Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Adam
“What do you mean she’s not coming?” Roxy jolts upright, her voice slicing through the restaurant buzz.
I’m sitting at a cozy table in the corner, staring at my cousin and her husband, Justin, across from me.
Miss Jenny’s restaurant is humming with activity, and there’s a line forming at the front door.
The scent of home cooking is prevalent among the chatter of patrons and the clattering of silverware on china.
“She’s knee deep in a project and asked not to be disturbed,” I say, my voice barely steady as I avoid her gaze.
“Well, did you tell her it was us you were meeting for dinner? We came all this way.”
I lift my head and lock eyes with Roxy. Her gaze bores into me, and her lips purse. Then she blurts, “You messed it up, didn’t you? You aren’t a couple anymore.”
Justin slips his arm across Roxy’s shoulders. “Don’t jump to any conclusions. Adam said she’s working.”
Roxy’s expression twists as her voice drops. “Or Keri’s mad at us for what happened,” she mutters, her fingers picking at her napkin.
I shake my head, anxiety tightening my chest, and I’m about to tell her the entire story. But we’re interrupted by Miss Jenny herself, stopping by our table.
“Hey, Roxy. Hey, Justin. How’s your room? Are y’all enjoying Heartsboro?” Her red lips accentuate her sunny smile before she adds, “Hi, Adam.”
“Hey, Miss Jenny.” I’m thankful she doesn’t ask where Keri is.
“Our room is lovely, thank you so much,” Justin says.
“The Hummingbird Suite is divine,” Roxy beams. “I love the tin ceiling and the separate sitting area. The renovations you’ve done here are magnificent, Miss Jenny.”
“Why, thank you. Y’all are too kind.”
“And please keep talking,” Roxy giggles. “I just love your accent. It’s so friendly and polite.”
Miss Jenny waves her off. “Honey, you need to come back when I’m madder than a hornet.
You might rethink the ‘friendly’ part.” We all laugh.
“I hope Adam filled you in on our menu. We don’t serve any libations here.
If you want a cocktail, you’ll have to go next door to my twin sister’s bar, The Tipsy Daisy. Janie is a hoot. You’ll love her.”
“We just might do that,” Roxy says. “Can I just say, I love your branding. I feel like I’ve stepped into a Hallmark movie.” She giggles, clearly enjoying herself. I’m thankful her mind is off Keri.
“Thank you, darlin’. Can I get y’all some sweet tea or a Co-Cola?
I also have some specials happening tonight.
And don’t forget to leave room for dessert.
” She motions to a refurbished counter laden with cake domes.
I spy the pink frosting of her strawberry cake immediately, my heart filling with dread.
“Of course, you can order any of my most popular entrees, including the pulled pork or salmon. They come with three sides,” Jenny continues. “But tonight I’ve also got a Tuscan meatloaf and a pot roast special going on.”
“Mmmm. Sounds amazing. I’m starving,” Justin says.
Miss Jenny leans lower and says, “They’re family recipes. Can’t go wrong with a Memaw special now, can ya?”
We chuckle, and I’m thankful for Miss Jenny’s congeniality. I hope my cousin and Justin remember this place fondly for a long time. They’re going to die when they taste the delicious food, especially the pink cake.
Miss Jenny takes our orders, leaving me to address Roxy’s intentional stare.
“What?”
“Tell me everything. Tell me the real reason why Keri isn’t here.”
My shoulders slump, and I know I’m not doing myself any favors by stalling. Instead, I tell her what happened. Every sordid detail. Keri posing for a dramatic photo at Feather Falls in her blue dress. How I shared it with Dan Combs, and how Mr. Jardo pirated a copy and put it on his website.
“Adam, I have an entire legal team in California that can shut this down with one phone call,” Justin eagerly offers. I’m touched that this man wants nothing more than to help me.
“It’s okay. We’ve already sent a cease and desist order. The photo has already been taken down from the Jardo website.”
“Thank goodness. So what’s the problem?” Roxy asks.
I run my hand through my hair and sigh. “Mr. Jardo wants Keri.”
“What do you mean, he wants Keri? For what?”
“He wants her to be the face of his new luxury perfume. That’s why he posted her photo on his website. He fell in love with her through one photo. We have a Zoom meeting with his team tomorrow.”
Roxy is shocked, eyes wide and mouth open in disbelief.
“And you and Keri are moving forward with this? Does that mean you’ll be coming back to California?
” She squeals with delight, hope breaking through her initial shock.
“Or maybe they need you to move to Paris, right?” She turns bright-eyed toward her husband. “I’ve always wanted to visit Paris.”
Justin smiles and drags the back of his index finger down her cheek. “I’ll take you to Paris, babe.”
I clear my throat. “I’m not coming back to California, and I’m not moving to Paris. My home is here, in Heartsboro.”
Roxy’s head jerks so she’s looking right at me. “What about Keri?”
“What about her?”
“Is she…” Her eyebrow peaks with realization. “Is she doing this without you?”
I reach for my sweet tea and take a long swig, my throat closing up with emotion and my hands slightly trembling. I swallow hard. “I don’t know. That’s why she’s not here. She’s trying to decide.”
Roxy slumps in her chair, her face falling in disbelief and sympathy. “I can’t believe it. After everything you two have been through, I can’t believe she’d leave you here by yourself.”
“I won’t be by myself. I have Molly.”
She growls. “You don’t get it, do you?”
“Get what?”
Roxy turns toward Justin. “Do you want to explain it to him or should I?”
“Go ahead,” Justin replies, waving his hand out in front of him.
I watch my cousin lean forward, her forearms pressing into the tablecloth as she fixes me with a steady, intense stare. “What Justin and I witnessed over our wedding weekend was something unmistakably real.”
“What do you mean?” I try to stay calm. All this talk of Keri reminds me of what I’m about to lose.
“We witnessed two extraordinary, beautiful people choosing each other in real time with their whole hearts. She’s the one, Adam. You must know this to your core. And it’s only going to continue to grow and deepen over the months and years to come.”
I drop my gaze, voice tight. “Not if she moves to Paris.”
“You can’t let that happen.”
“Is there anything you can do to convince her to stay?” Justin asks.
“Not if I want her to respect me. The last thing I need is for her to resent me for the rest of her life.”
“Hmmm,” Roxy hums. “He’s got a point.”
“I know it sounds cliché, but I have to let her go. She’s been wanting to get out of this town for years but never had a clear path.”
“And you just provided her with one,” Justin adds with understanding.
I can almost hear the imaginary thud of a nail sinking into my coffin, a heavy emptiness filling my chest as the three of us look at each other in defeat. “But hey, I told her I’d make sure she was well taken care of if she chooses to go.”
“But maybe after talking business tomorrow, she’ll need more time to decide. Maybe the contract won’t be to her liking,” Roxy says.
I exhale an exasperated breath. “Roxy, we’re talking glam—more photos, campaign appearances, possible commercials, meet-and-greets at high-end department stores. She’d be the ‘it’ girl for this perfume brand.”
“And the money?” she asks.
“Dan said it could be very lucrative for all parties involved.”
“Oh, dear.”
“What are you going to do?” Justin asks, pulling Roxy closer to his side.
I lift my glass in a cheers motion, forcing a smile despite the lump in my throat. “Right now, I’m going to enjoy a home-cooked meal with my family and not think about it until tomorrow.”