Chapter 5
five
A FEW MONTHS LATER
I fidget with the camera strap around my neck, then glance at my clipboard. Looking left and right at the town square, I try to calm my nerves. My heart is doing an embarrassing little tap dance as I see him walking up the sidewalk. I’m nervous about today. I put a lot of work into making sure everything was perfect, but…
There’s still the possibility that Jay won’t react like I need him to.
Jay Rustin, tall, dark, and infuriatingly gorgeous, has a look of curious suspicion on his face. He holds the envelope I gave him earlier, still unopened.
"Hey," he says. He slows as he nears. "What's this all about?"
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "It's a scavenger hunt," I say. "For practice. I need to get some photos for the website."
He raises an eyebrow. "Practice for what?"
I flutter my lashes and smile at him. "Because you’re athletic and live nearby.
He looks down at the envelope, then back at me. "And you need me for this because...?"
"Because I need to make sure it's fun and not, you know, impossible."
He shrugs. "Sure, why not. If my wife asks, I’ll do it."
I break into a grin, unable to help myself. "Great! Open the first clue."
He tears into the envelope with a casual flick of his wrist and pulls out the card inside. I watch his face as he reads, trying to gauge his reaction. He has one of those annoyingly perfect jawlines, the kind that could cut glass, and I find myself wondering how much time he spends maintaining it.
"Where local beans get roasted," he reads aloud, then smirks. "Calla, this is too easy."
"It’s the first clue," I say, crossing my arms. "It’s supposed to be easy."
He stuffs the card back into the envelope and starts to walk away. "I’ll let you know how it goes."
"Wait!" I call after him. He turns. For a moment I think he might actually leave, but he walks back, closing the distance between us in a few long strides.
"What?" he says, and I can hear the impatience creeping into his voice.
"I’m coming with you. To take pictures."
He looks at the camera hanging from my neck, then at my face. "Calla, are you sure you have time for this? I thought you were swamped with work."
I am swamped. Beyond swamped. Drowning, really. But I need this to go well, and I need an excuse to keep an eye on him.
Basically, I have to be there at the end when he finds the prize.
"I can make time! It’s important."
He holds my gaze for a moment longer than is comfortable, then nods. "All right. Let’s go."
I follow him as he walks toward the town square, my Converse squeaking on the pavement. The square is decorated for the holidays. Strings of lights and wreaths adorn every storefront. It’s my favorite time of year, even if it’s also the busiest.
He makes a face. "I thought you were taking the pictures."
"I need you in the photos," I say. "It’ll look more authentic if someone is actually doing the hunt."
He pulls out his phone and snaps a quick picture, then shows it to me. It’s crooked and half-assed, like a child’s first attempt at a craft project.
"Really?" I say. "That’s the best you can do?"
He laughs, and the sound is warmer than I expect. "I’m just messing with you. Here." He hands me his phone. "You take it."
I hesitate for a moment, then take the phone from his hand. It’s hot from his touch. I step back, frame the shot, and tell him to smile. He doesn’t, but his eyes crinkle in a way that’s even better.
Jay is so fucking cute . I snap the picture and hand the phone back to him.
"You’ve got a future in this if the whole baking thing doesn’t pan out."
“Thanks. I think I’ll stick to the bakery for the time being."
“O-kay. Onward to JavaMonkey!” he announces.
JavaMonkey's warm, earthy aroma wraps around us as we settle into a corner table. The walls are adorned with local art, and soft jazz trickles through the air, mixing with the hum of conversation.
Azi comes over with a plate that holds four tumblers full of coffee on it labeled A, B, C, and D. He sets the plate down in front of Jay and then offers him a black blind fold.
“Don’t look at me. It’s your wife that requested this set up. A blind taste test of my most popular flavors.”
“I see.” Jay arches a brow at Azi, then looks at me, taking the blind fold. “Am I putting this on?”
“Yup. Let’s get started. All you have to do is name one of the roasts correctly.”
Jay sighs and ties the blind fold around his head, then reaches out toward the tumblers. I whip out my phone and hit record.
"Are you ready for the first sample?” I put his hand around tumbler A.
“Calla.” He pauses. “Are you filming this?”
His good-natured frustration is almost palpable. I can’t help but smile.
“For posterity.”
“What does that even mean?”
“Taste the coffee.”
He raises the tumbler to his lips.
