Chapter 16
Emily and Jake climbed out of his pickup truck Sunday afternoon and walked toward Lorna Cavanaugh’s Whimsical Wonders. The
air smelled like rain, and the dark clouds had been threatening a downpour all morning while they ran a few errands before
the orchard opened on Wednesday.
Emily smiled as they walked up to the adorable shop. Whimsical Wonders’ front window was decorated with colorful leaves, a
pumpkin patch, a couple of smiling scarecrows, and twinkling orange lights. Jake held the door open for Emily, and they headed
toward the counter at the back of the store.
“Emily! Jake! What a nice surprise,” Mrs. Cavanaugh called. She looked just as Emily remembered, with her stylish gray bob,
purple cat-eye glasses, and bright red lipstick. Her store had always been one of Emily’s favorites. She could spend hours
browsing through the variety of tchotchkes and novelty items, from lava lamps to handmade baskets and quilts to funny little
greeting cards and figurines and candy. If you were looking for an unusual gift, Whimsical Wonders was the place to visit.
“Hi, Mrs. Cavanaugh,” Emily said. “We have a request that’s a little unusual. We were wondering if you could sell us a couple hundred bushel baskets.”
Mrs. Cavanaugh pushed her purple glasses on top of her head, and her gray eyes grew wide as saucers. “A couple hundred?”
“Yeah.” Jake’s heart-stopping grin appeared on his lips. “Do you have that many?”
“I have about a hundred here.” She pointed toward the back of the store. “And there are plenty more at my house.”
“Great!” Emily pulled her wallet from her purse. “We’re here to take them off your hands.” She fished out her credit card.
“Name your price.”
Jake cut her a look, but she ignored it. So far he hadn’t allowed her to pay for anything, but that was going to change today.
“May I ask what you’re going to do with them?” the store owner asked.
Jaked rested his muscular arms on the counter. “We’re planning a celebration at my family’s orchard. The grand opening of
a brand-new market is on Wednesday, and then our hundredth anniversary is Saturday.”
“Isn’t that something?” Mrs. Cavanaugh’s voice was wistful. “I remember going to Hughes Family Orchard with my grandmother
when I was a child. It was our favorite place to get apples in the fall. In fact, it’s still my favorite.” She lowered her voice and tipped forward as if sharing a juicy secret. “I always thought your apples were better
than McClains’.”
Pride glowed on Jake’s face, and Emily’s heart squeezed.
“Thank you,” he said.
“Now, about those baskets. If you’re going to use them for the orchard, then I can’t take your money.”
Jake looked as stunned as Emily felt. “W-why not?” he stammered.
“Honey, I’d be honored if you used my baskets as part of your celebration. Your orchard is part of my family history too.”
“Then what will you take in exchange for them?” Emily asked.
Mrs. Cavanaugh smiled. “How about a bag of those Carolina crisp apples?”
“I’ll save you a bag of the best ones,” Jake promised.
“You got yourself a deal.” Mrs. Cavanaugh beckoned them to follow her to the back room.
Thirty minutes later, they had one hundred baskets loaded into the back of Jake’s truck under a tarp, and they’d placed an
order for another hundred.
Emily pointed down the street toward Morningside Bakery. “Let’s go get a cookie to celebrate. And we can also ask Dani if
she’s decided about having a booth at the orchard.” They started down the street, and a cool mist kissed Emily’s cheeks. “I
guess we’re going to get that rain after all.”
As they moved past an empty storefront, Jake caught her arm. “Hold up.” He pointed to the glass window. “I just had a great
idea. You should open a gallery here.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
She studied him, searching for his signature lopsided grin, but he wasn’t smiling. “You’re joking, right?”
“No, I’m completely serious.” He took her hands in his. “You’ve been searching for something to do for years—for a purpose.
This could be it. How many paintings do you have in my parents’ basement?”
“I have no idea.”
“Guess. How many?”
“I don’t know.” She tried to calculate in her head. “Maybe a few dozen.”
“Take all of those paintings and drawings out of my folks’ basement and open a place here. In your hometown.” He pointed to his chest. “Our hometown.”
She shook her head. “Who would buy my paintings?”
“Are you kidding?” He scoffed. “Tourists come here every summer. That’s why Mrs. Cavanaugh sells little signs that say Splendid Lake.” He pointed to the shop across the street. “And Mr. and Mrs. Cox sell Splendid Lake T-shirts.”
