Across the Creek

by Jeremy Asher

  “So how long have you worked here?”

  “Oh, my uncle bought this place about three years ago, I think.”

  “Does he work here too?”

  “Not anymore.” Jesse pulled a worm out, hanging from the side of the shovel. “This guy looks like he’s a digger.”

  The fat worm curled underneath the shovel, establishing a firm grip. “I hope so.” Sarah watched as he dug up four more. “So is your aunt or brother here?”

  “No. Robbie’s got the day off and my aunt is doing her usual shopping.”

  “I see. So it’s just you working here now.”

  “Yep, we normally operate with a skeleton crew. Makes for busy days. The type that start and finish before you know it.”

  He placed the last of the worms into the bowl, set down the shovel and grabbed a plastic lid. “Here you go. Make sure you find a nice home for them.”

  “Oh, I will,” she said, taking the bowl from him. Then she felt something hairy brush past her legs. She looked down and saw the same little dog she had petted on the way to the shop.

  “I think Bailey likes you,” Jesse said.

  “You know Bailey?”

  “Wait a minute,” he said, looking confused. “You know Bailey?”

  Sarah leaned down and rubbed Bailey’s fluffy head. “Yeah, we go way back. I met him on my way here. How do you know him?”

  “Jess, how are things going, my dear?” The heavyset woman Sarah had met just a short while ago walked up beside her. A few newly acquired bags seemed to have joined the seven she had already had.

  “Things are great, Aunt Sherry. In fact, I was just getting rid of some of those worms that you love so much,” Jesse responded.

  “I can’t stand those dreadful little creatures,” she said, turning her attention to Sarah. “Oh, it’s you, Bailey’s latest friend.”

  “Sarah, this is my aunt, Sherry. Sherry, this is Sarah. Sarah’s an old friend of mine.”

  A large smile formed on Aunt Sherry’s face, matching her chubby cheeks, as she shook Sarah’s hand. “Oh, I see. It’s so nice to meet one of Jesse’s friends. Especially one as lovely as you.”

  “Thank you. It’s a pleasure meeting you again.”

  Sherry looked to be in her fifties. A bright sundress with a floral pattern covered her like a wild, old fashioned lamp shade. The large, white straw hat was the icing on the cake. She reminded her of a retired woman living in Florida. Sarah turned her attention back to Bailey. “It’s a pleasure meeting you again, too, cutie.” Bailey’s fuzzy brown tail wagged rapidly.

  “Oh, he likes you,” Sherry said. “He’s a pretty good judge of character.”

  “Well, he certainly is adorable,” Sarah said, rubbing his belly one more time.

  “So how was shopping?” Jesse asked.

  “Wonderful! Simply wonderful! So many good deals out there today,” Sherry answered. “I’m exhausted, though. I think I’m going to retire for a nap.”

  “All right, I’ll keep an eye on Bailey for you.”

  “You are such a good boy, Jess.” She reached over and pinched Jesse on the cheek. “An absolute angel.” She turned toward Sarah. “It was nice meeting you.”

  “Nice meeting you.”

  “You’ll be in good hands,” she said, winking at Jesse before heading upstairs with her bags of merchandise.

  “She seems nice,” Sarah said after she had gone.

  “She’s the best,” he said. “I can’t believe you guys ran into each other.”

  “That is weird,” Sarah agreed. “So how much do I owe you?”

  “It’s on the house.”

  “I can’t do that. Please, let me pay for them,” she insisted.

  “Are you kidding?” Jesse rubbed the top of his head. “You’ve already hit me in the head with a bag of dog food. I’m afraid of what you’d do if I actually charged you for these. Your intimidating mafia technique worked.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive. Besides, I don’t charge old friends. It was nice seeing you again.” And there he was. That sweet boy she had fallen in love with ten years ago. A heart of pure gold. Time definitely hadn’t changed that.

  “Yeah, it sure was good seeing you, Jesse.” Her eyes fell to the container of worms. She felt oddly sad that she had no excuse to stay. “Well, I guess I’ll see you around,” she said.

