Chapter Eleven #2
Just then, a car speeds by, splashing water all over us. Juniper curses under her breath, looking even more furious. “Fine,” she says through gritted teeth. “But don’t think this means anything.”
I nod, hiding a smile. “Of course not.”
We settle into the back of the car, the heater doing its best to combat the chill that’s seeped into our bones. Jacob sits between Juniper and me, his presence a buffer, but not enough to ease the strained silence hanging in the air.
“Thanks for the lift, Zade,” Jacob says, breaking the silence after a while. “This rain’s a killer, huh?”
I nod, keeping my eyes on the road. “No problem, Jacob. I couldn’t leave you out there in this mess.”
Jacob picks up on the awkward vibe and jumps in. "You know, Juniper," he starts, keeping it casual. “I remember when you used to love rainy days. You’d drag me outside, splashing through puddles like it was the best thing ever.”
She doesn’t respond; she just shifts in her seat, her gaze still locked on the world outside.
Jacob chuckles, trying again. “Hey, do you remember that time we got caught in a storm on the way back from the creek? We were soaked, and you made us stop at that diner for hot chocolate. ”
Juniper lets out a small sigh, but her expression softens slightly, just for a moment. “Yeah, I remember,” she mutters, barely audible.
Jacob grins, glad to get any response. “I think you even convinced the waitress to give us extra marshmallows. You always had a way with people.”
I sneak another glance at her. Her posture is still tense, but there’s a flicker of something in her eyes—maybe a hint of the old Juniper, the one Jacob’s trying to reach.
“Those were simpler times, huh?” Jacob mutters quietly, sounding lost in the memory. “Wish we had a little of that simplicity now.”
Juniper finally turns away from the window, her eyes meeting mine for just a second before she looks away again. “Yeah,” she says softly, almost to herself. “We could.”
We finally pull up to their place. Jacob’s out of the car before it even stops rolling all the way. He heads straight for the door like he can’t wait to shake off the weirdness in the air.
I glance at Juniper. She’s just starting to move, one hand on the door handle. But as she shifts, her dress snags on something—my watch, I think. She freezes, looks down, then yanks at the fabric.
Her mouth tightens. She doesn’t say anything, but the look on her face says plenty. She just wants out of this car.
“Seriously?” she mutters under her breath, cursing softly as she tries to free the fabric. He r fingers work quickly, but the awkward angle isn’t helping.
I reach over to help, but she swats my hand away. “I’ve got it,” she snaps, her tone sharp.
“Just trying to help,” I say, though I can’t help the small grin that tugs at my lips.
After a few more moments of struggling, she finally frees her dress and steps out of the car. “Thank you,” she mutters, barely audible, clearly embarrassed and annoyed.
“Anytime,” I reply, half-joking. “Your stubbornness is both infuriating and kind of cute.”
She rolls her eyes and turns to walk away, but I quickly jump out of the car and grab her hand. The rain starts to fall harder, and she looks stunning, with droplets catching in her hair and glistening on her skin.
“Juniper, wait,” I say, holding her gaze. “At the hospital, I wanted to ask you out. But it didn’t come out right.”
She looks at me, surprised, her eyes wide and searching mine for sincerity.
“Let me take you out. One date,” I say, my voice earnest. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
For a moment, she just stands there, and I can see the conflict in her eyes. She seems to consider it, but then a car passes by, its headlights flashing, and it’s like the lights snap her out of it. She yanks her hand away, her expression turning defiant.
“Absolutely not.”
“What if I say ‘Please’ ?” I wink at her, and she glares at me.
“I’m not falling for your games, Zade. Find someone else to play with.”
I let out a breath through my nose. “Alright,” I say. “But I’m not walking away that fast.”
She turns on her heel and walks away, but as she reaches the door, she glances back at me, her eyes lingering for just a moment. “Goodbye, Zade,” she says firmly.
I watch her go, my heart racing. As soon as I leave Juniper’s place, she’s all I can think about. I’m stuck between pushing forward with the project and this crazy pull toward her. She’s driving me insane, but in a way that makes me want more. I want her. I need to win her.
I let out a frustrated sigh and rub my temples. “Driver, take me to the nearest bookstore,” I say suddenly.
“Yes, Mr. Patterson,” he replies, changing direction smoothly.
I remember the book Juniper was reading at the cafe and how she was lost in its pages. Maybe if I get her what she loves, I can get closer to her. It’s a long shot, but it’s all I’ve got right now.
The car pulls up in front of a small bookstore with a flickering neon sign. I step out, pulling my coat tighter against the cold, and head inside. The smell of paper and ink is comforting. It somehow brings peace to the chaos in my head.
I wander through the aisles until I find the romance section. My fingers trace ov er the spines of books until I find a section called ‘TikTok Smut’. The holy grail of books—the ones I know Juniper will love!
I start pulling titles off the shelves, one after another. The covers are vibrant, and the titles promise passion, drama, and steamy romance. By the time I’m done, I will have around thirty books stacked up. There's no way she’ll refuse a date with me when I woo her with this.
I haul the books to the checkout, feeling slightly ridiculous but determined.
The cashier stares at me for a second too long, probably trying to figure out if I'm actually into this stuff, but he keeps his mouth shut. I pay quickly and head back to the car, stacking the books on the back seat. She might hate me right now, but there’s something there—something I can't ignore.
And maybe, with these books, I'll have a shot at winning her over.