Page 45 of The Summer We Kept Secrets (The Destin Diaries #4)

“Oh, I’m not nice, as Jonah will inform you,” she said, taking the chair across from them. “But I’m in love with that baby, as you soon will be.”

Jonah felt the air whoosh out of him. Maggie might not be declawed, but there was something indescribably irresistible about the woman—and he needed everything he could get today.

Dad offered drinks and food, and Kate folded onto the floor in front of Sally like a teenager ready for a girl chat. Atlas continued to smile and kick, doing his best imitation of an Instagram baby.

Moment One had come and gone and no one exploded. Now if they could just get through the afternoon, Jonah might breathe again.

After a bit, Sally looked down at Atlas and started to fight tears again.

Gary hovered, his hands twitching, clearly unsure whether to comfort his wife or take the baby himself. Noticing that, Sally passed Atlas to him without a word, and Gary sat back on the couch, stiff and overwhelmed, cradling the baby like he was made of porcelain.

Maggie leaned in, smiling at him with utterly unnatural sweetness. “Where in California do you live, Gary? And what do you do?”

Small talk from a woman who despised it. Jonah made a mental note to kiss that old lady on the cheek once this was all over.

And all Maggie got from Gary was a look and a muttered, “Santa Clara. I work in tech.”

For a long beat, no one spoke.

“Come help me get drinks, Jonah,” Dad suggested, helping with the incredibly awkward stretch of tension.

They pulled out sodas and filled some glasses with ice as Kate talked with Sally. After a minute, they both got up and Kate put a light hand on the other woman’s back, taking her out to the deck to see the Gulf view.

Jonah shared a look with his father, who watched the women leave with an undeniable look of love in his eyes.

“She’s a keeper,” Jonah whispered.

His dad just gave a tight smile and glanced toward Gary and the baby. “This isn’t going to be easy,” he said.

Jonah nodded as he heard the conversation pick up outside. “Let me check on them.” He walked toward the wide-open sliders to see Kate and Sally standing side by side at the railing.

“Actually, I live in Upstate New York, in Ithaca,” he heard Kate say.

“Really?” Sally turned, looking truly interested for the first time. “I went to school in Ithaca.”

Kate blinked “Cornell?”

Sally nodded.

“Oh, I work at Cornell,” Kate said, her smile growing. “I’m a research scientist. What did you study in college?”

“I didn’t go there for undergrad, but I got a law degree there. Don’t use it much, but…yes.”

“Law? My father taught at the law school—Dr. Wylie.”

Sally’s hand slammed to her chest, eyes wide. “You’re kidding? Professor Wylie is your father?”

“You knew him?”

She seemed almost speechless. “I knew and adored him. He was my favorite professor!” she gushed, then frowned. “Knew? Is he…”

Kate nodded. “We lost him less than a year ago.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see that in the alumni newsletter, but then, I don’t always open it.” She thought for a second, studying Kate. “He often talked about his twin daughters.”

“I’m one of them,” she said. “My sister, Tessa, is here, too. You’ll meet her later.”

As Jonah watched, he could literally feel the tension lifting, replaced by warmth, commonality, and connection.

He didn’t know this great Artie Wylie fellow, but he sure wanted to thank him right now.

“Gary,” Sally called, turning and coming into the house. On the way, she stopped and smiled at Jonah for the first time. “Isn’t it a small world?”

“Tiny,” he said, stepping aside so she could walk in.

When she did, Kate came closer, and he just reached down and hugged her. “I love you, Katherine the Great.”

She smiled at his kitchen-born nickname for her. “Back at you, young man. Now, come on, let’s make them comfortable.”

Inside, Sally was borderline animated, sharing a story about how Dr. Wylie used Marvel characters to teach “legal boundaries and zealous advocacy”—whatever that was.

Jonah didn’t care. He was just awash with gratitude.

With each compliment for her father, Kate’s expression softened with pride and a touch of sorrow.

“He would have loved to hear that he made such an impression,” she told Sally.

During the conversation, Jonah could see Sally visibly relax and his optimism rose.

Surely the woman who’d learned legal ethics from Saint Artie wouldn’t try to abuse the law to steal her own grandchild away from his father, right?

Sally reached for the baby, who was now chewing on his own fingers, and asked, “May I feed him?”

“Of course,” Jonah said. “That’s his first sign of hunger. His second is…louder.”

She chuckled and brushed his little cheek. “Do you cry, Muffin?” she asked in a light baby voice.

“I’ll get a bottle for you,” Kate said, smiling as she passed Jonah.

A few minutes later, Sally cradled Atlas with practiced ease, her eyes filled with tears again. But this time, they seemed…well, not happy, but maybe wistful and loving.

“He has her nose,” she said, almost to herself. “And those little ears…”

Jonah sat on the arm of the couch, watching.

“I miss her every day,” he admitted, his voice low. “She made me laugh. She made me crazy. I didn’t deserve her, but I loved her.”

Sally looked up at him. “I know you two had your differences, but she was certain you had a great future. She loved that you had found your path to the kitchen and being a chef.”

“Still just starting,” he said. “But I promise you, Mrs. Danes, I will?—”

“Please, call me Sally,” she said. “Or Grammie Sal. I always wanted that to be my Grandma name.”

He smiled. “Grammie Sal. That’s what Carly told me we would call you.”

For a moment, they both sighed, holding each other’s gaze. Jonah was aware of Gary watching, and maybe he was warming, too.

The conversation shifted to Jonah’s studies in the culinary program, and the building of this house, and Kate talked more about her father. Eli stepped in and asked Sally about the cross around her neck, and they bonded as Christians.

Finally relaxed, Jonah barely noticed that his phone kept buzzing in his pocket. Standing up to get Gary another soda, he finally pulled it out and looked at the screen.

Meredith : Come up. I need help. Please.

What the…

He glanced around the room, decided not to say anything except excuse himself, and then slowly went upstairs like nothing was wrong.

But…something was wrong.

“Mer?” He knocked once before pushing her door open.

She was on the bed, rolled up, weeping. “I’m bleeding,” she announced on a ragged whisper. “Jonah…I think I’m losing the baby. It hurts.”

He shot toward the bed, arms out, heart freefalling. “Are you sure? Is a little blood normal?”

“It’s more than a little!” she wailed. “And I want this baby!”

“I know you do, I know, Mer Bear.” He stroked her hair, trying to think, trying to prioritize, trying to…not feel cursed again.

Swearing under his breath, he pushed up. “We’ll get you to the ER.”

“But the grandparents…the people.”

“Are fine. But you’re not. You can’t lose this baby, Meredith.”

“I think it’s too late,” she moaned. “I’m sorry to bother you with everything going on.”

“You did the right thing,” he said, though he felt like the world was tilting off its axis again. Another person he loved, another nightmare.

Another sign that he really was cursed.

But he didn’t say it. He just held her quickly, then pulled back, kissed her forehead, and said, “I’ll get Dad. And Kate. And I’ll come with you. Just gimme a sec.”

Downstairs, the room was still full of light and easy conversation. He hated that he had to step into this with yet another tragedy. Hated it.

Taking a breath, he leaned over his father and put a hand on his shoulder. Dad looked up and Jonah didn’t have to say a word.

His expression mirrored what Jonah felt. All the happiness evaporated in a heartbeat.

And the cursed darkness had returned.