Chapter 19
GINGER
When Nina invited Willow and me over for dinner, I knew exactly what it was about. They want details—specifically, details related to Jordan.
I shovel a heaping forkful of fried rice between my lips. If I keep my mouth full, I can’t talk.
“Sooo,” Willow says, dragging the word out. “How was your sleepover at Jordan’s?” She waggles her eyebrows.
“It was great, actually.”
Nina leans forward, eyes sparkling. “Anything good happen you want to share with us?”
I keep my gaze on my plate, nudging a grain of rice around with my fork. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Oh, it’s always a big deal when my best friend sleeps over at a man’s house. Especially when that man is Jordan Thorne,” Willow says, smirking. “The same man who’s had a revolving door of women and now suddenly wants to cook breakfast with you. You didn’t think we’d let that slide, did you?”
I groan and consider hiding under the table for the remainder of the meal. “He didn’t cook breakfast. I made muffins.”
“Of course you did.” Willow sits back in her chair, studying me. “You’re over there playing house while pretending nothing’s going on.”
“I’m not pretending anything.”
“Only because you got busted. If I didn’t have your location, we’d still be in the dark,” Willow teases.
“I probably wouldn’t have told you yet,” I admit. “Not because I don’t trust you, but because I wanted to see where it goes first. Dating someone in our friend group complicates things.”
“Let’s stick with the present—where we do know,” Nina suggests in her usual calm way. “How we found out doesn’t matter. Are you happy?”
Her question disarms me. After a few seconds, I nod. “Yeah. I am.
Willow lets out a mock gasp. “Oh my God. I knew it. You totally had sex.”
I roll my eyes. “We really didn’t.”
“You did something,” Willow says, pointing her fork at me. “I’ve never seen you look this glowy. It’s a post-orgasm thing.”
“Stop,” I say, laughing despite myself.
Nina smiles warmly. “She’s right, though. You’re glowing. You like him more than you planned to.”
I sigh, setting my fork down. “I do. Things have been going really well. Better than I expected.”
Willow tilts her head. “I’m glad. But don’t lose your head just yet. This is Jordan we’re talking about. The man’s kind of a mess.”
“Love’s worth a little mess, don’t you think?” Nina asks.
I shrug. “So far, it’s been easy. He’s been kind, patient, and so sweet it’s almost suspicious.”
“And sexy,” Nina adds. “Don’t forget that part.”
I can’t help the small smile that pulls at my lips. “Oh, I haven’t.”
Willow leans forward. “But he’s still Jordan—the guy who hooks up with vacationers so he doesn’t have to deal with the aftermath.”
I exhale. “I’m aware.”
Willow reaches out, rubbing my arm. “I’m not trying to dim your glow, I swear. I just don’t want you to get hurt. If that means I play bad cop and keep you grounded, I’ll do it.”
“If you think I haven’t thought about it, you’re wrong,” I say quietly. “His past isn’t easy to ignore. He’s avoided commitment like it’s contagious.”
“That doesn’t mean his feelings for you aren’t real,” Nina points out.
“I’m not saying they aren’t. But I’d be stupid not to wonder how deep they run and how long they’ll last.”
Nina gives me a sympathetic smile. “I believe there’s the right person for everyone, and when they get together, things click into place. Look at Travis and me. He was done with relationships until we met.”
“Yeah, but he wasn’t a manwhore,” Willow cuts in. “If you’ve spent years eating something new every night, it’s hard to stick with the same meal forever. You’ll start craving variety.”
She’s not wrong, and the thought twists something low in my stomach. How long before Jordan gets bored with me? I’m not glamorous or bold like the women he’s “dated” before. My body’s average, my makeup routine nonexistent, and my wardrobe screams comfort over style.
“What are you thinking?” Nina’s question pulls me back.
“That I’m pretty much the opposite of his usual type. In looks anyway.”
“Yeah, because you’re better,” Willow jumps in. “You’re the real deal, Ginger.”
I chuckle. “I love you for saying that, but you’re biased.”
“No, we’re not,” Nina insists. “He’s lucky you’re giving him the time of day, and he’s smart enough to know it.”
“You two are good for my ego.”
Willow grins. “That’s our job.”
Nina nods. “We want to make sure the guy who’s making you glow like that knows what a gem he’s got.”
Me too.
Nina’s phone rings, and she jumps up to grab it from the counter. “Ooh, my sister is FaceTiming me.” She hurries back to the table, drops into her seat, and accepts the call. “Hey, Irene!”
We hear Irene squeal with happiness.
