Page 47 of Heal You (The Study You #3)

Jan cast her gaze on the table again. “I’ll go. I’m sorry. I probably should have called to ask if it was okay to come.” She set her bag down on the table and slid towards the end of the booth. “I had hoped you had the night off so we could talk.”

Morgan stepped back as Jan got to her feet, one hand shoved in her jeans pocket. “You wanted to talk?”

“Yes. But right now isn’t ideal. I understand that.” Jan’s eyes drifted towards Amanda very briefly. She was watching their interaction intently. “I didn’t realise she was around again.”

“She’s not. She turned up about an hour ago. I didn’t know she was in town.”

Jan searched Morgan’s eyes. Genuine, as always. “Then I’ll come back when it’s a better time for you.”

Morgan chewed her lip for a moment. “When you say you want to talk…is it us you wanted to talk about?”

“Mmhmm. If there’s any chance of an us, anyway.

” Jan didn’t want to imagine never being with Morgan again, but she didn’t know how Morgan felt about her anymore.

Jan had fallen off the face of the earth for two weeks.

“I know I should have come to you and explained why I needed some space, but my head wasn’t in the right place the night I texted you. ”

“Hey, you don’t have to explain.” Morgan took a step closer. “I know what you’re going through, and I’d always prepared myself for a message like that. Granted, I wasn’t expecting it, given how great things were going between us, but I get it. I just wanted you to be okay.”

“I am. I’m okay.” Jan inched a hand forward and took Morgan’s, which hung at her side. “Thank you for understanding.”

“I wanted to call you, but I didn’t think you’d appreciate it. I’ve been worried about you.” Morgan entwined their fingers and stepped closer again, the softness of her eyes melting Jan. It was nice to know that hadn’t changed. “It’s so good to see you, Jan.”

“Are you sure?” Jan wrinkled her nose, even though Morgan looked happy to see her. “I don’t expect you to be very happy with the way I left us, but it really wasn’t anything you’d done. You’ve been amazing. You’ve been patient and understanding. You…care.”

“Of course I care. You mean the world to me, babe.”

Jan’s heart fluttered. She’d missed these moments with Morgan.

God, she’d missed everything about her. “I know I’ve shown up here tonight unannounced, but would you consider giving me another chance?

I don’t expect an answer from you in this moment, but I would be grateful if you’d think about it. About us.”

Morgan beamed one of those delicious smiles. “I don’t need to think about it.”

Jan practically pressed herself to Morgan, a hand placed on her chest, and drew her in to enjoy the sweet taste of her lips.

Even though she’d spent the last week sorting her life out, Jan had taken any opportunity she could to remind herself of this woman.

Of everything Morgan brought to her life.

Happiness, laughter, excitement. Reluctantly, Jan pulled back and took her bottom lip between her teeth.

God, she’d wanted to kiss Morgan in public for so long.

Spain hadn’t counted—nobody knew either of them there—but here…

where they had friends and acquaintances, she’d ached to do it.

They gazed back at one another, the heat between them quite clear and a stark reminder of what Jan had almost lost. She smiled as she said, “I guess we should arrange that date we’ve continuously spoken about.”

The sound of a stool scraping along the floor had Morgan turning around suddenly. Amanda was aggressively shoving her phone and purse into her handbag. Jan wouldn’t get involved in this, so she took a seat and watched whatever was about to happen unfold.

Amanda crossed the room and stopped in front of Morgan. She looked down at Jan, scoffed, then held a hand up in her face. “I don’t know who the fuck you are or where you came from.” She glared at Morgan. “Have you been fucking her behind my back?”

Morgan’s brows rose. “Really? You actually think you have any right to ask me that?”

“Have you?” Amanda lowered her hand from in front of Jan’s face and stepped closer to Morgan. “Is this why you were so quick to drop me?”

“I dropped you before I met Jan.” Morgan squared her shoulders. “Let’s not forget that you’re the cheat, not me.”

Jan rose to her feet and cleared her throat when she noticed several customers watching. “I think you should leave. This is Morgan’s bar, and she has customers in.”

Amanda turned to Jan. “And I think this conversation has nothing to do with you.”

“Thankfully, it doesn’t.” Jan took Morgan’s hand as she stood right beside her. This woman wouldn’t make a scene in here, not on Jan’s watch. “But it doesn’t change the fact that people are watching, and you should know better than to cause a scene in here. It’s very childish.”

Amanda folded her arms across her chest. “Who exactly are you?”

“That’s not relevant to this conversation.” It didn’t matter who Jan was. It was time for Amanda to leave. “Get your belongings and go.”

“Are you going to let her speak to me like that?” Amanda side-eyed Morgan.

“Trust me, she’s being far more respectful than I would be. Jan is right. It’s time for you to leave.” Morgan stepped away and took Amanda’s handbag from the bar and her coat from her stool. She handed them over and smiled. “And please, don’t come back.”

With sheer disbelief etched on her face, Amanda stepped around Morgan and walked out the door.

Jan’s shoulders relaxed immediately, but people were still looking over at them.

She turned to Morgan and kissed her slowly.

“Am I staying until you close, or am I going home to warm the place up for your arrival?”

Morgan grinned as she wrapped both arms around Jan’s waist. “I’m not letting you go. You’ll have to stay so I have something beautiful to look at.”

Jan brought a hand to Morgan’s cheek, reminding herself of Morgan’s soft skin. “I’ve spent two weeks thinking about you. You’ll have to forcefully remove me from your premises.”

“The only place I’ll be forcefully removing you from is that booth so I can take you upstairs and have my way with you.”

And just like that, Jan’s world lit up once again. All she felt was Morgan. All she saw was Morgan. And if she had her way, it would be for a very long time to come.