"Bring it on," he says, his voice muffled by his own hand.
He takes a deep inhale of the warm brown liquid. His head tilts back, and he makes a face like he’s trying to summon the coffee gods for assistance. "It smells like coffee."
"Come on, this one’s easy," I say, though I know it’s not. The blends here are subtle, and even I would have trouble telling them apart just by smell.
He takes another whiff, then shrugs. "Hazelnut?"
I giggle. "No.”
He takes the cup, closes his eyes, and breathes in deeply. A slow smile spreads across his face.
"French Roast," he says, confident.
I laugh. "Lucky."
Jay takes a sip, savoring it, then hands the cup to me. He pulls off the blind fold and blinks as his eyes readjust.
“Do I win?”
I push an envelope toward him. “You get a second clue.”
He purses his lips skeptically but opens the envelope. “Remember that night when tequila made all our decisions for us? You should probably go back to where we ‘accidentally’ started forever. No salt or lime required this time. Just you.”
He looks at me. “This is awfully personal. You’re not going to feed everyone this clue, are you?”
“No.” I chuckle. “I made that one up for you.”
“Okay good!” He winks at me. “I was going to be jealous otherwise.”
Grabbing his arm, I tug him to his feet. “Let’s go. We don’t want to be late.”
“Late for what?”
Oops. I’m really bad at this being secretive stuff.
“Forget I said it. We’re almost there,” I promise.
The moment I step into the Tin Shed Pub, it hits me like a shot of tequila—warm, heady. A little dangerous. The dim lighting. The clink of glasses. The low hum of conversation and laughter. It’s exactly the same as that night. The night that changed everything.
Jay is a step ahead of me. His head turns as he takes it all in. I watch him scan the room, his brows pulling together like he’s trying to stitch the memory back together. Then he turns to me. His gaze locks onto mine.
“This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?” His voice is low. Edged with something I can’t quite name.
I lift a shoulder, playing it off even as my heart kicks up a beat. “I figured if we were going to come full circle, we might as well do it properly.”
His lips twitch like he’s trying to decide whether to smirk or call me out. Then he steps closer. Just enough that I feel the heat of him.
“So what now? We get drunk and make another bad decision?”
His voice is teasing. But there’s something underneath it. Something that sends a shiver down my spine. I swallow. My fingers curl against my palm.
“That depends. Would it really be a bad decision?”
For a second, the noise of the pub fades. Jay is right there. His hand hovers at my waist. The brush of his fingers against my dress is barely noticeable but somehow impossible to ignore. His eyes flicker, searching mine. I swear there’s a question in them. One I don’t know how to answer yet.
Then someone yells his name.
“Jay! We need a performance, man. It’s tradition!”
He exhales a laugh and steps back. Just like that, the moment is gone. I blink, pulling myself together as a group of guys at the bar wave him over. They’re already chanting something incoherent.
Jay grins at me like he can’t believe this is happening. Then, with a wink, he climbs onto a chair.
I lean against the bar, arms crossed. I watch as he effortlessly slips into entertainer mode. A spoon balances on his nose. Tongue twisters roll off his lips as the pub erupts into cheers. The energy in the room is electric. Jay feeds off it like he was made for this.
And me?
I can’t stop smiling.
Maybe this isn’t just coming full circle. Maybe it’s the start of something else entirely.
I shake my head, trying to smother a grin. “You know, if we’re really recreating that night, you’ve got one more thing to do.”
Jay raises a brow, already intrigued. “Oh yeah? And what’s that?”
I nod toward an empty chair near the bar. “You have to stand up there and do the tongue twisters. It’s tradition.”
His mouth quirks. “You’re making this up.”
I cross my arms. “Am I? Because I distinctly remember a certain someone standing on a chair and yelling about Peter Piper while trying to balance a spoon on his nose.”
He groans, but there’s a playful glint in his eye. “That was a one-time thing. We were trashed.”
I shrug. “Guess we’ll never know if you can do it sober.”
Jay exhales like I’m torturing him, but then he flashes that reckless, cocky grin. The one that says he’s absolutely about to do something ridiculous.
“Fine. But if I do it, you owe me.”
I lift a brow. “Owe you what?”
His grin widens. “Haven’t decided yet.”
Before I can argue, he grabs a chair and climbs onto it.
"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers!" he shouts. His voice booms over the crowd.
