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  What was she looking for?

  As if she heard my thoughts, she marched over to us and went behind the counter. She tugged on Sierra’s arm and opened her arms. Sierra hefted Gina onto her hip.

  “Where’s that song?” she asked.

  “Girl, you’re going to have to be more specific,” Sierra said.

  “The song,” Gina said, turning to me. “The down under one.”

  Sierra’s eyes bulged.

  “Men at Work is the group,” I said. After Noah had told Gina about the trip, she spent the entire day yesterday asking me how to be more Australian. I introduced her to the group. “We listened to it all day on YouTube.”

  Sierra grimaced. “I’m glad I wasn’t there. Sorry, sweetie. That’s not my type of music.”

  “I don’t think they have that here,” I said and glanced at Sierra. She slowly shook her head with an expression of disgust.

  I lightly slapped her arm. “They aren’t that bad.”

  “Did Jess tell you I’m going to Australia?” Gina asked Sierra.

  “I heard. I’m super jealous.”

  “I’m super excited!” Gina said, pumping her fists in the air. “Jess, can you find the song?”

  I proceeded to bring the song up on my phone and play it for her. Gina wiggled out of Sierra’s arms and came around the counter to dance with me to the catchy music.

  “I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” Sierra said, trying to hold back a smile.

  “Come on!” I said, reaching out to her.

  “You can’t even dance to this music,” Sierra said. Her facade was cracking.

  “Please!” Gina said, and I knew we had her.

  “All right,” she said and joined us.

  When Noah arrived home that night, he surprised me with three tickets to Sydney.

  “Noah,” I said completely taken off guard. “I could have purchased my own ticket. I invited you, remember?”

  “It’s fine,” he said, kissing my cheek. Gina was in the living room watching a cartoon, so we didn’t have to worry about hiding anything. “I have the money, and I wanted us to sit together.”

  “Thank you,” I said graciously.

  “But you have to promise to take us to the real Australia. Of course, we should see some touristy things, but I want to know where you grew up. What places shaped the woman you are today.”

  “It’s not that glamorous, I promise,” I said.

  “It doesn’t have to be,” he said. “I want to get to know more about you.”

  I took a steadying breath. “Okay.” Little did Noah know that I was going to keep much of my past a secret, at least until we were a bit more serious about each other. I liked him, but knowing the shit I’ve been through could be a deal breaker this early on in the relationship. Besides, he seemed genuinely excited about the trip, and I wanted him to have the best time. At least his first time down there.

  “I want to warn you that my mom can be a bit much,” I said.

  “I’m sure she’s fine,” he said.

  I had to stifle an eye roll. “I hope it’s okay if I don’t stay the night. There are a lot of things I have to do this weekend to prepare for Monday.”

  He sighed dramatically, and I laughed.

  “Okay,” he said. “But I’m going to need one hell of a kiss to hold me over.”

  I glanced toward the living room where Gina still faced the television, oblivious to her father’s and my growing relationship. I dragged him out of view and kissed him.

  On the way home, I called Mom. She’d wanted me to come down for her birthday. It was the only way she could guilt me into the trip. She knew I was coming, but not with two extra people.

  “Jess!” Mom said when she picked up the phone.

  “Hey, Mom,” I said.

  “Is everything all right? Are you still coming next week?” She sounded worried.

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Oh, thank heavens. I thought you were calling to cancel.” I pictured her pacing the kitchen with worry. It made me feel a little guilty that I made her feel that way.

  “I’m not calling to cancel. I do have some change in plans though.”

  “How so? Are you coming later in the week? I wanted you here for my actual birthday—”

  “I’m bringing two people along with me,” I interrupted before she went on too long.

  “That friend of yours?”

  “No, not Sierra. Noah and Gina.”

  There was a long pause on the other end, and I checked to make sure the call was still connected.

  “You’re bringing a man here?”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “A problem?” Mom asked. “It’s not a problem, love. I’m a little surprised is all. You’ve never brought a man home with ya.”

