Professor Feelgood (Page 78)

I stand and hug her. “You know you’re my favorite sister, right? This will make my life so much easier. Thank you.”

“My turn,” Nan says, as she places a gift-wrapped rectangle in front of me. “This isn’t as fancy as carrying the sum of all human knowledge in your pocket, but still …” She shrugs. “I hope you like it.”

I give her a smile as I tear open the paper and pull it back. When I reveal what’s inside, it takes a moment for my mind to comprehend what I’m seeing, and then…my heart stops.

“Oh, damn,” Eden whispers beside me. “That’s gorgeous.”

It’s a picture of me and Jake from the HEA party. It must have been taken while we were on the red carpet, and it has echoes of the photo Jake posted earlier. Jake has his arm around me, and while I’m smiling at the wall of photographers, Jake is gazing down at me with an expression of total adoration.

“You two make a beautiful couple,” Nan says quietly.

I look over, concerned she’s upset I didn’t tell her. “Nan …”

She pats my hand. “I’m not angry with you, sweetheart. You’ve had a crazy couple of months. I’m just glad you two kids finally sorted yourselves out. You’ve been in love with each other since the day you met, and I was starting to lose hope you’d ever admit that.”

I have so many questions, I don’t know which one to ask first. Nan gives me an enigmatic smile and takes the rest of the plates to the sink.

“Nan, how did you get this photo? And how did you know about Jake and me? And if you knew we loved each other, why didn’t you say anything?”

She runs water over the plates. “Sweetheart, knowing something and being able to do anything about it are two different things, and you two needed to be pulled apart before you were ready for the truth. Losing the thing you love most teaches your heart about its true value. And because you now know what it’s like to be without each other, I guarantee that you and Jacob will never take your love for granted.”

I run my fingers over Jake’s face in the picture, and I see her point. Having experienced life without Jake, I never want to be without him again. “Okay, but how did you know we were together?”

Nan gives a non-committal shrug. “Did you forget that boy spent so much time at your house, he was practically part of the furniture? He and I became close after your mother passed. And then when the two of you fell out, we still kept in touch.”

“Kept in touch?”

“Some phone calls, and he sent a few postcards from overseas. Oh, and he bought a whole bunch of furniture from me about a year ago.”

I put my elbows on the table and rub my forehead with my fingers. Jake bought all his furniture from Nan? This is too much information.

“You okay, Ash?” Eden asks.

“Yeah. Just fending off a headache from having my mind blown.”

Nan comes over and rubs my back. “Sweetheart, you’ve been working way too hard. Eden and I can finish up here. Why don’t you go up to the roof and get some air?”

Yes, please.

The combination of three glasses of champagne and finding out about my grandmother’s omnipotence is making me feel claustrophobic. Nan’s roof garden is one of my favorite places in the whole city to go and de-stress.

I stand and pack my presents away. “Are you sure you’ll be okay for a few minutes?”

Nan and Eden share a look and in unison say, “Definitely.”

Okay, that was creepy.

“Thanks. I’ll be back soon for cake.”

I grab my coat and pull it on as I head up the stairs to the roof. Over the past few decades, Nan’s transformed the barren space into a lush oasis, filled with garden beds and potted plants. There’s even some bee hives and a special pond for Moby. Another major feature is its great view of Brooklyn. If I squint just right, I may even be able to see Jake’s building.

Just thinking about him gives me goosebumps. In two days’ time, I’m going to love on him so much, there may be bruising.

When I push out of the stairwell door and into the cool night air, I stop short as I take in the scene before me. The entire garden has been decorated with fairy lights, and in the middle of it all is an old jukebox, all lit up playing soft jazz.

I shake my head in disbelief. “Oh, Nan, you couldn’t resist, could you?”

I hold my breath for a moment, worried that a whole bunch of people are going to jump out and yell ‘surprise!’, but the only other creature up here is a fat pigeon huddled next to the water tank.

I wander through the garden, so happy with how beautiful it looks draped in the tiny lights. It gives the whole area a magical feel. That’s why I used to love the garage attic so much. It’s impossible to have a bleak outlook on life when confronted with a world that sparkles.

I turn left past the rose bushes and just about jump out of my skin when I see a tall figure silhouetted against one of Nan’s antique coach lamps. I’m about to run back to the stairwell when he walks into the light. The second I make out his familiar features, my heart beats out of my chest.

“Jake?”

He smiles, and it’s the most dazzling, joyful, incandescent sight I’ve ever seen. With adrenaline coursing through me, I run to him as fast as I can, not even slowing down before launching myself into his arms.

He grunts when he catches me, and then his arms close around me as he buries his face in my neck.

“Hi.” He breathes deeply before letting out a groan of relief. “I’ve forgotten how incredible you smell.”

I squeeze him so tightly, I hear joints creak. “God, I’ve missed you.”

“Not as much as I’ve missed you.” We just hold each other for a while and breathe, and all the restlessness I’ve been feeling while we’ve been apart dissolves in the warmth of his body pressed against mine.

“How are you here?” I ask at last.

“Nannabeth reached out to me. Said you’d finally agreed to a birthday celebration.” He lowers me to my feet and leans his forehead against mine. “So, birthday dinner, huh? That’s a big step forward.”

I stroke his chest through his shirt. “I figured it was time to let go of whatever trauma I was carrying from Mom’s passing. If she were here, she’d kick my ass for letting it affect me for so long. Nan convinced me that we could celebrate me and honor her at the same time.”

“She told me that, too. Which is why I have something to show you.”

He leads me over to the roses, and I notice there’s a new tub there containing a freshly planted Arctic White covered in blooms. On the edge of the planter is a brass plaque that’s been engraved.

In loving memory of Elizabeth Iris Tate. Gone from our arms, but not from our hearts.

I turn to Jake, lost for words.

He stares at the plaque. “I thought it would be nice if she had a presence here with the rest of her family.”

I slide my fingers between his, and I’m surprised to see him holding back tears. “Jake, you didn’t have to do this.”

He runs a fingertip over one of the roses. “Yes, I did. She may not have been blood, but she was more of a mother to me than my birth mother could ever be. She was the one who loved and nurtured me. Who ran interference when Dad was raging. I miss her and wanted to honor her. Also, she gave birth to the love of my life, so for that alone, I’ll be forever grateful.”