Page 36

Chapter

Thirty-Three

HADLEY

Kendall: So what do you think of Jonas’s family?

Hadley: They are amazing. Especially his mom. She’s so sweet. Would she adopt me?

Kendall: Would be kinda weird, since you’re hooking up with her son.

Hadley: Duh, I mean after this is over.

“Hadley, what do you want to do today?” Jonas’s mom glances at me over her shoulder from her spot at the stove. As if it’s second nature, she flips a golden-brown pancake in the skillet without breaking a sweat.

“I see where Jonas learned it,” I say, gesturing to her stack of pancakes plated next to her. “He’s been trying to teach me to cook, but I think I’m a lost cause.”

“No one is ever a lost cause.” Mary faces me fully, her green eyes glowing.

“Mom, stop being such a kindergarten teacher.” Emma limps into the kitchen, a scowl on her face. Her brown hair is a halo of tangles around her head.

Instead of taking offense, Mary laughs at her. She has the best laugh—boisterous and full of joy. “Oh, Emma, you know I can’t. It’s who I am.” She shrugs in my direction and whispers, “Emma is not a morning person.”

“I can hear you!” Emma perches on one of the bar stools at the counter and lays her head on the smooth surface. “I’m not deaf, you know.”

“We know.” Mary pats the top of her head, still smiling. “What do you think Hadley might like to do in the city?”

In a quick mood shift, Emma’s face whips off the counter to stare at me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Oh, The Bean! Or maybe the zoo? Do you like Navy Pier?”

“Um.” I’m not sure what half of those things are. I shift my weight from foot to foot.

But thankfully Jonas pads into the kitchen and ruffles her messy hair. “Chill, Little Bird. You’re gonna scare her off.”

It takes all my self-control not to throw my arms around him.

It’s the first night I haven’t slept plastered to his side in a week.

I missed him. Missed his company, the sound of his breathing as he’s falling asleep.

Missed waking to his kisses and enthusiastic morning sex.

And in the middle of the night. And before bed.

He’s making up for lost time and is a fast learner. My belly flips at the thought.

On that front, I have to tighten my hands into fists, so I don’t reach out and touch him and clear my throat. “Is The Bean a coffee shop? Cute name.”

Emma laughs. “No, silly! It’s a giant silver bean.”

Jonas shrugs when I glance at him for clarification. “She’s right. I’m sure you’ve seen pictures. Massive, mirrored sculpture thing that’s shaped like a kidney bean.”

“Oh, that does ring a bell. Put it on the list. And what’s Navy Pier?”

“It’s on the lake!” Emma practically bounces with excitement. “And there are rides and a Ferris wheel!”

“A Ferris wheel, huh?” I poke Jonas’s bicep. “I bet that’s your favorite.”

He blushes, and his mom and sister giggle.

“Oh, so Hadley knows about your fear of heights, I see,” Mary says, setting a platter of pancakes, eggs, and bacon down in front of us.

“I thought maybe I had recovered.” Jonas grabs a strip of bacon and shoves it in his mouth. “I have not.”

Emma smiles and shakes his head. “You’re such a scaredy-cat.”

“Am not.” He swipes the pancake she was trying to plate and heads for the table in the small dining area off the kitchen. The house is open, with one area flowing into the next. I grab a plate and follow suit. Mary pours me a cup of coffee, and I murmur my thanks.

“So maybe not Navy Pier,” I say, settling into a chair next to him, across from Emma and Mary. “But definitely the Bean. What else do you recommend, Emma?”

Emma pauses, her bite midway to her mouth. “Um, my family likes to go to a bunch of museums and stuff, but I think that’s boring.” She rolls her eyes. “I like the American Girl store, the otters at the aquarium, and the Skydeck.”

She shoots Jonas a triumphant grin as he groans. “Are you trying to kill me, Em?”

“Maybe,” she singsongs, as I ask, “What’s that?”

Mary chortles. “Oh, you know. The glass lookout platform off of one of the tallest buildings in the world.”

I can’t help it, I giggle at him, too. “Does your family always torture you like this?”

“Yes.” He nods, a fake pout on his face. “They’re so mean.”

I pat his hand, then withdraw my fingers before anyone notices. It’s harder than I thought to turn off my affection for him.

“Jonas might be afraid of heights, but I can’t make fun of him for it, because he knows what I’m afraid of, too,” I say to distract from how I can’t keep my hands off him.

Emma gasps with delight. “What is Hadley afraid of? Is it spiders? Because I hate those things.”

“No, not spiders.” He raises a brow. “You should guess.”

“Zombies!” Emma shouts as her mom says, “Sharks!”

Jonas shakes his head. “Nope.”

“Death! Failure!” Emma pounds the table in her exuberance.

“That got deep fast.” He raises his brows at her antics.

I take a sip of my coffee, enjoying the drawn-out pause. “Blood.”

“Blood?” Emma scoffs, but I have to fight not to feel woozy at the word. “That’s not scary at all. I get blood drawn all the time.”

