded anyway. “Life is complicated. Mitch and I aren’t the same people we were back then. Our lives and goals are different.”
“Blah, blah, blah. It’s only complicated because y’all are too chicken to say what you feel and trust each other.”