The spoon wobbles but stays in place. The pub erupts in cheers and applause. Some patrons stomp their feet. Others whistle. Every eye is glued to the spectacle in pure enjoyment.
Jay grins widely. His eyes sparkle with mischief. He’s clearly in his element, feeding off the energy of the crowd.
"A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked!" he continues. The spoon is steadier now on his nose.
The patrons join in. Their voices rise in unison, creating a lively chorus that fills the pub.
"If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?" Jay yells.
The crowd roars with laughter and approval. Someone hands him a beer. He takes a swig. His face is flushed with excitement and joy.
I watch from the bar, shaking my head. He thrives in the spotlight. It’s effortless for him. The way he commands attention. Makes people laugh. Pulls them into his orbit. I can’t deny how much I like watching him like this. Unfiltered, alive, completely in his element.
Then his eyes find mine.
For a second, the noise around us fades. He lowers the beer. His grin shifts into something softer. Something just for me.
Before I get too in my own feels , I push off the bar and nod toward the door. “Come on, showman. You’ve got one more stop.”
Jay arches an eyebrow. “Oh? Another challenge?”
“It’s not far.” I smile enigmatically. “I promise, you will be glad that you took the time to do it.”
He sighs dramatically but follows me out. The chill evening air wraps around us as we step outside. It’s just us two, intimate as we want. Jay smiles and takes my hand.
“So, where are we going?”
I hook my arm through his and steer him toward the other side of the square. “You’ll know it when you see it.”
He groans. “That’s never ended well for me.”
I laugh. I tug him along as we stroll across the grass toward the gazebo.
A few people linger on the sidewalks, chatting near the gazebo. In the center of it all, hanging in the gazebo, swaying gently in the breeze, is the pièce de résistance.
A giant cupcake-shaped pinata.
Jay slows to a stop. His head tilts. “Calla… what the hell?”
I grin and stop to grab my camera. “Go find out.”
His brow furrows as he walks closer. He eyes the oversized confection like it might be rigged to explode. When he spots the blindfold and bat waiting beside it, his suspicion deepens.
He turns to me. “What’s the announcement?”
“You’ll find out when you break it.” I move closer to film. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”
Jay exhales slowly. He picks up the blindfold. “There better be candy in this thing.”
I laugh. “Something like that. Now spin around three times.”
He groans but does as he’s told. His tall frame makes wide, unsteady arcs as he turns. “This better be worth it.” He wobbles slightly.
I lift the camera. My pulse picks up. “Okay. Go for it!”
He squares his shoulders, his jaw tightening with determination, and takes a mighty swing. The bat whooshes through the air, missing the pinata by a mile. He stumbles but regains his balance, then readies himself for another try.
I take a step back and hold up the camera, my heart beating faster than it should. "Okay, go for it!"
He lets out a frustrated sigh and adjusts his grip on the bat.
"Third time’s the charm," I say. My heart beats so hard and I pray that he can’t hear the nervous excitement in my voice.
He takes a deep breath and swings with all his strength. The bat connects with a satisfying crack, and the pinata bursts open. Tiny plastic babies and confetti rain down, along with a rolled-up banner. Jay pulls off the blindfold just in time to see the contents scatter across the gazebo floor.
He bends down and picks up one of the babies, turning it over in his hand. His confusion is almost comical. "What the...?"
I stop filming and walk over, my hands trembling. This is it. This is where he finds out .
Jay unrolls the banner. Heart pounding, I watch his face closely.
The banner reads, "Congratulations, Jay! You’re gonna be a daddy!"
His eyes widen. He looks up at me, speechless, his mouth working but no sound emerging. His face breaks into a wide grin and he lets out a disbelieving laugh.
“Is this real?” he asks.
I nod, unable to say more. Jay looks like he might be having a heart attack or the time of his damned life.
"Why didn’t you tell me?" he asks, his voice softer now.
“I am telling you! That’s what this whole thing has been for!”
He walks toward me, ignoring the camera and scooping me up in his arms. I laugh and he kisses me so passionately that it takes my breath away. I slip my arms around his neck and he spins us both around in a circle.
"We're going to be parents," he says, as if testing the words. "Can you believe it?"
Jay keeps his hands on my waist, his eyes full of something deep and overwhelming. "You’re pregnant." His voice is thick, like he’s still trying to process the words.