  “See you around.” Jesse held out his hand.

  She shook it gently and turned to walk away. Halfway to the entrance, she paused and turned. “Jesse?”

  “Yes?”

  “I was wondering if you’d like to have coffee with me sometime. You know, to catch up.”

  “That sounds great.” He looked surprised. Heck, she had surprised herself.

  “How about tomorrow? There’s a great coffee place on North and Wells. I could meet you there around noon.”

  “I’m sure I could get away for some coffee.”

  “Great,” she said, smiling. “It’s called Caffeine Corner.”

  “I know the place.” He returned the smile. “I’ll see you there.”

  That same crooked smile. For a brief moment, a crazy thought had crossed her mind. A smile like that could get her into a lot of trouble.

  Chapter 3

  Jesse

  Jesse locked the front door of the shop and flipped the sign to CLOSED. He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to work out the knots caused from working a twelve-hour shift, and let out a long sigh as he headed to the staircase leading to his apartment above the shop. He wanted a hot shower to wash off the smell of animals. Then he planned on settling down with a good book and a ham and cheese sandwich before falling asleep.

  The shock of seeing Sarah after ten years still pulled at him. How was that possible? What were the odds? Those long blond curls and crystal blue eyes. She looked so…beautiful.

  Halfway up the stairs he heard a knock at the door. Was it Sarah?

  No; instead his eyes met Kate Ashcroft, waving at him through glass. His shoulders sank. So close yet so far from his bedroom and its promise of peace and quiet. He headed back downstairs, knowing he wasn’t going to get any tonight. Not that he didn’t enjoy the company of a young beautiful woman just as much as any twenty-two-year-old male, but Kate was more than company. She had the energy of a terrier on caffeine.

  From the gleam in her eye and her rapid waving, he knew she had too much energy for him tonight. It was moments like these where he questioned why he ever took her out on their first date. He reminded himself that she was the daughter of Christian Ashcroft, the wealthy Chicago tycoon, and, more importantly, the man who owned this building.

  The door wasn’t halfway open before she said, “Hey there.” She didn’t wait for an invite before nearly knocking him over with a hug.

  “I didn’t know you were coming over tonight.”

  “Is that okay?” she asked, batting her long eyelashes at him. Her soft dark hair hung past her shoulders like a curtain of satin. A perk that came with owning her own hair salon, yet another benefit of being the heir to the Ashcroft fortune. Her long muscular legs looked tempting beneath her silky black skirt. Her white blouse clung to her frame, revealing just enough to turn any man’s head. But her smile, it had the ability to give a man whiplash. And those lips, they were full and very kissable. She definitely had taste, and with nearly unlimited funds, she looked the part of a millionaire’s daughter.

  Jesse ran a hand through his hair, trying to ready himself for the energy required for a night with Kate. “Yeah. Of course it’s okay. I just wasn’t expecting you is all.”

  Kate took a step back, leaving her hands on his shoulders. “I missed you today.”

  “That’s…sweet,” he said.

  Kate had come into the shop with her father about six months ago while he was making his usual rounds of the businesses he housed. According to him, his visits were to check his tenants and see if they needed anything, but Jesse knew why he really did it. Guys like Christian As
hcroft were rich for a reason. They never seemed to take their eyes off of the gold.

  Maybe it was the long legs that had caused him to ask her out; maybe it was the thought of how it would make her pompous father feel if he ever found out his princess was slumming it; or maybe it was those gorgeous brown eyes and lips that seemed to smile unusually wide for him. Or maybe it was all three. Either way, when she returned the following day without her father’s permission, Jesse had instantly asked her out. They went out that night and the rest was history. Or at least he wished it was.

  “You didn’t miss me?” she asked, pouting.

  He ran a hand through his hair. After their first date, he realized what a mistake he had made hitching his wagon to the daughter of the man who could just as easily kick them out as he could buy them out. He drew in a deep breath and let it out. “It’s just been a busy day. I’m pretty tired.”

