Chapter Five
Amariah
As promised, when I arrived at the store, Jacob actually took the time to consider my ideas.
To my surprise, we agreed on a few changes, and I spent the next few days preparing for what was next.
The days had gone well—smooth, even. Jacob and I hadn’t argued once, which felt like a miracle in itself.
He managed daily operations, and I focused on creating our new marketing plan.
As a peace offering, I even brought back the old coffee maker he loved, though I kept the Keurig, too.
A little compromise, a little give-and-take.
Maybe that’s how I could continue to make an impact and progress here, not by replacing the old, but by finding a way to make it stand alongside the new.
I’d been so wrapped up in my dad and the store that I hadn’t spent any real time out in town since coming home.
So that morning, I decided to take a detour before heading in.
The downtown strip of Skye Ridge looked almost exactly as it had eighteen years ago, with its quiet streets, tidy storefronts, and the comforting scent of baked goods floating through the air.
Following the smell of muffins, I found myself in front of Oak our way of swearing loyalty during all the harmless trouble we’d found ourselves in back then. Those were the times.
When we calmed down, she wagged her finger. “Don’t think you can dodge me, though. Back to Jacob.”
“Well, technically, the subject was about my life in D.C.”
“We can discuss both. Your life there and your time here,” Janelle joked, sipping her coffee.
“And before you try to steer the conversation back to me, Bryce and I are still happily married, he’s still the head football coach at Skye Ridge High, and the girls are ten and seven and doing well in school. Now, your turn.”
Well, damn. She summed that up faster than she could express mail my business throughout Skye Ridge.
“Thank you for that ChatGPT summary of your life. As for me, D.C. is wonderful. It takes some getting used to, of course. But I love the city. The hustle and bustle energizes me. I’m still working for the same marketing firm where I interned in college.
In fact, as soon as my boss retires at the beginning of next year, you’ll be looking at the new director of marketing. ”
“Yasss, sis!” Janelle and I slapped hands together.
“That’s what I’m talking about. Congrats are in order for you, too.
That’s so exciting—actually, leaving here and fulfilling your dreams. You really did it.
” In the midst of basking in my lifelong dream, Janelle’s face turned solemn as she placed her hand atop mine. “How are things with your dad?”
That’s the one thing I didn’t miss about Skye Ridge.
Everybody knew everyone’s business. In D.C.
, you could work beside a person every day, and a coworker wouldn’t even notice if you were gone for an entire week, unless they needed something.
Still, I wasn’t surprised that Janelle knew about my father since her mother was a nurse at the hospital.
As soon as he was admitted, I was sure Janelle was informed.
“He’s better, or as good as it can be, given his condition. We’re taking it one day at a time. He’s at home where he belongs, and that’s all we can hope for.”
“Just know that you all are in our continued prayers. Everyone loves Mr. Adam. He and your mother are staples of the community.” She gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.
My eyes lowered, feeling grateful for her prayers and thoughtful words.
Although I loved D.C., there was something to be said for the quiet solidarity of small-town living.
I missed the community and the way they supported each other.
And I hated that work kept me from coming home more often to experience that.
“Now, back to you and Jacob.”
And just like that, Janelle reminded me why I loved city life again.
I held up a finger as I finished the bite of my muffin. “First of all, there is no me and Jacob, let’s start there.”
As if my words were jet fuel, she flew in on Delta Premium Select class to deliver her next statement: “You know he never married, right? Never even had a serious girlfriend, in my opinion. All he does is manage your folks’ hardware store, run his business, and keep to himself, except when he drags my husband and Koby out to the bar. Still handsome and…available.”
I rolled my eyes, though my cheeks betrayed me with warmth. “We’ve barely spoken since I came back, other than about the hardware store.”
“But you have spoken,” she pressed. “Come on, don’t hold out on me.”
As I was about to speak, her words echoed in my mind, and I realized she’d mentioned that Jacob had a business. “Wait. Run that back. You said Jacob runs his own business. What business? I thought all he did was manage the store.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Girl, you really don’t know?
” The blank stare I gave her in return must’ve been enough of an answer because she rushed into an explanation.
“OMG, Amariah! He invented some kind of helmet safety tech for football players. It sold big—like, big-big. I can’t believe you haven’t heard! ”
I sipped my latte, more than a bit stunned.
“Honestly, Janelle, we don’t talk about anything but my father’s business.
And even that conversation is sparingly.
My parents didn’t even tell me he was working there.
I found out when I showed up at the store.
Guess that’s small-town communication for you. ”
She tilted her head. “Or maybe you two avoid talking about what really matters.”
I sighed. “We’re complicated. Always have been.”
“Complicated,” she repeated, drawing out the word. “That’s just code for unfinished business, which you two definitely have.” She lifted her mug and took a sip.
I clutched my imaginary pearls. “You know what? Your problem is that you’ve been watching too many romance movies.”
“Maybe,” she said with a grin, “but who doesn’t love a good love story, Mari? And you and Jacob? People still talk about how close you guys were. Folks thought you two would end up together back then.”
“We were just friends back then. More than I can say for us now.”
Janelle pursed her lips, giving me a sharp side eye.
“I don’t know what you all are up to now, but you can tell that lie about your past feelings to your big-city friends in D.C.
who don’t know any better. You and Jacob might have been friends back in the day, but you were definitely hiding your feelings beyond your friendship.
” She looked up when Mr. Justin called her attention to the growing line.
“I have to get back to it. We’re short a cashier today.
Don’t be a stranger.” She leaned in to whisper the next words in my ear.
“And don’t leave for D.C. without talking to Jacob.
Time moves on, but feelings?” She tapped her chest. “They tend to stick around.”
She left me with a wink and a half-eaten muffin.
I stared out the window at Oak Street as autumn leaves swirled along the sidewalk; the red, gold, and russet foliage stirred like the memories Janelle had conjured.
Nearly every moment I remembered about Skye Ridge somehow included Jacob Gold—his laughter, his loyalty, his quiet steadiness.
And sitting there, watching the world go by, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time…
something fluttering and dangerous and familiar.
I wasn’t sure what the future held, but one thing was certain: Being back home was stirring up more than just old memories.