Page 161 of Sunkissed Colorado

When I reached her grave, I sat on the grass in front of it and placed a bouquet of daisies at the base of the stone.

“Hey, Jess. Sorry it took me so long to get here.”

Over a week had passed since that night at the creek with Winnie. Since I’d finally learned the truth. Callum hadn’t left my side for more than a few minutes. We’d stayed home mostly, in his bedroom. I still technically had the room next door, but at least half my stuff had migrated to Callum’s by now.

I smiled as I pulled my braid over my shoulder, wrapping the end of it around my hand. “Callum and I are so in love it’s disgusting. My teenage self would be gagging at us. He’s been giving me some more cooking lessons. We made gluten-free chocolate chip cookies the other day, and you wouldn’t believe the mess we made.”

Of course, I had a lot more to fill her in on. Most of it lesspleasant. I stretched my legs out on the grass. “Ian’s still in the county jail, but I heard through Dixie Haines that he’s probably going to accept a plea deal for a lesser charge than attempted robbery and false imprisonment. Saves me from having to testify. He’ll probably serve a few months in jail, and then I hope he heads back to Chicago and forgets he knows me.”

My nose scrunched up as I thought of Tommy Pickering. “Dixie also told us Tommy’s going to be charged for blackmailing Paula about Leo. It’s been too long to charge him for the blackmail in high school, but at least it’s something. My real question is, how does Dixie find out these things?”

I pulled at a loose thread on my jeans as I next told Jessa about Leo and her mom. I was pretty confident Paula wouldn’t be charged criminally for the fire at Hearthstone. For now, she was in a hospital still being assessed. My heart ached when I thought of everything Jessa’s family had gone through because of Winnie.

“Your brother is probably going to serve time for that bar fight and skipping bail. When I talked to him a few days ago, he was completely stunned by what Winnie confessed. Probably even more than I was. But at least he knows the truth now. He’s going to share it with your mom, if he feels like she’s ready to hear it. She’s getting help now.”

I rested a hand on the smooth stone, right below Jessa’s name. I’d wondered if Paula and Leo would find more solace if Winnie were charged for Jessa’s death. But that sounded unlikely, given that it had been so many years and would be so hard to prove she’d meant to kill Jessa.

Winnie would be serving prison time for my attempted murder, though, if a jury found her guilty. The district attorney was not going to be making any deals.

“And then there’s Russ. He came by yesterday. First time I’ve seen him since he told me he was your crush. He really cared about you, and he’s been holding that in for all this time. Along with his guilt. I told him you wouldn’t want him to feel that way.For what it’s worth, I think you guys would’ve been sweet together.”

There was one more thing I had to say. Though it made a lump gather in my throat.

“I reread my diary. It reminded me of so many great times we had together. I love you so much, Jessa, and I promise, I will never forget you. Friends forever.”

I’d dried my last tears by the time I made it to the cemetery gate. Callum was waiting for me there, holding a single small sunflower. He’d offered to come visit Jessa’s headstone with me, but this time, I had needed to do it by myself.

Without a word, he pulled me into a hug, tucking the sunflower behind my ear. We stayed just like that for a full minute.

Then he pulled back, and he started walking me toward his truck. “I hate to rush you, but if I don’t, we’ll be late. I know you hate that.”

“Two or three minutes at the most. I’m sure Grandpa will survive.”

“But willwe?” Callum muttered.

When we arrived at Hearthstone, Grandpa was waiting by the hostess stand, leaning on his walker. “About damn time! You two might think you have all the time in the world, but I don’t. Could’ve had a heart attack and been resuscitated in the time I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Papi,” Rosie scolded. “That’s not true.”

“Sorry, Manny,” Callum said cheerfully, not sounding remotely sorry.

“Well, come on, sit down. Let’s get this done.” Grandpa led the way into the dining room and sat at one of the long tables. Callum and I took chairs across from him. From deeper in the building, construction noise buzzed in the background.

“I’ll just be over here,” Rosie sing-songed. “Waiting to be your ride home, Pop.”

“This is a business meeting, daughter of mine. I’ll ask you not to interrupt.”

“Fine, I’ll go sit quietly at the bar.” Rosie snickered and gave me a look. I smiled back.

Grandpa cleared his throat, and I snapped to attention.

“This meeting was delayed for unfortunate reasons that we all know. But Zandra, you’ve assured me you feel up to it.”

“I do. I’m eager to hear your decision.” Then I reached for Callum’s hand under the table. “We’reeager to hear it,” I corrected.

“Yep,” Callum said. “Hit us with it, boss.”

I’d already told Grandpa I wanted him to consider Callum for the general manager job, regardless of anything Callum had said. And I’d also shared that with my boyfriend too, because I hadn’t been trying to go behind his back.