  “I know,” she said, running her hand down his chest, igniting a fire he tried to extinguish. “The girls and I were walking past today and I thought about stopping in to make your day. But you looked pretty busy.”

  “Really? You were out this way today? When was that?”

  “Around noon. We were on our way to have lunch at Gigi’s. I saw you through the window.” She pointed over to the window off of Webster Street. “I saw you talking to some cute blonde. It actually made me a little jealous.”

  Cute blonde? It must’ve been Sarah. “Really?” Jesse released her and started toward the stairs. “You, jealous?”

  “Well, that is how we met,” she said. “Who’s to say it couldn’t happen again?”

  Because I learned my lesson the first time, he thought. Jesse turned around. “Kate, listen. We’ve talked about this before. I’m not interested—”

  “In a relationship right now. Yeah, I’ve heard you say that at least a hundred times.”

  So why do you keep acting like this is more than what it really is? Although he wanted to, he didn’t dare ask this question out loud. It didn’t turn out well for him the last time he had. If there was one thing that Jesse knew about love, it was that it always came with consequences. That was why he steered clear of it. And probably the reason why he sought out female companionship with women like Kate. Beautiful, tempting, fun, but a total opposite of who he was and what he stood for.

  Truth be told, Kate was a sweet girl: nice, beautiful, and fun to be around. But long-term relationships weren’t his thing. Even if he was interested, there was school, the pet shop, Aunt Sherry who needed looking after, not to mention his older brother Robbie, who had a history of finding trouble. A girl like Kate required a lot of hand holding. More than he could give. Pushing her away was just as much for her good as it was his.

  “So can I come up?”

  “Well, I do have some TV dinners upstairs. And I’m starving.”

  She crinkled her nose. “Gross!”

  “I’m joking.”

  “Can I still come up? There’s something I have for you.” She tilted her head and flashed a flirtatious smile.

  Jesse looked back toward the stairs. He knew that a good book and a ham sandwich were out of the question if she came up, along with saying goodbye to peace and quiet. Then, from nowhere, the image of Sarah popped into his mind. The only girl he had ever truly loved. An uncomfortable and unfamiliar pain stung at the center of his chest.

  He turned to Kate. She brought out the only weapon he had been defenseless against ever since the first time he had met her. Her smile. The way her lips curved at the corners and the way her eyes seemed to glow two shades brighter made it impossible for him to tell her no. Mischievousness replaced sweetness, making it all the more impossible. Besides, he really did enjoy her company. “Sure,” he said, warming up to the idea. “I’ll have to warn you though. I don’t know how long I’ll be awake.”

  Kate smirked. “I’m sure I’ll be able to persuade you to stay up.” She followed him up the stairs and into his apartment.

  Jesse hit a switch and lights hanging from the twenty foot ceiling flickered on, revealing his small yet sufficient apartment. The foyer opened up to the living room, which connected to the bedroom to the left via a fogged glass sliding door and the kitchen to the right. His apartment had an industrial look with dark, painted beams that crisscrossed along the ceiling and large white pillars which offset the dark ceiling and the hardwood floor that Jesse had spent an entire week sanding and refinishing before moving in. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for Jesse, and it couldn’t have been more convenient for him located just above the pet shop.

  Jesse emptied his pockets into a tray by the front door. Kate made herself at home. She walked into the kitchen and pulled out two glasses and a bottle of red wine. She poured them each a glass and handed one to Jesse. “Thank you,” he said, taking a seat on the leather couch. The dry wine teased his taste buds before sliding down his throat. “I think I needed this.”

  “Aw,” she said, drawing out the word. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  He thought about Sarah walking out of the store, the light from outside washing out the silhouette of her thin frame until she was completely gone, just like the day of their first kiss. “Not really,” he responded. “It was just a long day.”

  Kate walked back into the kitchen and opened the fridge. “Do you want me to make you something to eat?”

