Chapter 8
Cole
I can’t quite get a read on Jessamine. She switches between flirting and business mode so seemingly that I get whiplash.
The last day and a half that I’ve been her guide has been the most fun I’ve had in a long time.
She’s such a vibe that I cannot for the life of me imagine not wanting or liking her.
Right now, we’re standing outside like two soon to be empty nesters waving goodbye to Kacy as she officially leaves us behind. Once her SUV turned the corner and was no longer visible due to the massive trees covering her exit.
Jessamine-who decided to give me tachycardia with her fitted minidress that displays her curves in poetic clarity-leans in to whisper her thoughts.
“And then there were two. Is this the part where we strip down to our underwear and slide across the floor in our socks?”
My chuckle doesn’t stop the image of Jessamine wearing practically nothing from forming in my head.
“If that’s what you want to do, or we can grab some snacks and try out the paint therapy.”
Jessamine looks up and purses her lips like she’s deep thinking. “Hmm. Charcuterie and paint. Let’s do it.”
There have been a few quiet moments where I can see the weight of the people’s criticism still weighing on her. I’d take it all away from her if I could. She tucks her arm in mine and allows me to guide her to the field where we’ll be painting.
One big canvas is set up with two sets of paint supplies on each side. There is a separate table with two chairs, a charcuterie spread, and more mocktails. I pull out her chair then walk around to mine.
She rubs her hands together. “This looks delicious.” She sighs and picks up her phone. “Let me get the necessary pictures and videos.”
“You look like you like making content just as much as I do,” I tease before I pop a grape into my mouth.
“If it sounds like I don’t like it at all then you’d be correct. Especially now.”
“Are you posting any of it now?”
“No. Once I decide if I’m the right fit for this and we complete the contract then I’ll have some material.”
“And if you decide this isn’t what you want?”
Jessamine removes her sunglasses and tucks them on the neckline of her dress. “Memories. So tell me about Cole Heywood.”
I take a sip of my drink as she studies me. “What do you want to know?”
“About as much as you know about me.”
“Well, to be fair, I only know what you put on social media.”
She shrugs. “It’s surface but it’s still more than I know about you”
“True. I’m the youngest of three. All boys to my mom’s despair.” She smiles but doesn’t interrupt. “I got my undergrad in Agriculture but went for a general MBA. I just turned 34 on Halloween.”
“Oh that’s where all of this mischievous energy comes from?”
I find myself laughing yet again. “Because of Halloween?”
She shakes her head and bites on the cracker she loaded with cheese, meat, and jam. “Scorpio.”
“Oh really? I never paid attention to the zodiac signs.” She picks up her phone. “According to the internet, scorpio men are loyal, mysterious, jealous, deeply protective, intense, stubborn…” She pauses and looks at me. “Controlling.”
I hold up my hand. “Hold on, wait. I can be all of the above but controlling is wild. It’s not like I’d staple a tracker on your ass or anything.”
“My ass?” Jessamine teases, the sun catches the amused glint in her eyes.
“You know what I mean, in the general sense.”
“Uh huh.” Her eyes go back to the list on her phone.
“Determined, passionate, secretive, territorial, ambitious, sensual…” she puts her hand to her chest like she’s clutching imaginary pearls.
“Highly sexual.” The way Jessamine looks at me it’s as if she’s daring me to dispute the claim.
“Not just sexual, HIGHLY sexual.” One of her rings glints as she leans on her hand. “We have something in common.”
My mind wanders in all kinds of ways because if she said let’s go to the room right now I would.
“What? Being highly sexual?”
Her laugh is the cutest thing ever. “So are you confirming that it’s true?”
I shrug. “I guess it can be.”
“Can be. That’s an interesting way to answer that. You don’t have to expand since that has nothing to do with why I’m here.”
The speed in which she said that and how I can tell that she genuinely means it just makes me want to answer all of her questions.
“Thank you for that but I’ll answer. If I’m really into a woman and locked into our relationship then I can’t get enough of her but I don’t have sex just for the sake of it.”
She nods, satisfied with my answer. “Makes sense, but what I really meant is I was also born on a holiday. The 4th to be exact.”
“Oh really?” Jessamine laughs and tries to cover my phone as I look up her information. “Let’s see. According to Google, cancer women are moody…” My eyes grow bigger as I drag out the word. She rolls her eyes and I point. “Look, it's already happening.”
“No it’s not.” She giggles and rolls her eyes once more.
“You just did it again. Let’s see what else. Intuitive, loyal, nurturing, protective, elegant, creative, demanding, manipulative.”
“Now wait a damn minute that list sounded good until we got to ‘manipulative’. No, I’m not.” She shakes her head and folds her arms. “Manipulation requires too much work.”
“I believe you,” I admit but look what we have here. “Possessive, rebellious, and selfish.”
Jessamine gives me a side eye like I wrote the list. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”
“That’s not a message, sir. I’m very generous.”
“You didn’t say anything to dispel the possessive rumors.”
“Well,” she starts with her voice going up an octave. “I can have my moments but nothing crazy. I want my man to be my man.”
“I guess that’s where the loving and affectionate comes into play.”
“I am a lover girl, what can I say? Before all of the bullshit with Adam’s relationship announcement, I was thinking about getting out there again and finding my husband.”
Her statement warms my chest. I never wanted a title so badly and it surprises me. While I wouldn’t mind being in a relationship, I didn’t know I was ready for marriage. I guess I am.
“What changed?”
Jessamine sighs and leans back in her chair. She looked out at the green fields and the lake just beyond them.
“I try not to care what people say but I’d hate for anyone to believe that I got a boyfriend just to look less ‘desperate’” she makes the quotations with her finger then scoffs. “I was literally thinking about getting back out into the dating world the night Dessa got booted off.”
Irritation pulls a frown out of me so fast that Jessamine chuckles. “I felt so bad for her,” I admit. “He played her badly just to break up with Jenny after the reunion.”
Jessamine taps the table in agreement. “I was so mad. I needed a moment. She was blindsided. It’s worse than what you saw. The audience only sees a fraction of their day. As an insider, I know the extent of how he lied to her.”
“I chose to shoot straight in my relationships. I never want to lead anyone on or be deceitful. It really showed his age.”
“That’s what I thought,” she exclaimed while jumping up to stand animatedly. “I had to constantly remind myself they were all under twenty-five.”
“They’re still developing their frontal lobes.”
“And I don’t know how much we can excuse because of it.”
“I agree. I’ve always remembered wanting to treat my woman the right way.”
Jessamine lowers herself back into her chair without breaking eye contact with me.
“And that, Mr. Heywood, is a very sexy stance on relationships.”