  There was a reason for that. Mom could be a little over the top even for an Aussie bloke.

  “It must be serious between you two,” she continued.

  “It is,” I said. “But his daughter, Gina, doesn’t know about us yet. So, I need you to be on your best behavior.”

  She let out a snort. “I’m always on my best behavior.”

  “Mom,” I warned.

  “All right, all right.”

  I detailed the trip to her and told her I’d see her next week. I was sure to hear from her on Sunday, and I’d be offering up another warning to remind her that Noah was also my boss. But I had a feeling he would take anything she said in stride. At least I hoped.

  CHAPTER 21

  Noah

  The thirteen-hour flight to Sydney wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Having the five-hour layover in Los Angeles had helped us adjust before the long stretch. Jess had the forethought to pack Gina a bunch of activities, coloring books and the like, so she was distracted for most of the time.

  Though the flight crew did a fantastic job of preparing us for jet lag by turning the lights down low, synchronizing us with the Australian time zone. And our first-class tickets gave us enough room to wander around when we needed to stretch our legs.

  When we landed, I was happy to be grounded in this new and exotic place.

  Jess’s shoulders visibly relaxed when the wheels of the plane touched the ground.

  I looked forward to getting to know the place where she grew up and how she turned into the woman she was today. Gina and I were taking a deeper look into Jess’s life, drawing her closer, turning our tight-knit duo into a trio. At least that’s what I hoped for.

  When it was time to disembark the plane, Gina shuffled down the aisle. She zapped her energy around the three-quarter mark of the flight, yet she still hadn’t recovered. I’d have to ask Jess how to get Gina back on a regular time so she could enjoy our stay. A tired Gina was a crabby Gina. And a grumpy Gina was more of a handful than normal.

  I ruffled Gina’s hair, and she leaned back, nearly falling over. I took her hand a guided her down the jet bridge into the airport.

  I sneaked my other hand behind me and took Jess’s in mine. I squeezed it lightly. We hadn’t breached the topic of our budding relationship to Gina yet, but I still had the urge to touch Jess whenever I could.

  “How does it feel to be home?” I asked.

  Jess sighed, clearly affected by the long flight as well. “Good. I haven’t been home in a while. I suspect Mom will bring that up as much as she can while we’re here. The guilt can be unbearable sometimes.”

  “She probably just misses you,” I said.

  “Yeah,” she said dismissively.

  “Does she know about us?” I asked in a low voice.

  “I had to tell her,” Jess said, her cheeks turning a little pink. “She has a knack for digging around where she doesn’t belong, and I didn’t want her to say something in front of Gina.”

  “Good call,” I said.

  “Are you mad about it?” she asked, chewing on her lower lip.

  “Not at all,” I said. “I want to tell more people about us.”

  “It’s too c
omplicated right now,” she said, finishing my thought.

  “I know,” I said. “But soon.”

  “Really?” she asked.

  I nodded. I had the urge to pull Jess into my arms and kiss her to show her how much I felt for her, but I held back. I hoped my feelings came through with a single look.

  From the little smirk on her lips, I knew it did.

  When we reached the airport, Jess, and I took one of Gina’s hands, protecting her on each side. Though Gina put a lot of weight on both of us, so I knew she was over tired.

  “Gina, do you want a piggyback ride?” I asked.

  She looked up at me with heavy eyes. “Yeah, Daddy.”

  I knelt down, and she climbed onto my back. All of her weight rested on me as I stood.

  Jess and I were able to move quickly through the airport down to baggage claim without Gina’s dragging footsteps holding us up.

  We followed the signs to our baggage area, and the belt hadn’t started to move yet. I sat Gina down on a bench, and she flopped over, lightly snoring.

  “Jessica!” someone shouted from across the way.

  Jess clenched her jaw and sighed before turning around.

  A woman raced over to us. Her shoes slapped across the floor as she barreled toward us.

