23
Noah
“If we blow this whole dating thing up, just remember that I told you not to waste your time with me.”
Rolling my eyes as we walk across the street to the bakery, I tuck her tighter into my side. “I know that. Actually, your exact words back in January were ‘hot mess central.’”
“Please save me from repeating my own words. I know what I said. I still believe it all, but I don’t need to hear it repeated back to me. No need to mock me.”
“Never, baby girl. I just wanted to remind you that you. Are. Wrong. You are a beaut’ inside and out—hot mess and all—and I want nothing more than to take you out—or in—if you’ll really let me. We can go to dinner, we can have a picnic, or we can hide out in one of our apartments and order takeout. Whatever scenario will get you to date me, I’ll gladly accept.”
I’m a relationship guy, through and through. I did the hit ’em and quit ’em thing in high school and my early twenties and realized pretty soon on that it wasn’t for me. I realized quickly that most women don’t want to stay trapped in such a small town. Then the one relationship I thought might have a chance was ripped away before we had the opportunity to try. Jett is the first girl who’s made me want to give a relationship another chance. As I tell her all of this, she stares at me, wide-eyed.
Chuckling, I say, “Crazy right? How could anyone hate living here? Everyone always in your business. One bank, one diner-slash-bar, one bakery, one miniscule grocery store and package store.”
“And yet you love it.”
“Don’t you? This place is a community. A family. If I needed a place to stay, ten people would offer a roof. If I needed groceries, I’d have meals delivered to last for days. That’s just how the people in this town are, and I absolutely love it. There is no where I would rather grow old. Hopefully raise some kiddos and teach them the same respect that this place taught me.”
“You want kids?”
“Not a deal breaker, but I can see little ones running around. Not in the loft, but there’s a rental of mine that I’d like to move into eventually. The view out the back window is phenomenal. Plenty of yard for dogs or kids.”
“You have it all planned out, huh?”
Opening the door to the sweet smell of baked goods and coffee, I say, “Sweet girl, if I told you every thought going through my head about the future, you’d have tucked tail and run before I ever got you out the door earlier.”
“Probably.”
“Not probably. I guarantee it, chaos.”
She’s quiet for a minute, staring at the display case, then says, “I think I want two kids. Close in age. I always said if I didn’t have kids by the time that I was thirty, then I wouldn’t have kids, but I think with the right guy I’d throw that out.” Her eyes cut to me for a breath before she tells the high schooler behind the counter what she wants. Meanwhile, my heart is soaring as I likely read too deep into that singular look.
***
The mid-March air has a bite to it this year.
With Georgia, you never know what you might get, weather-wise. It could be forty-eight degrees and overcast in the morning and seventy-eight that afternoon with a good chance of too much sun. This morning, I pick up Jett—meaning, I wait for her to get ready and meet her at our doors—and we make our way to Kelsey’s Café across the way. It has become somewhat of a routine, much like our Sunday afternoons. Now, Friday mornings are ours, too, since I work four tens and she’s started helping out in the café a few late mornings each week.
We walk shoulder-to-shoulder, which is really more like her head to my shoulder, and slip into the warmth of the bakery. “Go ahead and order whatever you want. I’m going to go find Kels real quick.”
Jett looks questioningly at me but nods. She immediately steps up to the counter, ordering both of our regular coffee orders while I slip around the corner toward the back office in search of Kelsey.
I find her behind her desk, phone to her ear in a hushed conversation. I knock on the door frame, and she looks up, startled. As she realizes it’s me, her voice quickens.
“Gotta go. I’ll call you later, hun.” She quickly ends the call, storing her cell phone in her pocket.
“Everything okay, Kels?”
“Yeah.” She nods then shakes her head. “Just some crazy inventory issues that I was trying to work out with one of the early morning gals. What can I do ya for?”
Even though I’m more than used to Kelsey’s antics, I find myself tilting my head. “You’re hiding something,” I mutter, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against the door frame.
She grins, mischief in her eyes. I can’t stop the answering grin on my face before shaking my head and rolling with it. Kelsey is her own being and there is no understanding how she works. I know better than to ask what she’s hiding.
“That business plan we discussed. You still in?” I ask her, leaning my head out into the hallway to look for Jett.
Kelsey’s eyes light up in excitement. “You brought Jett? Have you told her I’m interested yet?”
Shaking my head, I look back across the room. “You’re more excited than she is. Yes, I spoke with her about it. Seems like she’s interested, too.”
“I hope she goes for it.”
“Goes for what? Who?” Jett asks as she slips under my arm, handing my double espresso Irish cream coffee to me before taking a sip of her iced caramel latte. She looks between me and Kelsey before walking closer to the desk and dropping into one of the padded chairs there. Kelsey sits up straighter, folding her hands together and leaning her head on them.
“I want you to open a bookstore. Here. In the back part of the café. It’s not a huge space. Roughly twenty by thirty-two.”
Jett looks to me, nibbling that lip. I can almost see her thoughts rolling off her. Can she succeed? She didn’t think I was serious about talking to Kelsey for her. She doesn’t think Kelsey is serious about this.
When Jett remains silent, lost in her thoughts, I step closer and rest a hand on her shoulder, my thumb grazing the skin at the top of her neck. “You said your dream was to open a bookstore in a small town and run your editing business out of it. Kelsey has the space in an already successful coffee shop.”
“But how? When?” She lets out a huff of air as her legs start their nervous bouncing.
Kelsey leans forward, meeting Jett’s eyes before glancing up at me and back to Jett. “Noah brought up that you wanted to run a bookstore but that there weren’t any spaces to lease right now. I loved the idea. Have always had the idea actually. And Spring Market is this weekend. What better time to announce that we are expanding?”
“You actually want to expand your business? With me?” Jett squeaks, complete surprise lining her voice. “But why?”
“Chaos, haven’t you learned yet? This community is all about making dreams come true.”
“We don’t have to make any definite plans yet. We can just let people know it’s coming soon then move as fast or as slow as you want.” Kelsey’s eyes gleam with excitement, the wheels already turning on how to make this happen as quickly as possible.
I look at Jett, hoping we aren’t overstepping. “I know you wanted to do this all on your own, but sometimes a helping hand is a good thing.”
She shakes her head. “No, I’m thankful for the help. Really. I’m just trying to wrap my head around it.” She looks back to Kelsey and breaths deep. “I have a business plan somewhat pieced together, if you want to take a look? Obviously, components can be moved around since it’s your business—”
“Our business,” Kelsey interrupts. “We do this together. I mean, the café doesn’t technically even have a name, so we strip things down as much as we need to make this exactly what both of us want.”
A light sparks in Jett’s eye, and a tension I hadn’t noticed seeps from her shoulders, leaving her looking pounds lighter. “Well, if we really want to talk about name changes, I do have an idea. Feel free to say no.” She slips her phone from her pocket and messes around for a second before asking Kelsey for her email. “Okay, you should have it in your inbox.”
I step closer to Jett, resting my hand on her lower back, my thumb rubbing gently along her spine. She glances up at me and mouths thank you before Kelsey’s squeal of excitement startles us both.
“You like it?” Jett asks tentatively.
Kelsey shakes her head. “I love it, Jett.” She holds a hand out to shake. As Jett joins in, Kelsey pulls her close into a hug. “Welcome to the future home of The Write Brew, Jett.”