Own the Eights Gets Married - Krista Sandor Page 0,65

leave for fifteen minutes,” she replied.

“I can understand that. I’m sure he’s worried about you. We all are,” he answered, sharing a glance with Georgie, who nodded her agreement.

Esther took Georgie’s hand, then reached for his. “I’m going to be fine. I think Simon knows this, but he needs a nudge to feel okay about leaving me to compete in the Shakespeare Shuffle. As a retired high school English teacher, I’m sure you can understand this is very important to me. He’s worked so hard, and you both have helped him so much.”

Jordan squeezed the woman’s hand gently. “He’s a great kid, Esther.”

“He is. He’s stronger and more confident, and I have the two of you to thank for that. Since he started working out in your gym and hanging out in the bookshop, his real smile is back. You two have changed his life,” she said.

“I don’t know if you could say that. Simon was always a good kid,” he replied.

Esther released a shaky breath. “But he was headed down a dark path. He’d retreated into himself. I could tell him a million times that he was smart and funny, but I’m his grandmother. He needed to hear it from someone else, someone he admired. That’s where the two of you came in. You challenge him. You helped him see the person we all knew was inside of him.” The woman glanced between them. “You’ve also taught him about love.”

“Love?” Georgie repeated, surprise coating the word.

Esther nodded. “I’m not sure how much Simon’s told you, but his parents aren’t allowed to have contact with him.”

“He’s never mentioned them to me,” he replied.

“Me neither,” Georgie answered.

“It’s not a happy story. His parents had gotten mixed up in drugs, and his early years were tumultuous, to say the least. He’d never been around a couple who loved each other. You see, I’ve been a widow for almost twenty years now, and Simon never knew his grandfather. I suspect he wasn’t sure what real love between a committed couple looked like before meeting the two of you. He talks about you all the time. You’ve had a great impact on his life.”

Georgie swiped a tear from her cheek. “That’s very kind of you to say. We’re grateful he’s a part of our life,” she added, catching his eye, then turning back to Esther.

Our life?

That had to be something. She still thought of them as having a life together—or that they used to have a life together.

His gaze washed over Georgie, and the slight hint of a smile she gave him when she caught him looking at her was there, barely a breath beneath the surface of her schooled features.

“You know, he has a girlfriend now. He and Talya spend just about every waking moment together,” Esther continued.

“I suspected there might be something going on between them,” he replied.

“He says she’s epic,” the woman added with a glint in her eyes when the door to the room flew open.

“Mr. Marks, Miss Jensen, what are you doing here?” Simon asked, carrying in a large to-go cup of coffee.

“They’re here to take you to the Shakespeare Shuffle,” Esther said in a firm, don’t-mess-with-grandma tone.

But the kid wasn’t having it.

“I told you, Grandma. I’m not leaving you,” he answered firmly.

“Sweetheart, you heard what the doctors said last night. They only kept me overnight for observation. And the nurse stopped by after you left to tell me I’ll be released later today,” Esther replied.

The teen set the coffee on the bedside table. “I should be here.”

“No, you should be at the race. You’ve worked too hard to miss it,” Esther replied.

Jordan glanced between grandmother and grandson and saw the pain in Esther’s eyes.

“How about we do it together, Simon?” he offered.

Simon frowned. “You want to run the race with me?”

“Why not?” Jordan asked, switching from concerned mentor to motivational trainer.

Simon shrugged.

“You don’t think you can keep up with me?” Jordan pressed, knowing how to challenge the teen.

The kid scoffed. “I can keep up. But what if I mess up the sonnet,” he said, deflating as he glanced at his grandmother.

Jordan pinned the teen with his gaze. “We’ve been training for this from the moment you entered the gym. And you’ve got the sonnet down. I’ve listened to you recite while running, jumping rope, and doing deadlifts. I’d venture to say you could recite it while being chased by an alligator.”

Simon’s expression softened. “Maybe.”

“Jordan’s right, Simon. I overheard you practicing with Talya. You’re ready,” Georgie added.

“Talya,” Simon repeated,