He gave her hands a squeeze. “But you’ve painted dozens and dozens of lake landscapes, and they’re just sitting in my folks’
basement collecting dust. You need to bring them here and sell them. The tourists would love them. They’d hang them above
their mantels, and every time they look at one of your paintings, they’ll remember the fantastic vacation they spent here
in our town.” The passion in his voice took her by surprise. “This is what you’ve been searching for. This is your calling: to bring the joy of our hometown to people all over. What do you
think?” His eyes searched hers, and for a moment, she couldn’t find her words.
“I . . . I have to think about it.” She pulled her hands away and started down the sidewalk.
Just then, the heavens opened and rain began to pour down on them.
She squealed, and he took her hand before they ran through the rain, their shoes splashing through puddles. He guided her
under an awning, and they both started to laugh.
“We’re soaked!” she declared, taking in her wet jeans and hoodie.
When she looked up at Jake, his smile had smoothed out. His soft expression had transformed into a smolder.
She held her breath as her nerves stood on edge.
“Emily,” he whispered, and his voice was husky. He gently angled her chin toward his, and when his lips met hers, her knees buckled.
Happiness blossomed in the pit of her belly as he cradled her head in his hands, and she melted against him. She closed her
eyes, savoring the feel of his muscled frame leaning against her as she lost herself in his kiss.
Oh my goodness. It’s happening. It’s finally happening!
She’d been kissed by boyfriends over the years, but this was like nothing she’d ever experienced before. The heat, the emotions.
Finally feeling Jake’s lips against hers was all she’d fantasized—and more. So much more.
He trailed kisses down her jaw and her neck, and when his lips finally moved away from her skin, he whispered softly in her
ear, “Emily.”
Hearing him say her name—her actual full name—was almost too much. She was going to melt into a puddle right there on the Main Street sidewalk.
When he shifted away from her, she grasped his shoulders for balance. “I’ve wanted to do that for the past week,” he admitted.
“Well, I’ve been waiting for you to do that since I was sixteen.”
His brow wrinkled as his lips curved up in a smirk. “What do you mean?”
She guffawed. “Oh, Jake, please. You had to know that I’ve had the biggest crush on you since we were teenagers.”
“Wait. For real? You have?” He had the nerve to look shocked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why would I tell you that?!” She wiped her hands over her wet hair.
“You only had eyes for Claire, and I didn’t want to mess things up for you since you were happy.
So I’ve spent years convincing myself that I could just be your best friend, but I’ve always dreamed of having more with you.
I’ve always wanted to have you all to myself. ”
Finally saying those words out loud to him was like having a giant boulder lifted from her shoulders.
He winced. “Oh, Em. I’m sorry.” He brushed his hand over her face. “I wish I’d paid better attention. But trust me, you have
my attention now. All of my attention.”
With that, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her again. And this time she looped her arms around his neck and pulled
him closer. He tilted his head, the kiss suddenly becoming deeper, and the feel of his body under her fingertips, the way
his muscled torso pressed up against her, made her feel as if all her cells were on fire.
When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers and grinned. “I’m sorry I waited so long, but I can’t say I’m disappointed.”
His smile wobbled, and Serious Jake seemed to reappear before her eyes. “Would you consider being more than my friend?”
“What about Claire?”
He stood up straight and shook his head. “That’s been over for months.”
“Does she know that?”
“I keep telling her that I need space. We’ve grown up and changed. I asked her again yesterday to just back off and told her
that we’re done.” He took Emily’s hands in his. “I really would like to give us a chance. What do you say? We can take it
slow so that no one interferes. We’ll keep it between us so that my family, and Claire—no one can get in our way.”
Emily was sure she was dreaming, but she wasn’t. Jake was standing in front of her and asking her to be his girlfriend. And
this was real life.
Her heart felt like it was going to explode.
“I’d like that,” she said.
“Great.” Then, dipping down, he kissed her again.
He began slowly, taking his time to explore her lips. Her hands moved to the nape of his neck, and her fingertips combed through
his hair.
And the world around them fell away.
Jake steered his truck into his driveway later that afternoon. The sun was peeking through the clouds, and he couldn’t stop
smiling. He’d held Emily’s hand the entire drive home, and all they could do was grin at each other. His heart felt so full.
But the same questions kept running through his mind. Why hadn’t he noticed sooner that Emily cared about him? How had he
missed the signs?
Why had they wasted the last fourteen years as friends when they could’ve been more?
But the past didn’t matter. All that mattered was the future—which they would spend together.
