Chapter 20 - Jade
“So? How was your date with West Saturday night?”
It’s Tuesday morning, and Sarah, Wren, and I are busy prepping for the twelve dozen cookies we have to make today.
“It was really good,” I tell them, reaching for the bracelet on my wrist and grinning.
“You guys looked really cute together,” Wren says as she pulls out the mixer. “I was watching you walk around the market. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my brother look so happy.”
“Let’s see the bracelet!” Sarah says, putting down her rolling pin and walking over to my edge of the counter. “OMG! Jade, that’s beautiful!”
I smile at the gold chain as Sarah and Wren look over my wrist. “It is, isn’t it.”
“I’m so happy for you Jade, you deserve to let love in,” Sarah says, wrapping her arms around me in a hug.
My face flames, and I shake my head. “No one said anything about love. We are still getting to know each other.”
“Can you see yourself falling for him in that way, though?” Wren asks tentatively.
There is no hesitation. “Absolutely,” I tell her with a small smile.
“Good. He really likes you, and he was pretty messed up for a while there when Lauren left. I don’t think any of us thought he would trust again. So, please don’t break his heart.”
My stomach rolls, and I feel sick. Despite believing in a real possibility of falling in love with West, I’ll never actually be able to let him all the way in. Wren’s words are just another reminder of how much I can hurt him.
“So, tell me, is he a good kisser?” Sarah teases, bumping my hip.
My eyes glance downward, face on fire. “I don’t know,” I say quietly, shifting from foot to foot under their stare.
“Jade. I know you don’t have much experience, but how do you not know if he’s a good kisser or not? Was it good? Sloppy?” Sarah asks with a crease between her eyes.
“Ewe, can we not, please,” Wren says looking grossed out. “I truly do not need to know the details.”
I look up at Sarah, feeling a little embarrassed. “We didn’t kiss.”
The crease between her brows deepens, and she looks at me like I have two heads. “I’m sorry. He didn’t try to kiss you?”
“No, he did,” I say, glancing over to Wren. “We were kind of interrupted. Twice,” I say with a giggle. As much as I was dying for him to kiss me, it is kind of funny.
“Sorry.” Wren cringes, and Sarah looks at us questioningly.
I sigh. “We almost kissed at the fair, but Wren interrupted,” I explain. “And then again when he walked me to my door we were so close, but his phone rang and it kind of spoiled the moment. I got nervous.” I shrug.
“But he did kiss the top of my head,” I tell them with a smile.
“No offence, but lame. I want the nitty gritty. Give me all the dirty details,” Sarah whines, and I flick some flour in her direction, making her laugh.
“Please, God no. Never ever the dirty details,” Wren says, letting out a shudder.
Sarah and I laugh and both flick flour towards Wren, who joins in.
A few hours later, I’m just placing in another batch of cookies when the door chimes out front and I hear West’s voice greeting Wren. Smiling to myself, I wipe my hands down my apron and leave the kitchen.
“Morning.” I smile, coming up to the counter.
“Good morning, beautiful,” West says, making my stomach do a cartwheel.
“What will it be this morning?” I ask, trying to play it cool when I really want to do a little dance at his endearment.
“How about one of those scones?” he says, pointing through the display case at our glazed lemon and raspberry scones.
“And a coffee?” I ask
“Yes, please,” he says.
Wren makes a sound, giving him a weird look, and I stare at her for a moment, wondering what that was all about, before shaking my head and getting his order ready.
“So, how was your Sunday?” he asks me, ignoring Wren.
“It was good. Lazy,” I say. “How about yours?”
“Exhausting.” He sighs and leans in. “Before you girls hear it from someone else, Saturday night after the fair, I was called out for a missing person,” he says, and we gasp. “I’m not sure if you two know Vivienne from the flower shop, but we unfortunately recovered her body early Sunday morning.”
“Oh my God,” I say.
“Is it related to the other murders?” Wren asks, and West nods.
“It appears that way.”
“How terrible,” I say quietly, passing West his coffee with a shaking hand. He notices, and instead of taking it from me, he wraps his big hand around mine and rubs soothing circles to steady me.
“Enough about that, though. I just wanted you to hear it from me first.”
“Thank you.”
“I also spent the day building my mom a new greenhouse,” he adds, changing the subject.
“It looks great,” Wren says, bumping my hip. “You should come see it sometime.”
I give her an odd look, wondering why on earth she thinks I need to see a greenhouse, but I smile anyways. “Sure,” I say hesitantly.
“How about this weekend?” she says to me, but her eyes are trained on West.
“I think I got this, Wren,” he clips out, giving her a look.
What the heck is going on?
“Just trying to help, big brother.”
“Well, it’s not needed. Now, aren’t you needed in the back or something?” He glares at her, and she chuckles, taking off.