  “Love, is that you?” She skidded to a stop in front of us. “You look much thinner than I remember.”

  “Yes, Mom,” Jess said.

  Jess’s mom was shorter than Jess, but quite thin. Her cheeks were sunken in, but her eyes were bright. And the same hazel color as Jess’s. Her eyes were the only indicator they were related. Jess must have received most of her father’s genetics.

  Chloe Holland hugged her daughter tightly.

  For as much as Jess consistently warned me about her mother’s behavior, I found it hard to believe that this was the woman she spoke about. The tears in her eyes showed affection for her only child.

  Chloe’s eyes met mine. “G’day, Noah. Where’s your ankle biter?”

  “Excuse me?” I asked.

  “Gina’s over there, Mom,” Jess said and pointed toward the bench where Gina was fast asleep. I dreaded waking her up. “She’s a little jet lagged.”

  “We’ll get that sorted straight away,” Chloe said. Then she raised her arms up and embraced me. “It’s so nice to meet you. How was the flight?”

  While Jess caught up with her mom, I headed over to Gina to sit with her until the baggage carousel started up next to us. The loud sound woke Gina from her cat nap.

  “Gina, honey,” I said, not wanting to startle her even more than she already was. “Let’s get the bags—”

  “Where’s Jess?” she asked, her eyes darting around the room.

  “She’s catching up with her mom,” I said and pointed to Jess and Chloe across the way.

  Gina’s eyes lit up, and a smile stretched across her face. “I want to meet her!” She flung herself off the bench and ran over to Jess, grabbing onto her leg. Jess leaned over and picked Gina up.

  I smiled at the two of them while Jess introduced Chloe to my daughter.

  Chloe grinned from ear to ear. There was another glimpse of Jess in her mother. Their lips curved the same way when they smiled.

  I headed over to pick out our baggage while the girls had their alone time. I planned on making some outings with Gina on our own so that Jess and Chloe could have time to themselves since it had been a while for them. Though, it made me a little remiss to think of not seeing Jess for any extended period.

  “What color are your bags?” Chloe said from next to me. I turned to her then glanced behind me, unable to find Jess and Gina in the crowd.

  “Where’s—”

  “They went to the toilet,” she said.

  “Our bags are green,” I said.

  “Smart,” she said.

  I didn’t travel much, but one of the tips I picked up was to have a different color suitcase than black. It helped pick mine out of the sea of black bags that rotated around the carousel.

  “Since Jess doesn’t have a dad, I’m going to be the one to ask about your intentions for my daughter,” she said.

  I tried to find the lightness in her tone but was unsuccessful.

  “I have no intentions of seeing anyone else, Mrs. Holland.”

  “It’s Miss,” she said quickly.

  Okay, then Miss Holland it was. Even though I knew her first name, I wanted to make a good impression. The idea of that made me want to laugh. I hadn’t met anyone’s parents since Wendy and I first got together. Even in my thirties, I wanted to make a good impression on Jess’s mom.

  “Jess and I might have met under a working relationship, but I assure you I want to be with her.”

  “Why haven’t you spoken about this to your lovely daughter?”

  I sighed. She dug right into specifics. These were things Jess and I haven’t discussed in detail yet. “Jess and I are taking it slow. We both agreed to that.”

  “Hm,” she said and scratched at her chin. She walked toward the carousel and lifted a green bag from the belt. “This one of yours?”

  “Yes,” I said, helping her.

  Jess and Gina joined us a few moments later, ending the interview with Chloe. Though I knew she wasn’t finished with me yet.

  Chloe drove us to the suburb of Mona Vale almost thirty kilometers north of Sydney. Gina and I were glued to the windows, taking in the foreign land.

  Chloe was a proper tour guide, and she told us everything we’d ever need to know about the area, pointing out different locations.

  Jess was quiet the whole way to her house. She looked out the window with disinterest, and her eyes had a faraway look to them. I didn’t press her to speak. I’d give her the time she needed to work out whatever she needed to for us to have a good time on the rest of the trip. I was sure this was a big step for her too, and I didn’t want to push her.