Nina beams at her. “I’m so glad you called when you did. Willow and Ginger are here with me, so you can finally meet them.” She flips the phone toward me, and I smile.
“I’m Ginger. It’s great to meet you.”
Irene resembles a younger version of Nina, although her hair is a soft strawberry blonde.
“Hi, Ginger! I’ve heard a lot of great things about you. I look forward to visiting your coffee shop the next time I come to Havenport.”
Nina shifts the phone. “This is Willow.”
“Hey, Willow! I’ve also heard a lot about you.”
“Well, I love your sister, so I’m sure I’ll love you,” Willow says with a grin.
Nina turns the phone back so she can see Irene. “When are you visiting? Tell me you’re coming for Christmas.”
“I wish I could, but I promised Mom I’d stay in New York for it. But… I’m coming for New Year’s Eve.”
Nina squeals, bouncing in her seat. “That’s awesome! I can’t wait to see you.”
“Me too. I’ve missed you so much.”
“How long will you be able to stay?”
“As long as you can put up with me.”
Nina gasps. “Are you moving here?”
Irene laughs. “I could be. I don’t want to say yes until I see how I like spending more than a week there.”
“You could’ve been here since the end of the summer if you hadn’t gone home.”
“I know, but it was right after Richard and I broke up. I had to come back to the city and deal with all of that.”
“Well, the rest of this month can’t go by fast enough for me,” Nina says.
“Hey, not so fast. I’m not done with my Christmas shopping,” I say.
“Me either,” Willow adds. “I need to find something for my dad that isn’t another fishing vest.”
“I’ve gotta run out, but I’ll call you this weekend,” Irene says.
Nina blows her a kiss, then hangs up. She turns to us with a huge smile. “Okay, I’m officially counting down the days.”
“I can’t wait to meet her in person,” I say.
“She seems really sweet,” Willow says. “Maybe even more so than you.”
Nina tosses a balled up napkin at her. “How’s that for sweet?”
I laugh, sitting back in my chair as warmth spreads through me. For the first time in a long while, I feel content. Between my friends, the holidays, and my blooming relationship with Jordan, life is good. This Christmas may be one of the best yet.
“My sister’s call interrupted our conversation, and I want to get back to that,” Nina says, giving me a sly look.
“Excellent,” I droll.
“Have you seen Jordan since the party?” she asks.
I take a sip of wine, deliberately making her wait. “He’s been busy with work, but he’s stopped by the shop both days.”
“Uh-huh,” Willow says knowingly. “He stopped by the shop, or he stopped by to see you?”
“Maybe both,” I admit, smiling.
Nina props her chin in her hand. “When are you seeing him again?”
“Tomorrow night,” I answer, trying not to sound as giddy as I feel. “He’s planning something but won’t tell me what.”
Willow’s mouth hints at a smile as she nods. “Mysterious. I like it.”
“Just make sure it doesn’t involve anything that can make you get hurt,” Nina adds.
“He’s not gonna put her in danger,” Willow says.
Aww, how sweet. She’s defending Jordan.
“I mean, at least not before he gets to sample the goods,” she adds.
So much for her being sweet.
“You need a new job,” I say, pressing my lips together in a reproachful way. “You’re starting to sound like all the dudes you work with.”
She shrugs. “If that means I get right to the point, I’m okay with it.”
“Do you have any idea where he might be taking you?” Nina asks.
I shake my head. “No, but knowing Jordan, it’ll be something fun. He’s full of surprises lately.”
Willow raises her wine glass. “To good surprises. And to Ginger finally getting laid.”
My gaze flicks to Nina in a silent message of See? Sounds like a dude.
We all clink glasses before sipping our wine. As the conversation drifts back to holiday plans and Christmas gift ideas, I keep thinking tomorrow night can’t come soon enough.
I love my shop and the steady stream of customers drifting in and out, but today felt like the longest day of my life.
Every time I glanced at the clock, the hands seemed frozen in place.
Even the scent of espresso, which usually is comforting for me, couldn’t quiet the restless flutters in my stomach.
Jordan texted me just after lunch with a single clue about our date—dress warm—no time, no place, no details. So I’ve spent the entire afternoon imagining possibilities. Is he taking me skating, or sledding, or maybe something completely unexpected?
Pops is having dinner at the neighbor’s, which makes things easier. There’s no need for me to invent an excuse about where I’m going or why I can’t stay and watch Three’s Company reruns with him.
The moment Jordan’s truck pulls in the driveway, I’m out the door.
My boots thump against the porch boards as I hurry toward the stairs.
Even though I salted them earlier, I grip the railing tight.
Once you’ve fallen on icy steps, you never forget it.
