Make Your Move - By Samantha Hunter Page 0,57

to do is fine with him. I can do whatever work I want to or not even work at all, but I love working with you at the shop. He wants to buy a house,” she said, her eyes shining.

“Wow,” was all Jodie could manage for a moment, and then she just shook her head. “Well, I’ll say congratulations, then, and I hope you will be happy, Ginger. Because no matter what you say, you and Anna really deserve it this time around, and if Scott hurts you, tell him I’ll—”

“He won’t. I just know it this time,” Ginger said, practically glowing with happiness.

“How do you know?”

Ginger shrugged. “I tried to get past the past, I guess. I watched him with Anna the other night and saw his face when I told him I was pregnant, and I just…know. Sometimes you just know.”

Jodie was humbled. She’d been critical of Ginger, unfairly so. Love was…complicated. People did their best, and sometimes it worked out and sometimes it didn’t, but Ginger at least was open to it.

“Ginger, you are probably the bravest woman I know,” she said honestly. “To have faith that you could find real love, and a family, with Scott again. It’s a chance I don’t know that I could have taken.”

Hell, she couldn’t even tell Dan, whom she loved, and who clearly loved her, how she felt.

“Aw, Jodie. It’s not so hard. Not when you really love someone. Like you love Dan.”

“I love Dan,” Jodie said on a whisper, out loud, mostly to herself, to see if she actually could form the words. Then she looked at Ginger. “I love Dan,” she said again, louder and stronger, smiling.

“Question is,” Ginger posed, “have you told him that?”

Jodie took a deep breath and released something that had been caught tight in her chest for a very long time. It made her feel free for the first time since…well, maybe ever.

Dan wasn’t her father, and she wasn’t her mother. They had a whole different relationship, and their future would be whatever they wanted it to be. Dan loved her. And she loved him.

She smiled at Ginger. “I think he suspects, but it’s probably time I told him.”

“Go. Do it. Now,” Ginger ordered. “Lunch is on me. See you at the shop tomorrow?”

Jodie grinned, planting a kiss on Ginger’s cheek as she rushed out from the restaurant.

“You bet.”

Jodie rushed into Dan’s office, and found him talking and laughing with a group of young people who all looked at her in surprise.

She stopped short in midstride. “Oh! I’m so sorry! I saw the door open, and I just thought—”

Dan smiled. “No problem. We’re almost done here. Guys, this is my girlfriend, Jodie.”

Jodie actually felt herself blush with pleasure. For a moment she thought he’d only introduce her as his business partner. Girlfriend was fine with her, and probably appropriate for the age group he was talking to. She smiled at the friendly faces.

“Hi. Sorry again for interrupting,” she said to them. “The door was open, and I just assumed—”

“It’s fine. Nothing top secret going on here,” Dan joked, wiggling his eyebrows.

One student with blue hair and more piercings than Jodie could count gave her an appraising look and then turned to Dan.

“Nice going, Dr. Ellison,” he said, making everyone chuckle, Jodie, too.

“I’ll just step back out,” she said, turning, but Dan shook his head, standing.

“We’re pretty much done here. These guys are going to be my lab assistants this semester. We were reviewing the schedule, but we’re all set, right, guys?”

“Absolutely, Dr. E,” one shorter, more serious looking student said.

All three smiled and said goodbyes—to Jodie, too—and she rolled her eyes as the pierced guy threw Dan a thumbs-up on his way out.

“They’re funny,” Jodie said, as Dan closed the door behind them and kissed her. “Especially the pierced guy. I can tell he’s always been the class clown.”

“They’re also incredibly smart, especially him. They’ll be great to work with this term,” he said. “What brings you here? Not that I’m not always glad to see you running into my office,” he joked.

“Sorry again. I just got kind of excited, and I wanted to tell you something,” she said, feeling her breath catch up in her chest, sudden nerves gripping her.

“Excited? About what?” Dan asked.

Jodie opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

She couldn’t believe it.

At the café, with Ginger, she had been so sure that she could do this. She loved Dan. She loved him heart and soul. So why couldn’t she actually