12. Chapter Twelve
Chapter Twelve
A ntonio
As I waited for Kendra to finish her shift, Jake leaned against the counter, chatting with me.
"So, you're finally taking a break from the winery, huh?" he said.
I nodded. "Yeah, it's been a wild ride, but I think things are getting back under control... a little bit. That is, assuming my mother doesn't wake up to make more unrealistic demands.”
"Well, I hope she doesn't. You look like you've aged in the last couple of weeks.”
I quickly looked around until my eyes caught my reflection in a glass... I didn’t look aged, but there were noticeable bags under my eyes, and my hair seems thinner. My hand went unconsciously to smooth it.
"I think I’ll be spending the next week at the apartment."
Jake raised an eyebrow. "Why? I expected you to go on some relaxing vacation, take care of yourself a bit... get a tan, party, let loose?”
I chuckled at the suggestion. "That's your idea of relaxation. You know I'd rather spend my time indoors, alone. Just the thought of being in that little studio apartment already relaxes me."
"You mean the thought of having Kendra just an arm’s length away relaxes you," Jake teased, making a face that made me want to laugh, but I didn’t. Laughing would only encourage him.
So, I kept a straight face. "No. I mean I'd like nothing more than to stay indoors and chill with my TV."
"Yet here you are, patiently waiting for Kendra," he replied, winking. "Come on, man, we're best friends. Tell me, what's the plan?"
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "No plan, Jake. Just running into her, that's all."
"Why?" he asked, suddenly serious.
"Why what?"
"Why don't you have a plan? I thought you said you liked this one?"
"Well, liking someone isn’t that big a deal. Besides, I told you... she just wants to be neighbors."
"Okay, so there are a lot of things wrong with that statement, but I'll point out the top two," Jake said, looking me straight in the eye.
"Number one: maybe liking someone isn't a big deal for everyone else," he said, making air quotes, "but for you , it’s the biggest deal. For Pete's sake, Antonio, when have you ever admitted to liking a girl?"
I opened my mouth to argue but shut it quickly. Jake was right. I couldn't think of another woman I’d ever felt like this for.
"Yeah, I thought so... now, number two: please tell me you're not actually buying into that ‘just neighbors’ talk. Girls only say that when they want you to take things slowly!"
"And you know this because?"
"Because if she didn’t like you, she’d have thrown you out of her apartment before you could get your words out."
"That would have been rude."
"Says the guy who yelled in her face and fired her on her first day," he retorted, rolling his eyes.
"That's not fair. You know I was—"
"Look," Jake interrupted, holding up his hands, "I'm not trying to win an argument here, TO… All I’m saying is, women like Kendra don't waste a second of their time on men they don't fancy.
And they like men who know what they want and go for it, not guys who give up just because she said ‘neighbors’."
Just then, Kendra approached us, smiling.
"Hey, guys! What's going on?"
"Just catching up," Jake said with a grin. "Antonio here was just waiting for you to finish your shift."
Kendra's eyes met mine, and for a fleeting moment, I saw something in them... joy? I couldn't be sure—it disappeared in a heartbeat.
"Oh, hey! I didn’t know you were waiting for me."
I shrugged, trying to keep my cool. "Well, I didn’t have anything to rush off to, and since we have the same destination, I figured I’d wait."
Kendra nodded, her expression softening. "Well, thanks for waiting. I'm done now."
Jake spoke up, "Hey, Antonio, can you drop me off at home first? I didn’t bring my car today."
I nodded and turned to Kendra. "It’s sort of in the opposite direction from our home..." I liked how that sounded—’our home’.
My heart quickened at the thought. I pushed the feeling aside and continued. "So, uh... I hope you don't mind the delay?"
Kendra hesitated, uncertainty in her eyes. "I don’t know, Antonio... I don’t want to impose."
I smiled, trying to reassure her. "It’s no imposition. If anything, it’s Jake here who's imposing."
