Kelly actually snorted. “Are you kidding? If I have so much as a free minute, it’s to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Same with David. He’s really picked up a lot of the slack around here now that I’m too pregnant to move much. Why?”
“He’s a good one, that David.”
Kelly sighed. “Yes, I know. I’m lucky to have him.” True affection sounded in her voice.
“He’s lucky to have you.”
“I know that, too.” She leaned in closer to the monitor. “Hold on a minute. Are you saying I might have seen something about you if I’d been online recently?”
Jess gave a shake of her head. “Never mind, it’s not important.”
“Listen, bff, I want to know what’s going on with you. I miss you.”
Jess felt the sudden sting of tears. “I miss you, too.”
“Not to mention I’m in desperate need of some adult conversation that doesn’t revolve around toddler sleep patterns or Braxton-Hicks contractions.”
“Well, I was going to ask you about those at some point.”
Kelly shifted in her seat as if she couldn’t get comfortable. “Please don’t. Tell me what’s going on with you instead.”
Jess sucked in a deep breath and began to relay the whole series of events, starting with her spontaneous decision to draw the castle on the wall. By the time she finished, she’d dabbed at her eyes more than once and was feeling completely spent. The telling felt like a release, a catharsis of sort. Kelly had done exactly what she’d needed her to do—she’d simply listened in silence. The slightest noise she’d made had been when Jess got to the part about Jordan’s offer. That was the part Jess had almost gotten too choked up to speak.
“Oh, Jess. You’ve really fallen for him, haven’t you? Like head-over-heels fallen,” Kelly said, concern and empathy etched in her voice from thousands of miles away.
Jess sniffled. “Is it that obvious?”
“I’m afraid so. I’ve never seen you so worked up over a man before. Not even that bore Gary.”
Well, that certainly was an apt way to describe things. Every time she saw Jordan she came away from the encounter worked up in one way or another.
“There are clearly things he’s not saying to you, honey. Things he hasn’t even admitted to himself.”
“To be fair, he never led me on, Kelly. In fact, he made sure I knew exactly where he stood.”
Kelly responded with a sympathetic nod. “Give him points for being up-front, I guess.”
Jess rubbed a shaky hand down her face. “If only he was being as direct with himself.”
Her friend leaned farther into the screen. “I guess he needs time. To adjust and somehow find a way to forgive himself and also to figure out how to be the parent that his sister needs. So I need to ask you something.”
“What’s that?”
“Are you willing to wait for him? At least for a while. I mean, no one would suggest you wait forever.”
Jess didn’t answer out loud. But deep inside she knew. She’d known since that first day when she’d been covered in paint and dressed in farmer’s overalls and Jordan had walked into the room startling her. When she’d first laid eyes on him.
“Your silence tells me a great deal,” Kelly continued. “So just one more question.”
“What’s that?”
“Why haven’t you told him so yet? That you’re willing to wait for him?”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
JESS WAS STILL thinking about her friend’s question as she poured her third cup of coffee the next morning. After a restless night spent tossing and turning, she hadn’t gotten any kind of real sleep. Since getting out of bed, she’d tried to take her mind off the events of yesterday by attempting about twelve different sketches. None of her ideas seemed to hold her interest for much longer than a few minutes before she tore off each sheet and crumpled it into a ball. Maybe she’d never want to draw another thing for the rest of her life. That possibility seemed quite feasible at this point.
Why haven’t you told him so yet?
Kelly’s words echoed through her mind. On the surface it seemed such a simple query. But could she do it? Could Jess open herself any further and risk exposing her heart to any more pain?