  He took another sip of wine and rubbed his head, massaging his temples. “No. I think I’m too tired to eat.”

  “Good.” She closed the fridge and pranced over to the bedroom.

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Jesse watched as she slipped into the bedroom and slowly slid the glass door shut. “What is up with you tonight? You’re being mysterious,” he called after her.

  Kate slid the door open a crack. “You’ll see.” Then she shut it again.

  Jesse finished the glass of wine and set it on the end table. Then he picked up the hand-carved wooden turtle that sat next to the lamp. Dust filled the grooves in its shell. Its eyes and nose were carefully carved out of its tiny face, giving the lifeless statue character. Every time he looked at the turtle, he became more amazed by its detail. Even the turtle’s small feet had tiny claws sprouting from them.

  Sarah had given this to him. He remembered the sound of the creek rushing below. The smell of summer. The heat of the sun kissing his skin. It seemed like an entire lifetime ago. He wasn’t the same scared little boy he had been back then. Things were different now. He closed his eyes and smiled as the moment came flooding back to him. Sarah’s long hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her light blue eyes reflecting the sun’s rays. And the smile on her face as she handed him the turtle. It’s your favorite animal, right? Jesse nodded, not sure what to say. It was the first time a girl had given him anything. She handed it to him and laid a kiss on his cheek. She didn’t tell him why she bought him the wooden turtle, but he suspected that it had something to do with the day before, when he had taken her to the willow tree after another one of her mother’s explosive fits.

  The day was perfect. One of Jesse’s favorites. The day he knew without a doubt that he loved Sarah.

  But love always came with a consequence.

  Letting out a frustrated sigh, Jesse turned the turtle slowly in his hand, tracing the outline of its shell.

  The sound of the glass door sliding open brought Jesse back to his apartment. He sat the turtle down and looked up at Kate, who stood perfectly framed in the doorway with her arms stretched to each side as if posing for a Victoria’s Secret magazine cover. “I told you I had something for you,” she said, smiling. Her outfit looked like dental floss holding together small pieces of white lace fabric. Her flat stomach held a golden hue, giving it a soft yet firm look, and her long, slender legs were proof of the hours she spent spinning at the gym each week.

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  She held up her hand and waved a come-on-over-here finger at him. “I don’t want you to say anything,” she said. “I
t’s what I want you to do.”

  Chapter 4

  Sarah

  Sarah watched out of the corner of her eye as Rachael’s SUV pulled into the drive. She shook her head. Just what she needed right now: a rundown of last night’s dating adventure. She slammed the shovel into the dirt and gave it a kick before unearthing the soil. Rachael was her best friend, but boy did she have a way of distracting her from the work that needed done.

  “The place’s looking great.” Rachael brought her hand to a salute, shielding the rays from her eyes.

  “It’s getting there.”

  Sarah followed Rachael’s gaze. The trees had long been cleared and the ground had been recently leveled. Rows of tilled earth filled the five acres of land like the stripes on the American flag. But the holes that Sarah had recently dug reminded her of the unexpected and unplanned expense of building a fence. “This fence is taking longer than I thought it would.”

  Rachael looked at the pile of wood and the poles that had been recently wedged into the ground. “It looks like a big job. One for a man.”

  Sarah smiled, tucked the towel back into her pocket and gave the shovel a kick. That’s what her friends had told her when she told them that she was building a plant nursery. Unfortunately the men in her life were either sick or too busy. She thought about Jesse and how large his arms grew when he lifted the heavy bag of dog food. He’d probably have an easy time digging these holes. A thought she quickly forced out of her mind. “Kevin’s been busy lately.” She turned over the dirt and dug again.

  “He’s always busy. Why don’t you hire someone?”

  “I can’t.”

  A suspicious eyebrow rose on Rachael’s forehead. “Can’t or won’t?”

  “You think I want to do this? The answer’s no.”

  “Why can’t you hire someone? I thought you had enough money to get all of this set up.”