I shot Jake a mock glare, and he cackled."What are best friends for?" he quipped.
"No good, apparently," I murmured, turning back to Kendra, who still looked unsure. "Come on, haven’t you missed my troubles?"
Kendra let out a sweet laugh. "I'll get my bag."
As we headed out to the car, Jake said, "I’ll take the backseat. You two can have the front."
Kendra opened her mouth to protest, but Jake was already in the backseat with the door shut. I walked over to the passenger seat and opened the door for Kendra. She slid in quietly, and I got behind the wheel.
There was an undeniable feeling of excitement at having her close again, and though she tried hard to mask it, I knew she felt the same.
The ride was quiet, the only sounds coming from the street. Jake, sitting in the backseat, cleared his throat and asked.
"So, what’s the plan for the rest of the evening?"
Kendra and I exchanged a glance before she responded, "Just heading home, I guess."
Jake nodded through the rearview mirror and tried to fill the silence again. "Antonio, how’s the winery? Still keeping you up at night?"
I shot him a “what’s up?” face…, and he gave me an exasperated look, mouthing something like ’say something to Kendra’.. The conversation stalled again, and we were back in awkward silence.
Suddenly, a random thought popped into my head, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out,
"Kendra, do you bake?"
My voice came out louder than intended. What is wrong with me? Smooth, Antonio, really smooth...
Kendra turned to me, an amused look on her face. "Actually, I love baking."
I was surprised. I’d expected her to deflect with a question.
"Cool! You should enter the Asheville Bake-a-thon contest. The prize money is great."
Jake perked up. "Yeah, and I’d love free baked goods—cakes, cookies, bread..."
Kendra laughed. "I only bake for fun and family. I’m not competition-level."
"Well, you never know. You might win. Not that you’d be in it just for the prize... you could pick up a few tips..." I rambled until Jake jumped in.
"Come on, Kendra, it’ll be fun. Antonio can be your assistant, and I’ll cheer from the sidelines."
Kendra laughed. "Maybe next year."
I didn’t want to push, so I changed the subject. "What’s your favorite cake flavor?"
Kendra thought for a moment. "Caramel."
Jake raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought you’d be a chocolate fan."
Kendra smiled. "Nope, caramel’s my go-to."
"I’m more of a cookie person," Jake added.
"How about you, Antonio?"
I grinned mischievously. "Same here. Cookies all the way."
Kendra’s eyes darted between Jake and me before settling on me again. "So, what’s your favorite kind of cookie?"
Jake and I chorused in unison, grinning wide. "Chocolate chip cookies with an extra sprinkle of sea salt."
Kendra froze, her eyes locked on mine. She looked as though she’d been punched in the gut. We had just arrived at Jake’s house. I turned off the ignition and faced her.
"Repeat that," she whispered, her voice trembling.
My brow furrowed in concern. "Chocolate chip cookies... with an extra sprinkle of sea salt," I repeated slowly.
Kendra’s face paled. She turned to Jake, who nodded in confirmation, his expression mirroring my concern.
"How... how did you know that?" Kendra stammered.
My confusion deepened. "Know what?"
Kendra’s voice cracked. "That’s... Elon’s favorite cookie." She swallowed hard, tears forming in her eyes. "My late husband’s..."
The car fell silent. Jake’s eyes met mine in the rearview mirror, both of us now utterly stunned.
Elon . That name hit me like a ton of bricks.
Jake and I had a best friend named Elon who disappeared years ago, back in high school. It couldn’t be the same Elon, right? But what were the odds that her husband shared his name and favorite cookie?
Jake, stuttering, asked the question I couldn't bring myself to ask. "Your husband, Elon... did he, by chance, have gray, almost cat-like eyes, midnight-black hair... and is the ‘Ryan’ in your name his last name?"
Kendra nodded, and tears spilled freely down her cheeks.
My heart sank. "Elon? As in... you were married to our Elon?
And he's... dead?!"