Meet Me Where the Oak Tree Grows novel Chapter 39

I thought about it and realized he never seemed to mind the cold. Even in winter, he would skip wearing long johns!

He paused, his expression turning a bit awkward.

"Who said that? Anyway, it wasn't me." Pretending to focus on the TV, he added, "Alright, just forget about me. If you forget, you forget. I'm not that petty."

But his eyes told a different story altogether.

Marie and Officer Cooper were watching TV, but their eyes kept drifting toward us.

I stood up and pulled out a giant knitted sunflower from behind the couch, nearly as tall as me. I had spent two weeks knitting it.

Jonah loved sunflowers so much that if a customer came in wanting a tattoo of one, he'd offer them a 40% discount without a second thought.

I teased, "Oh, maybe Jonah doesn't like this either?"

He turned his head, his eyes widening in surprise. Amid the shock was a joy he couldn't hide.

Realizing what was happening, he suddenly laughed, "Oh, you've got some nerve, teasing me, huh?"

Sensing danger, I quietly took two steps back.

He stood up, braced one hand on the back of the sofa, and in a swift move, blocked my path.

I turned to run, but he grabbed my bun, holding my fate in his hands, and started tickling me.

I wriggled and called out for help. "Mom, Mom, save me! Cooper, help me!"

When I found out that the top fifty students in the county could get their school fees waived, I was more determined than ever to study hard.

While my grades were top-notch in our small town, on a county level, there were so many outstanding students, and I couldn’t afford to slack off.

Because of the late school hours, Jonah would pick me up at the school gate. After getting home and having the snacks Marie prepared, he'd work overtime at his desk while I studied beside him.

Sometimes I would get so tired that I’d fall asleep on my books. He would quietly carry me to bed and organize my materials so I could just grab my backpack and go the next day.

We pushed through from the chilly winter to the blazing summer, reviewing the books over and over, plowing through countless practice tests.

In the end, I achieved my goal and ranked tenth in the county, securing a spot in the best high school with three years of waived tuition. The school even promised additional scholarships if I excelled in my final exams.

When Marie found out, she hugged me tightly and praised me, saying I was naturally part of the Evans family, just as brilliant as Jonah was back in the day.