  “I’m gonna take you the long way around town to show you the sights before we get to the house, okay?” Chloe said.

  “That’s fine with us,” I said for everyone.

  She drove close to the coast where the beaches were. The water was incredibly clear, and the waves on a few of the beaches were the largest I’d ever seen. Even when I spent a little time on the west coast of the United States, I was never into beaches and surfing. For some reason, I wanted to jump right into this water with Gina and Jess, as soon as I could.

  “We live near the shallow beach,” Chloe said.

  “It’s not as rough as the other ones,” Jess added. “Perfect for the little tackers.” A smile broke through her funk, and by the time we reached her house, her mood had improved.

  When we pulled up to the house, I realized we were only a short walk away from the beach. As much as I wanted to go today, I knew we’d need a day to adjust. Being jet lagged and burnt to a crisp wouldn’t start off our vacation on a good note.

  Chloe’s brick house was one story. The front yard was small, but what little grass they had was lush and green.

  Jess came over to my side of the car and whispered into my ear, “It looks small, but it can fit all of us comfortably. If you want to get a hotel, I wouldn’t mind.”

  I lightly squeezed her arm. “This is perfect.”

  We locked eyes, and I wanted to kiss her so badly. It wasn’t the right time. Though if Gina saw, I could easily tell her she dreamed it since she was still living on little sleep.

  “It’s charming here,” I said admiring the view of the ocean and surrounding areas. The house was set higher on a hill which gave an obstructed view of the shore. People paid a lot of money for a view like this.

  “It’s all right,” Jess said with a smirk. “Let me show you around the house.”

  After our tour of the house and a short nap for all of us, Chloe made fish and chips for dinner. The four of us sat on the back patio. The space was surrounded on three sides by a tall wooden fence to give us privacy from the closely nestled neighbors.

  “Ok
ay, can you make this for every meal for the rest of the trip?” I asked Chloe.

  “You haven’t even tried Vegemite yet,” Jess said.

  “What’s that?” Gina asked, wrinkling her nose.

  “Something you don’t want to try,” Chloe said. “I’ve always hated the stuff.”

  “Which is why you’re a terrible Aussie,” Jess teased.

  “It’s true,” Chloe said. “But at least I didn’t move away and never return.”

  Jess clamped her mouth shut.

  Chloe didn’t look bothered by her remark, and the conversation ceased at that moment. This was the unapologetic woman who Jess rarely spoke of.

  “Well, at least everyone is here now,” I said.

  “Here, here,” Chloe said, lifting her glass of water.

  Jess guzzled her beer and placed it on the table. Chloe looked at Jess funny but didn’t say anything else.

  Gina happily munched on the remainder of her meal, completely oblivious to what had just happened.

  Jess stood up and collected her plate and mine before heading inside.

  Chloe looked over her shoulder but turned back to the table deep in thought.

  “Gina, how about we help with dishes?” I asked her.

  “No, no,” Chloe said. “Little Gina and I will take care of that. You two head down to the beach. It’s a ripper to see at dusk.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked.

  “Yes,” Chloe said.

  I looked at Gina, and she nodded. “You and Jess have fun. I’m tired, Daddy.”

  “I’ll see her off to bed soon,” Chloe said then hooked her thumb over her shoulder for me to go inside.

  I did as she asked, desperate to escape the awkwardness between Jess and Chloe.

  It didn’t take much convincing to get Jess down to the beach.

  The air was much cooler as the sun went down. I was glad Jess advised me to bring a jacket.

  I heard the crashing of the waves before I could see them.

  “This has been such a great day,” I said. “Your home is lovely.”

  “Too bad the person living in it is a monster,” she noted.

  “Come on. I wouldn’t say she’s a monster.”

  She scoffed. “Every time I speak to that woman, I feel like a teenager again.”