She gives me a sad smile. “Love is a gift when given freely, but it can also be painful when taken back. You both have to have trust and openness. If your headaches were gone and you were cleared to fly, would you take flight or stay grounded beside him?”

Two parts of my soul start playing tug of war. “I don’t know.”

“And that’s the answer that scares him.”

It also terrifies me.

Stella rushes into my office. “Oh, good! You’re here. Thank God.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I need you to help me.”

I get to my feet. “Of course, what’s up?”

Stella swallows deeply. “I have to watch Amelia tonight, but something has come up . . . an emergency with an old friend, but she has dance tonight and can’t miss it.”

“Okay . . .”

“I promise, I wouldn’t ask you this if there were any way around it. If there was another option, I swear, Jess, I wouldn’t do this. But I’m desperate, and I have to leave right away. I know it’s a lot, but can you please take her for me?”

I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. I don’t know much about other people’s kids, but your ex-girlfriend who you made out with a few days ago and then rejected probably isn’t very high on your list of babysitters.

“Where is Grayson?”

“We had a huge issue out in Wyoming with Oliver’s property, and he flew out first thing this morning.”

“Oh.”

She smiles tightly. “Look, I know it’s a big ask, and I wouldn’t ask if I hadn’t already cleared it with Grayson and he said it was fine if I had no other options, and I don’t.”

“What about Winnie?”

My sister loves Amelia and has watched her before.

“Winnie said she’s bogged down at work.”

A sense of dread fills my chest, weighing me down. I love Amelia, but she’s Grayson’s daughter.

“You really have no one else?” I ask.

“I promise, I wouldn’t ask if I did. I swear, if I didn’t need to leave within the hour, I wouldn’t do this.”

“I can’t drive,” I remind her.

“I know. It’s fine. I will drive you to my place and you can hang out with Melia there since it’s in town a block or two away from her dance studio.” Which means it’s walkable. “She has her own bedroom, and there’s a guest room, so you’ll be completely comfortable. Please.” She begs with her hands in front of her chest. “If you say no, I’ll have to take her, and she’ll be crushed.”

Ahh, the Parkerson guilt trip. I’ve missed it. Still, I have nothing else to do, and it would be helping Stella, who has done a lot to help me.