I nod. My heart nearly bursts. "Yeah. You’re gonna be a dad."
His breath shudders out. He looks down at my stomach, then back at me. It’s like he’s realizing in real-time that his entire world has changed. "Holy shit." He laughs. "I mean… holy shit."
"Are you okay?" I tease. I wipe a stray tear from his cheek with my thumb.
He barks out another laugh. His palm presses against my stomach, gentle and reverent. "Calla, I have never been more okay in my entire life."
His voice is thick with emotion. I feel it like a warm current washing over me, sinking into my bones. I cover his hand with mine. I press it flat against my stomach. "It's still tiny." My voice is soft. "But it’s ours."
Jay swallows hard. "Ours." He shakes his head and laughs like he can’t believe it. "Damn. I didn’t think I could be any happier than I already was. Turns out, you keep proving me wrong."
I grin up at him. "Get used to it, buddy. I'm going to keep doing that for the rest of our lives."
He groans dramatically. "Now, I really have no choice but to keep you forever."
"As if you had a choice before." I smirk.
Jay cups my face and presses a kiss to my forehead. His lips linger for a second before he pulls back. A mischievous glint lights up his expression. "Wait a second." His eyes narrow. "Is this why you’ve been forcing me to eat those weird healthy breakfasts instead of our usual Sunday diner runs? Were you secretly eating for two?"
I giggle. "I was trying to be subtle about it. But yes, the extra smoothies and protein were for the baby’s sake. Not some new influencer health kick."
Jay shakes his head in exaggerated betrayal. "You conned me. You tricked me into liking protein powder."
I smirk. "And yet, somehow, you survived."
He lets out a fake sigh of defeat and suddenly picks me up again. I yelp as he swings me around. He drops onto one of the benches in the square, pulling me onto his lap. His arms wrap around me, holding me tight.
"You realize what this means, right?" His voice is softer now.
I tilt my head. "That we need to start baby-proofing your house because I’ve seen you leave weights and yoga mats everywhere?"
He snorts. "Okay, first of all, that’s fair. But second, it means we’re just getting started."
I raise an eyebrow. "Started with what?"
Jay grins. His eyes twinkle. "Our family. One kid is great and all, but you know me, Calla. I don’t do anything halfway."
My heart flips. "Wait. Are you saying you want?—"
"A big family." His expression softens. "Like, a whole crew. Chaos. Noise. Little feet running everywhere. Maybe even a dog. Or two. Or three."
Warmth spreads through me at the image. I never let myself dream that big before. But now, with him? I can see it.
"You really want all that?" My voice comes out quieter.
Jay nods without hesitation. "Yeah. I do. I want our house full of kids. I want to teach them how to cook like you. How to camp like me. I want snowball fights in the winter. Camping trips in the summer. Birthday parties where we forget to buy enough chairs. Movie nights where we all end up crammed on the couch."
I bite my lip. "That sounds… perfect."
He presses a kiss to my temple. "And I want it all with you."
Tears prick at my eyes. "Well, good. Because you already knocked me up, so you’re kind of stuck with me now."
Jay laughs and pulls me against his chest. "Best damn decision I ever made."
We sit there for a long moment, wrapped up in each other. The town square glows softly around us. The pinata sways in the breeze, forgotten.
Jay nudges me. His voice drops conspiratorially. "Okay, serious question."
I wipe at my eyes. "Go for it."
"Are we gonna be those parents?" He tilts his head. "You know, the ones with coordinated Halloween costumes? Christmas pajamas? An entire family group chat with daily pictures?"
I let out a dramatic gasp. "Jay. Are you saying you wouldn’t wear a matching onesie with me and our future child?"
He pretends to consider it. "Depends. Are we talking something cool, like a Star Wars theme, or something embarrassing, like elf costumes?"
I give him a look.
He groans. "Ugh. It’s gonna be elves, isn’t it?"
I grin. "Every year."
Jay laughs and shakes his head. "Fine. But only because I love you. And, apparently, our unborn child."
I rest my head against his shoulder. "We’re going to be really good at this."
He kisses the top of my head. "Yeah. We are."
We sit there, dreaming up our future. The big family. The traditions we’ll create. The memories we’ll make. I watch Jay’s hand settle protectively over my stomach and realize something.
This isn’t just the cherry on top.
This is the start of something even bigger than I ever imagined.