Hang Tough(34)
“Oh pooh. If I’m not allowed to have regrets at my age, you’re certainly not allowed to have them at yours.” She stepped back and smoothed her hands over Jade’s hair. “You are such a beautiful girl. Inside and out. So tell me why you ain’t got a million boys chasing after you?”
She laughed self-consciously. “I haven’t gotten over that whole ‘shy’ thing, unfortunately. Guys my age want a fast hookup because they’re still partying with their bros on weekends, even if they have a respectable job Monday through Friday. Older guys . . . they want to hook up too, but more in a ‘let’s see if the sex is good enough that I’ll consider you long-term-relationship material’ and then they grill you on your career plans and if you’d set them aside to have a family.”
“It’ll make me sound like a fuddy-duddy, but not having sex before marriage was a lot simpler. I got to know him in other ways and he got to know me beyond my killer gams and great bosom.”
Bosom. What a great word. Why didn’t anyone use it anymore?
“Maybe this is more than you wanted to know about my marriage to your grandfather . . . but we knew there was passion between us from the moment we met. We couldn’t wait to get to that wedding night.” She smirked. “That was only the beginning for us. We kept those fires burning because neither of us was shy in admitting what we wanted in the boudoir. That wasn’t the norm back then, I guess, but it’s how we were.”
“GG, why didn’t you ever get remarried?”
“He was the love of my life. No man I ever met compared to him or what we had together.” GG took her hands. “I know you’ve struggled to find your place in the world. I’m proud of you for the dedication to your schooling and your music.”
“But?”
“There’s no ‘but’ just an ‘and.’”
“Okay. And . . . ?”
“And what makes other people happy will be different than what makes you happy. You don’t have to follow the maddening crowd to find happiness. This whole idea of everyone goin’ to college and joining the race to get to the top of the ladder . . . I don’t believe the view up there is better than down here.”
“You’re right. But it’s never been my goal to rise to the top.”
Her eyes burned bright. “What is your goal, Jade?”
“To live my life happily.”
“Were you close to achieving that?”
She shook her head. “Not on any level. Not in my professional or in my personal life.”
Why was GG poking her on this?
“A piece of paper given to you by an academic institution isn’t what defines you.” GG placed her hand over Jade’s heart. “This defines you. Some people will tell you to listen to your head. I say poppycock. I say listen to your heart.” She pulled Jade into a hug. “I love you. Anytime you need to talk about anything at all, I’m here for you. No judgment.”
“Thanks, GG.”
“Now you grab the garbage bags from the kitchen and we’ll get this place tidied up”
Jade had finished sealing a box with packing tape, when she heard Tobin call out, “Where are you, Miz G?”
GG walked to the staircase to yell down, “Up here.”
The stairs creaked and then Tobin stood in the hallway, eyeing the wreckage. He whistled. “I didn’t know we had a tornado touch down today.”
“It’s been a whirlwind, but a productive one. I can’t believe how much we accomplished in just a few hours.”
“It looks like you’ve been productive.”
Jade tied a knot in the garbage bag and dragged it to the pile. She put her hand on her belly to quell the fluttery feeling before she met Tobin’s gaze.
The way he stared at her—hot and hungry—had her heart hammering.
“Great timing. We could use a break.” GG dusted off her hands. To Tobin, she said, “Feel free to haul these bags out to the trash.”
“Not a problem.”
Good thing GG was oblivious to the fact that Tobin hadn’t taken his eyes off Jade since the moment their gazes had connected.
“This cleansing calls for a drink. I’ll head down and pour us some champagne.” GG patted Tobin in the chest and ducked under his arm as she passed by him.
Jade didn’t move.
As soon as they were alone, Tobin stalked her.
The glimmer in his eye sent her pulse tripping. “Two questions for you.”
“Okay.”
This close to him, Jade noticed a thin white scar, half an inch long above his upper lip. She wanted to taste it. Trace it with her tongue. Kiss it.