Two winters ago, I went down hard, flat on my tailbone.
I could barely sit down for a week, and it still aches sometimes.
Jordan meets me halfway up the driveway, his grin wide and his arms already open. When he pulls me in, my feet leave the ground, and I can’t stop the laugh that spills out of me. I lean down and press a quick kiss to his lips.
“I missed you today,” I say, breath puffing between us.
“I missed you too.” His voice is warm and rough in the chill of the air. “The dispensary was slammed. I spent all day buried in the back room under a mountain of new inventory.”
“Did you get it all sorted?”
“Mostly. Drew offered to help, which I’m pretty sure he regretted after the first hour, but it was nice to have an extra set of hands.” He rubs the tip of his nose over mine. “You ready for our mystery date?”
“As ready as I can be when I don’t know where we’re going or what we’re doing.” I narrow my eyes playfully. “Should I be scared?”
His lips spread into that lazy smile that always makes my heart trip over itself. “Only if you hate having fun.”
“Sounds like I’m safe then.”
He takes my hand and leads me around the front of his truck to the passenger side. He opens the door. “Hop in, Agent G Thang. Your mission awaits.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling as I climb inside the warm cab that smells like his cologne. I snap on my seat belt while he moves around the truck and gets behind the wheel. I’m looking forward to seeing exactly what he has planned for me.
The drive doesn’t take long, maybe fifteen minutes, and the farther we get from the shore, the darker it gets. I glance out the window, admiring the Christmas lights on the few houses we see.
When we turn down a side road marked with a small wooden sign, I spot the glow of string lights strung along the trees up ahead. My mouth curves into a smile. “Are we snow tubing?”
Jordan casts a quick, pleased glance my way. “Yep. Night tubing. They’ve got the hill lit up, and I thought it might be fun.”
“It looks like it’ll be a blast,” I say, already unbuckling my seat belt as he parks.
“It will be. Have you been snow tubing before?”
I shake my head. “Nope.”
He grins. “Let’s get to it.”
We check in at the small rental hut, and within minutes, we’re holding hands, trudging toward the top of the hill, tubes dragging behind us. The crisp air bites at my cheeks, but the excitement over what I’m about to do outweighs any discomfort I might be feeling.
The hill stretches out below us, glowing under floodlights and colorful spotlights that shift from green to red. People shriek and laugh as they slide down the hill.
We reach the top and wait for our turn. There are lanes for each tuber to go down, with short snow walls on each side.
“Ready?” Jordan asks, standing beside me.
I plant my boots firmly in the snow. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“We’ll go on three. One, two!” He dives forward onto his tube, taking off without me.
“Hey!” I shout, dropping onto mine as quickly as I can, but he’s got a good head start on me. I take off, flying down the slope, the wind rushing at my face. Holding the handles tightly helps me keep from spinning out of control. Jordan’s whoop carries back to me, and I let out a peal of laughter.
I drag my feet and skid to a stop at the bottom, my heart still racing. I look over at him, hat dusted with snow, eyes gleaming. “Cheater,” I say, trying to sound indignant.
He laughs and rises to his feet, reaching out a gloved hand to help me up. “Did you forget my motto?”
“‘I don’t follow rules,’” I say, shaking my head. “How could I forget?”
“So what’d you think?”
“I loved it.”
We ride again. And again. After dragging myself up the hill the third time, I decide to sit in my tube and ride up using the towing option. Each time we slide down, we try to jump ahead of each other, and by the time our session is over, I lose track of how many races each of us has won.
We return our tubes and then head to his truck. He pauses outside my door, lowering his lips to mine for a sweet, slow kiss. It’s the perfect way to cap off our tubing adventure.
When he pulls back, he murmurs, “Are you cold?”
“A little.”
“Get inside.” He gives my hip a playful slap as I climb up, then closes the door.
A moment later, he’s in the driver’s seat, holding a thermos. “Would you like some hot chocolate?” he asks.
“Yes, please.”
He pours some into a cup and hands it to me. “Here you go.”
Removing my gloves, I wrap both hands around the cup. The heat seeps into my palms, and I moan softly.
“Take a sip,” he encourages. “I added some Kahlúa.”
“Why didn’t you lead with that?” I joke, sipping the sweet drink. “Mmm. This is perfect.”
He starts the truck, the heater blowing out cool air at first. I take my time drinking the hot beverage, but it’s warming me up nicely from the inside out.
I sneak glances at Jordan as he drives, and think about what the rest of the night will be like.
Is this it? Or will he invite me back to his house?
And if he does, what do I want to happen?