“I know it’s not scary to you,” I tell her. “You’re incredibly brave. But the, uh, first time I met Jonas”—I only trip over the lie a little—”I cut myself and about passed out on him. He had to take care of me. It was so embarrassing.”

“That’s why he’s studying nursing.” Mary ruffles his curly hair as she stands and refills her mug. “And why I’m not.”

“I don’t know, Mom.” He stretches, arms above his head, showing off that sliver of skin at his waistband. I drool a little. “You work in an elementary school. You probably see about as many bodily fluids on a given day as the hospital.”

She huffs a laugh from over by the coffee maker. “You’re not wrong. But back to what we should show Hadley of our fine city.”

“No matter what else we pick, there’s one non-negotiable.” Jonas’s tone is firm, but his face is open and full of smiles.

“What?” I ask, as he glances at Emma.

“Em, where must we absolutely take her to eat?”

She bounces in her chair. “Giordanos!”

Jonas gazes at me, his face solemn. “Chicago deep dish is practically our religion. You must try.”

“As long as there are no onions, you know I’m game.”

He stands and puts his hand on his sister’s shoulder. “She hates them as much as you do.”

I hold out my fist for a bump. “You have good taste, Emma.”

“So do you.” She glances from Jonas to me, a sly expression on her face.

I pretend like I don’t know what she’s implying.

Peeking my head out of the office/guest bedroom door, I adjust my earring and call down the hallway, “Jonas, could you come help me with something for a second?”

There’s no mirror in the office for me to check my outfit, but the way Jonas’s eyes widen in appreciation when he walks in lets me know my little floral-print sundress is the right thing to wear.

His voice is husky as he closes the door. “What do you need help with?”

I twirl. “Mostly figuring out if I look okay.”

He steps closer, his hands coming around my waist, and he leans towards me. “You look amazing.”

Jonas draws his nose down my throat, inhaling, and my stomach does a flip. I can’t resist. Tightening my arms around his neck, I jump and lock my legs around his waist. He catches me as if I weigh nothing, his palms supporting my butt.

“God, I’ve missed this,” I say as my mouth descends on his. There’s no time for a feathery, gentle kiss. I devour him, my hands everywhere—gripping his back and fisting his hair. He moans in my mouth and backs us up until we hit the sofa bed, then lays me on it, his body between my legs.

His fingers trail up my thighs, under my skirt, and I gasp. “Yes, please.”

“Jonas, are you ready to go yet?” His sister’s voice sounds outside the door, and we both stiffen.

“Yeah, Emma, I’ll be right there,” he calls to her, then groans into my neck. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay,” I say as he hops off the couch. “I shouldn’t have gotten carried away.”

“Hads, I can’t seem to do anything but get carried away when I’m with you.” He gives me a quick kiss, and I resist the urge to deepen it. I want him, all the time.

He sighs as Emma knocks. “She doesn’t really understand privacy. You ready?”

At my nod, he throws open the door to Emma, bouncing in place. “You’re taking forever! Let’s go.”

We play tourist all over the city, taking selfies at The Bean and splashing in the water features nearby.

We visit the aquarium for Emma and she’s right, the sea otters are adorable.

We ride the L, which is not all that different from the T in Boston, but I don’t tell Emma that. She’s super proud of her home city.

The crowning jewel is Giordano’s for dinner. The industrial-style interior is dim, and the wooden tables and chairs gleam. It has an old-school Italian vibe with lots of exposed bricks and duct work.

As we stand in the foyer waiting, Jonas’s dad throws his arm around my shoulders. “There are two main camps of deep-dish pizza lovers. Giordano’s and Lou Malnati’s.” His tone is serious, like he’s imparting crucial wisdom. “Lou’s is okay, it’ll do in a pinch, but Giordano’s is the best.”

I nod. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

It’s not long before we’re seated at a long table. I’m next to Jonas, across from his sister and parents. The waiter brings menus, but Jonas’s dad hands them back, waving him off. “We know what we want.”

He orders a couple pizzas for everyone while I snake my hand under the table and put it on Jonas’s knee. It’s fun to watch him stiffen and blush. He clears his throat and asks his dad something about the Cubs, and his mom and Emma chime in, too.

They rib each other, good-natured teasing with lots of laughter.

Jonas practically glows with happiness. Seeing him with his family is a revelation.

He’s comfortable and open, relaxed in a way I don’t experience on campus.

I’m struck with a vision of him in the future—married and with kids of his own, still eating at the same pizza place down the street from his parents.

After his professional hockey career, there’s no doubt he ends up back in Chicago.

The thought makes sweat pop out between my shoulder blades and my cheeks flush.

I resisted Jonas’s pull initially because I thought he’d disappoint me.

Athletes always do. But after seeing him with his family, especially Emma, I know that wouldn’t be the case.

If he loved someone, he’d never let them go.

I’ve always planned on flying away, giving myself lots of options, but Jonas has me rethinking everything. Being tied down used to sound like a fate worse than death, but if I’m tied to Jonas…the idea doesn’t freak me out like it should. Is it possible that I’m falling for him?