He shifted the truck into Park and then turned toward her. “What do you say about the gallery? You can move back here, open
it up, and I’ll run the orchard. Sound like a plan?”
“One thing at a time.” She held up her hand. “Let’s worry about the orchard first, okay?”
He smirked. “Nope. Right now, the only thing I’m worried about is kissing you.”
“If you say so.” She moved closer to him and closed her eyes.
He laughed, dipped his chin, and brushed his lips over hers. He let himself get lost in the gentle swell of her lips and let
all his worries dissolve. All that existed was him and Emily, along with this perfect moment.
When they parted, he touched her nose. “I guess we need to get to work.”
“Yup, that would probably be good.” She held up her laptop bag. “The stickers for the cider jugs should be here first thing
tomorrow. I need to get working on a sticker for the baskets.” She held up a finger. “Oh! And the banner for the barn. Jake,
we have so much to do before Wednesday.” She pushed the truck door open.
He sighed. What would he do without her?
Later, after lots of work and a little more kissing, they held hands and walked up the path to his folks’ house so that Emily
could grab the banner and her supplies before returning to his house.
A gray BMW SUV sat behind Mom’s beige Camry in the driveway.
“Who’s that?” Emily asked.
“Looks like Claire’s parents.”
She froze, and worry flashed across her face. “Oh.”
“Hey.” He pulled Emily behind his dad’s pickup. “She has no power over you or me.” He traced his finger over her cheek. “Don’t
let her get to you, okay?”
She nodded, but he found uncertainty in her beautiful golden eyes.
He brushed his lips over her forehead, and then, dipping his chin, he kissed her long and slow, allowing his mouth to explore
hers. He didn’t mind the lingering taste of coffee from their work session at his house. Not one bit.
A moan escaped from her throat, and he felt his blood heat.
He released her and brushed her soft hair over her shoulder. “Claire can’t come between us. I promise you.”
Her lips were swollen as she moved her fingertips over the stubble on his cheek. “Okay,” she whispered.
He studied her face and tried to swallow back the riot of emotions tugging at his chest—elation, hope, love.
Love!
He’d fallen in love with his best friend. How lucky was he?
“Why didn’t I kiss you years ago?” he asked, his voice sounding husky.
“Jake, I ask myself that question every day.”
He laughed and kissed her again before taking her hand and tugging her toward the house. “Let’s go inside.”
“Uh . . .” She hesitated. “That’s okay. We can get the banner later.”
He brushed his hands through her soft ponytail. “C’mon. We’ll say hello, grab the banner, and then go back to my place.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Okay.” She allowed him to steer her up the stairs and in the front door.
The smell of Italian food—was that lasagna?—along with the sound of voices drifted from the kitchen. And when they reached
the doorway, Emily dropped his hand.
Jake peeked in to see Mom, Claire, and Claire’s mother, Sherry, drinking tea.
Male voices echoed from the den, where he assumed Dad and Ron, Claire’s father, were visiting.
“Jake!” Sherry popped up from her chair, rushed over, and hugged him. “It’s so good to see you.” Then she turned to Emily.
“Hi, Emily. I think it’s been forever since I’ve seen you. How’ve you been, sweetie?”
Emily’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Fine.”
“Come join us,” Mom called from the table.
Jake rested his hands on Emily’s shoulders. “Thanks, but we have some work to do. The orchard opens Wednesday, and we’re running out of time.”
“Just give us a few minutes,” Sherry insisted. “It’s been so long.”
Claire flashed him a smug look over her mug.
Had she deliberately dragged her parents here to force him to spend time with her? She needed to leave, and he wanted to instruct
her to do it now. But he couldn’t risk upsetting and embarrassing his mom. So he pressed his lips together and tried to stop
his angry words from escaping.
“I’m sorry, but we’re really on a deadline here.” He pointed to the hallway. “We need to grab Em’s art supplies and get back
over to my place. It’s great to see you, Sherry.”
“We were waiting for Jake and Emily to get here, and they’re here now.” Claire pointed to the oven. “The bread and lasagna
are just about done. Why don’t we have supper now, Diane?” Her face clouded with a smarmy expression.
Mom stood. “That’s a fabulous idea! The rain is over, and we can eat out on the deck.”
“Wonderful.” Sherry started for the doorway. “I’ll tell Ron and Leon.” Then she patted Jake’s shoulder. “Have supper with
us before you go back to work. Everybody’s gotta eat, right?”
“Sure.” Jake tried to keep his voice upbeat, but he knew he and Emily were stuck having supper with Claire and her parents.