Page 43 of Unburdening His Heart

“A miracle. I’m making a miracle with the five ingredients you have in here.” My answer is met with belly laughter from them, which makes me smile.

I preheat the oven for the garlic bread, then dig around in the lower cabinets to find a pot. I only have a large pot and a small one to choose from. I grab the bigger of the two, fill it with water, and add salt. I put it on the stovetop to boil for the fettuccine noodles.

I can hear Jack and Andrea talking and laughing in the living room. It sounds like they’re in better spirits. The vultures may be circling outside, but we don’t have to let that ruin our time together.

I get the noodles boiled and the bread baked, and dinner is served in no time.

“Come and get it,” I say, poking my head into the living room.

Jack and Andrea waste no time coming to make their plates. I let them get theirs before I get mine. It makes me happy to see them so excited about what I made. Once our plates are made, we head back into the living room to watch TV together while we eat. Jack found a romcom, Andrea’s favorite kind of movie. We all settle in our spots and eat.

“We had this food in our kitchen?” Jack asks after a few bites, his voice filled with disbelief.

I nearly choke when I laugh with a mouth full of food. “I’m surprised you had heavy cream. What were you planning to use that for?” I quirk my eyebrow at Andrea.

“Jack bought it by mistake. He was supposed to get me creamer for my coffee.” Andrea shoots Jack a look followed by a wink.

He shrugs. “It says cream right on the carton.”

We laugh at Jack’s response, and I immediately know what to get these two for their wedding gift. A nice set of pots and pans and some cooking lessons. Everyone should at least know the basics.

“Have you two set a date for the big day?”

Andrea’s face falls a little. “Well, we were planning to announce that Sunday when everyone is supposed to get together to celebrate our engagement. But it looks like that won’t happen now.” Her expression is full of disappointment.

“The hell it’s not. We’re not canceling our plans or stopping our lives because of some damn reporters. We’re going ahead with everything. They can film it, take pictures of it, and report on it, but dammit, we’re doing it.” Jack’s voice isn’t raised, but there’s no room for doubting how serious he is from his tone.

I nod. “He’s right, Andrea. There’s no reason to put your life on hold. The trial has just started, and who knows how long it’ll last. Don’t change anything because of it. Don’t give the media or Christopher that satisfaction.”

Jack smiles. “In the fall, on the beach, like she’s always wanted.” He’s beaming.

Andrea turns to look at him. I can’t see her expression now, but I bet she’s smiling at him. In the short time they’ve been together, Jack has brought her so much joy and shown her the love she deserves.

“That sounds perfect.” Andrea looks at me, her smile matching Jack’s.

Her hopes of having a dream wedding to Christopher were crushed early on. He wanted some grand event, nothing at all like the simplicity Andrea wanted. And of course, like everything else in his life, it was his way or hell to pay.

“What’s the plan for Sunday? What can I do to help?” I ask. They’ve kept everything vague. I only knew to be here and no other details beyond that.

“Well, we’re having dinner at Addy’s. Sophia insisted she could throw us the best engagement party. And who can say no to that?” Andrea practically glows when she talks about Sophia; we all do. I’ve never been much for kids, but Sophia isn’t your average kid. She’s a firecracker.

“You can help me figure out how to get us from here to Adalyn’s without being followed by the reporters.” Jack’s irritation grows again. He likes his simple, quiet life, and these people invading it and upsetting Andrea in the process hasn’t gone over very well.

“That’ll be easier said than done. We’ll have SJ here by then. Hopefully, he can help us come up with something.” We need a decoy of some sort. A way to make them think Andrea has left and have them follow the decoy. Then get the real Andrea out of the house and to Adalyn’s before the reporters catch on.

Speaking of SJ, I pull my phone out to check the time. He should be landing soon. I click over to my text messages, pull up my thread with Charlie, and my fingers fly over the screen. I still haven’t heard anything from her like she promised.

Chapter Fourteen

Charlie

I’m trying to wrap my mind around reporters being in Fraser. I’ve lived here my entire adult life, and this has never happened that I know of. It doesn’t seem like Andrea can catch a break. I did as Andrew asked and steered her clear of the news, but I didn’t agree to not watch it.

My heart sank, and my blood boiled all at the same time when that Morales fucker was on the stand telling lie after lie about Andrea. I didn’t know her when she lived in Sacramento, but I know that’s not who she is.

This weekend is supposed to be a celebration of Jack and Andrea’s engagement, their love for each other. Instead, they’re worrying over what’s being said about her in the press.

We’ll have to find a way to make the engagement party happen for them. Their lives can’t stop because of Christopher’s trial. Sometimes, I wish Jack would have just killed him that day in the café. None of us would be dealing with this shit now.

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