I look at West with a questioning brow, and he shakes his head, running his hand down his face.
“Are you doing anything this weekend?” he asks.
Rolling back a smile, I shake my head. “No.”
“Would, uh, would you like to come to my parents’ for dinner on Sunday?” he asks.
“To see the greenhouse?” I tease.
He chuckles, the corner of his eyes crinkling. “Or maybe just to see me.”
“Well, I must say, that’s much more enticing than a greenhouse.” I smile, getting better at this flirting thing.
His eyes glint, and we stand there smiling at one another before he clears his throat. “Maybe I’ll finally get that kiss.”
My breath hitches, and I feel my cheeks redden. “Maybe,” I whisper.
His dimples deepen, and he tips his head. “I’ll see you later, Jade.”
“Bye.” I wave.
“Have a good day,” he adds before leaving.
“You too!” I call out, still flushed from what just occurred. Taking a moment to compose myself, I look around the empty shop and do a little happy dance before heading back to the kitchen to finish with the cookies.
Six hours later, we finish packaging up all the cookies and can finally rest. I plop down, letting out a groan, Sarah and Wren following suit.
“I’m wiped.” Wren sighs.
“Me too,” I say just as the ding of the door rings out. Groaning, I go to stand up, but Sarah says she’s got it.
“Thank you.” I sigh.
As soon as the kitchen doors swing closed behind her, Wren’s and my eyes go wide when we hear an irritated and slightly angry, “What the hell are you doing here?”
Getting up quickly, we halt when the voice that comes next explains Sarah’s outburst. “Just coming to get something to eat, like every other patron.”
“You’ve never set foot in here before, there’s no need to start now,” Sarah growls.
Hayes chuckles. “God, I love it when you’re bossy.”
“For the love of God, just leave.”
“Tell me,” he says. “What are you doing with Ford Winslow?”
“It’s none of your goddamn business, now leave!” she shouts.
“Why don’t you save some of that anger and attitude for the bedroom and show me how angry and bossy you can really be, sweetheart.”
“That’s it,” Sarah says angrily.
Wren and I push through the kitchen doors when a cupcake goes flying and hits Hayes directly in the chest. My eyes go wide, but he chuckles, swiping his finger through the icing and licking it seductively, eyes never leaving Sarah.
“I could go for a little food play, if that’s what you’re into,” he says with a wink.
Sarah’s eyes narrow, and she reaches for another cupcake, but I grab onto her arm to stop her.
“Down girl,” I tell her.
“Hayes, just leave,” Wren says, pushing her brother towards the door.
Once he’s gone, Wren turns to Sarah looking apologetic. “I am so sorry, Sarah.”
“It’s a good thing you have three other brothers because I swear to God, I’m going to murder him some day,” she snarls and turns on her heels, the clicking of her shoes echoing off the floors. Wren and I share a wide-eyed look, not sure what’s gotten into her.
Luckily the rest of the day goes by without a hitch and the shop remains slow. To treat ourselves after such a busy morning, we decide to head over to the Brewery to sit out on the patio and share some finger foods and sip on drinks.
We get seated, ordering our drinks and a couple appetizers to share, when Wren turns to Sarah. “Okay, I need to know. What the heck happened with you and Hayes? I’ve tried to keep out of it but damn, that was some serious animosity earlier.”
Lips pursed, she lets out a long sigh. “I caught him cheating on me, okay? End of story.”
“No way,” Wren says in disbelief.
“Oh way,” Sarah says, taking a pull from her beer.
I always figured it was something like that, but my heart breaks for my friend.
“That’s not possible, Sarah. I remember him and Ma getting into a fight because he wanted to get married and she told him he was too young. Then two months later you guys broke up.”
Sarah shakes her head. “Well, I don’t know anything about him wanting to get married. I just know what I saw with my own two eyes.”
“Hmm.”
“Gosh, Sarah. I am so sorry you got hurt like that,” I say.
“Oh. It gets worse.” She laughs. “The woman was older, and I caught them together in Hadley the day after I gave him my virginity.”
Wren and I gasp.
“Oof. I’m sorry my brother is such an idiot. I just can’t believe that’s what happened. Here all these years, I thought it was you that broke his heart. I just thought you hated him because of something stupid”
“Well, now you know.”
We spend the rest of the evening talking about happier things and having a good time.
After we finish all our food and are walking back towards the shop to the parking lot, my body goes still when I spot a figure in the distance.
He’s wearing a dark hoodie with the hood pulled up so I can’t see his face, but the way he’s just standing there sends goosebumps along my skin and leaves me feeling unsettled.
“You okay?” Sarah asks, looking at me and then around the street, the mysterious man already gone, making me wonder if he was really there at all.
“Mhm. I’m fine,” I say, picking up my pace to Sarah’s vehicle, unable to relax until we are long gone.