her face. And Jonah’s shock of thick white hair and ruddy cheeks gave him the overall appearance of a spry, beardless Santa.
“GiGi,” Jani said. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
She also didn’t know how her grandmother being there would go over with Gideon. Especially since his darker side had made a reappearance.
Plus there was the noteworthy fact that in all the introductions he’d made today, he’d never once used Jani’s last name. No one was aware that she was a Camden, and Jani knew that was how he wanted it. That he didn’t want his name connected in any way with the Camden name, particularly in Lakeview.
Jani had merely accepted that. But now here GiGi was, and Jani wondered if she would open a can of worms.
“Jonah and I spent the day together and now we’re going back to Arden to have dinner at his house with Cade and Nati. Since we were driving right by here on the way, I asked him to stop,” GiGi explained.
Cade had met his fiancée, Nati, on his mission to make amends for past Camden misdeeds. It’s what had brought GiGi back together with Jonah Morrison, who was Nati’s grandfather. Now GiGi was spending more time in Arden, a suburb west of both Denver and Lakeview where Jonah lived.
“Hello! You must be Gideon Thatcher. I’m Jani’s grandmother,” GiGi called, looking beyond Jani to Gideon, who had not rushed to join them.
Jani was glad her grandmother hadn’t uttered their last name but there was still a moment of extreme tension for her when she wasn’t sure what was going to happen, when she worried what Gideon’s reaction might be, when she just hoped he didn’t mistreat her grandmother because if he did, there would be no turning back as far as Jani was concerned.
But after that moment of tension, Gideon joined them.
“Hi,” he said, still sounding stiff but courteous nonetheless.
“This is my friend Jonah Morrison.” GiGi went on with the introductions since Jani was too nervous to make them herself. “Jonah, this is Gideon Thatcher. And you can call me GiGi, Mr. Thatcher—everyone does.”
“Gideon,” Gideon said perfunctorily, shaking Jonah’s hand.
“My granddaughter speaks well of you, Gideon,” GiGi said then.
“Really...” One of Gideon’s eyebrows arched dubiously as he angled a glance at Jani.
“Well, you know, maybe not so much at first,” GiGi admitted with a laugh, causing Jani to grimace at the revelation. “I understand the start was a little rocky. But that doesn’t mean things have to stay that way, does it, Jonah?” She nudged her companion with an elbow and sent him a sly glance.
“Nope. Sometimes the best things are at the end of rocky roads,” Jonah said with a clearly lascivious wink.
Jani caught Gideon’s eye, made a face and shook her head helplessly.
Something about her discomfort seemed to amuse him because he cracked the barest of smiles before GiGi drew his attention again.
“Anyway, I just wanted to stop and tell you how happy I am that you’ve agreed to let us help to honor Franklin Thatcher,” GiGi confided to Gideon in a lowered voice that couldn’t be heard by anyone else. Jani realized that her grandmother had not lost sight of Gideon’s position in the community and was trying to stay anonymous.
Gideon merely raised his chin in response to what her grandmother had said, and Jani saw a muscle flex in his jaw that let her know he wasn’t entirely happy with her grandmother’s endorsement.
“I asked everyone to look over things today—we got your proposal and the cost estimates from Jani early this morning. We’re all fine with it and I wanted to give you the go-ahead. Do you like pot roast?”
The speed with which GiGi had changed the subject startled both Jani and Gideon.
“Do I like pot roast?” he repeated.
“Pot roast, potatoes, carrots, little pearl onions, gravy, salad—the works.”
“Yes...” Gideon said, obviously confused by the direction this had taken. But Jani was
“GiGi,” Jani said. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
She also didn’t know how her grandmother being there would go over with Gideon. Especially since his darker side had made a reappearance.
Plus there was the noteworthy fact that in all the introductions he’d made today, he’d never once used Jani’s last name. No one was aware that she was a Camden, and Jani knew that was how he wanted it. That he didn’t want his name connected in any way with the Camden name, particularly in Lakeview.
Jani had merely accepted that. But now here GiGi was, and Jani wondered if she would open a can of worms.
“Jonah and I spent the day together and now we’re going back to Arden to have dinner at his house with Cade and Nati. Since we were driving right by here on the way, I asked him to stop,” GiGi explained.
Cade had met his fiancée, Nati, on his mission to make amends for past Camden misdeeds. It’s what had brought GiGi back together with Jonah Morrison, who was Nati’s grandfather. Now GiGi was spending more time in Arden, a suburb west of both Denver and Lakeview where Jonah lived.
“Hello! You must be Gideon Thatcher. I’m Jani’s grandmother,” GiGi called, looking beyond Jani to Gideon, who had not rushed to join them.
Jani was glad her grandmother hadn’t uttered their last name but there was still a moment of extreme tension for her when she wasn’t sure what was going to happen, when she worried what Gideon’s reaction might be, when she just hoped he didn’t mistreat her grandmother because if he did, there would be no turning back as far as Jani was concerned.
But after that moment of tension, Gideon joined them.
“Hi,” he said, still sounding stiff but courteous nonetheless.
“This is my friend Jonah Morrison.” GiGi went on with the introductions since Jani was too nervous to make them herself. “Jonah, this is Gideon Thatcher. And you can call me GiGi, Mr. Thatcher—everyone does.”
“Gideon,” Gideon said perfunctorily, shaking Jonah’s hand.
“My granddaughter speaks well of you, Gideon,” GiGi said then.
“Really...” One of Gideon’s eyebrows arched dubiously as he angled a glance at Jani.
“Well, you know, maybe not so much at first,” GiGi admitted with a laugh, causing Jani to grimace at the revelation. “I understand the start was a little rocky. But that doesn’t mean things have to stay that way, does it, Jonah?” She nudged her companion with an elbow and sent him a sly glance.
“Nope. Sometimes the best things are at the end of rocky roads,” Jonah said with a clearly lascivious wink.
Jani caught Gideon’s eye, made a face and shook her head helplessly.
Something about her discomfort seemed to amuse him because he cracked the barest of smiles before GiGi drew his attention again.
“Anyway, I just wanted to stop and tell you how happy I am that you’ve agreed to let us help to honor Franklin Thatcher,” GiGi confided to Gideon in a lowered voice that couldn’t be heard by anyone else. Jani realized that her grandmother had not lost sight of Gideon’s position in the community and was trying to stay anonymous.
Gideon merely raised his chin in response to what her grandmother had said, and Jani saw a muscle flex in his jaw that let her know he wasn’t entirely happy with her grandmother’s endorsement.
“I asked everyone to look over things today—we got your proposal and the cost estimates from Jani early this morning. We’re all fine with it and I wanted to give you the go-ahead. Do you like pot roast?”
The speed with which GiGi had changed the subject startled both Jani and Gideon.
“Do I like pot roast?” he repeated.
“Pot roast, potatoes, carrots, little pearl onions, gravy, salad—the works.”
“Yes...” Gideon said, obviously confused by the direction this had taken. But Jani was
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