by Kit Morgan
Jake said nothing, letting her words sink in. Casey had actually taken his advice? “Did she leave New York?”
“I presume. Really, if you want details, you’ll have to ask Miss Haeger.”
Jake took a deep breath. “No, that won’t be necessary. Do your best to fill the slot.”
“I will. Is there anything else?”
“My brother will be flying there in a couple of months to go over things with you. You’ll like him.”
“I’m sure I will – I liked you. We all did. In fact, everyone’s hoping you stay on.”
“Stay on?”
“Keep Dixie’s in your family. None of us want to see it sold.”
“Oh, that. I can’t answer for the rest of my family, Miss Williams. I can’t even answer for myself at the moment. We’ve barely had it three months.”
“Well, now you know how we feel on this end.”
“Thanks – my family and I appreciate it. I’ll talk to you later.”
“All right, bye now.” He closed the window on his computer.
“Who was that?”
Jake jumped in his chair. “Geez, Jenny! Do I need to put a bell on you?”
She rolled her eyes and sat on the corner of the desk. “Like you and Tate have never snuck up on me?”
“Okay, fine, but that was a business call.”
She glanced at the monitor, then at him. “So how’s your girlfriend?”
Jake gave her a playful shove, sliding her off the desk. “When – if – I ever have one, I’ll let you know.”
Jenny laughed. “Surrrre. Come on, out with it.”
“Out with what, pray tell?”
Jenny shook her head as her smile broadened. “You have it bad.”
Little sisters – so exasperating. “Again, there is nothing going on. She was a client, she burned me … and now apparently she burned the academy too and moved away.”
“Moved? Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you looked upset.”
“Yeah, yeah. It’s done.”
“So there was something?”
What was the point of hiding it now? He was never going to see Casey again. “I’d hoped there might be. It turned out there wasn’t. And I’d like to not talk about it anymore. Ever.”
“Well, that would explain why you’ve been so moody since you got back.”
He frowned. “I haven’t been moody.”
“Tell that to Mom and Tate. You’ve been horrible.”
He chewed his lower lip. She was right - he’d been cranky, impatient, and downright unsociable over the last three weeks. He was surprised his family had put up with it this long.
“You know what you need?”
“What?” he asked on a sigh.
“A date.”
Both eyebrows shot up. “No. No. Dear God, no. Besides, I don’t have time.”
“Yes, yes, and you can make the time. You made time to go back east and babysit Dixie’s.”
“Only because our cousins helped out here.”
“For weeks. I’m talking about a few hours. One date. And I know just the girl!”
Jake rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Please don’t tell me it’s one of your friends.”
“It’s a friend of a friend, and she’s your age.”
“Jenny … I really don’t want to –”
“Force yourself. This Friday – we’ll make a night of it.”
“Who?” he said as his voice cracked. He hated when that happened, and when he was flustered it usually did.
“You’ll find out Friday,” she teased, then skipped out of the room like a schoolgirl.
“Oh brother,” he groused. But … maybe a date would help him get Casey off his brain. Since he knew he’d never see her again, and good riddance too, time would take care of the rest. After the way she’d used him to get to her father, why would his traitorous brain lock onto her so often?
Because you were falling for her, that’s why.
Jake nodded and sighed. Well, maybe now he could start rising up from those ashes and get on with his life. It was well past time.
Chapter 10
As it turned out, Jake’s “date” was even younger than Jenny. Sammi was freckled-faced with curly red hair and cute as a button.
Until she opened her mouth. “… so, like, Marcy and I couldn’t get a flight from Portland to El Lay in time and we were so upset we nearly puked, y’know, and I’m like, MARCY, why didn’tcha book that flight on time, and she’s like, SAMMI, you witch – only she said it with a B, y’know – why didn’tcha tell me to book it three days before, and …”
After over two hours of non-stop talking – never mind that they were at the movies – he was ready to bail, no matter what Jenny thought. Where did his sister dig this one up? How could he avoid ever seeing her again? And why on Earth did Sammi insist they go to the movies in Redmond? Did she live there? Amidst her constant barrage of noise, he couldn’t recall if she mentioned where she lived.
“Let’s get some coffee,” Jenny suggested when Sammi stopped to breathe. Her date, a tall, thin blond guy that worked at a supermarket in Bend, smiled shyly and nodded. He’d hardly said a word all evening – or had a chance to.
“Fine,” Jake said before Sammi could jump back in.
Just in time, as it turned out. “Oh, coffee! Sure, I love coffee!” Sammi spouted. “Omigosh, have ya tried the new coconut chocolate freeze? It’s to die for! I’ve been having one every day for a week now and I’m surprised …” And on and on.
Jake felt his spine stiffen with each new burst of verbiage. Good grief, what would she be like with some caffeine in her? He glared at Jenny, who must’ve been thinking the same thing – she grimaced sheepishly.
Sammi yanked the door of the coffee shop open and gabbed her way inside. Jake let it close without following. “I feel a headache coming on,” he told Jenny.
“That’s not going to work and you know it.”
“No, really.” He looked through the glass door at Sammi, still chatting away, unaware that the rest of them were still outside. “A big headache.” He rubbed his temples for emphasis.
“Tough it out,” Jenny replied unhelpfully. Mark, her blissfully silent companion, gallantly opened the door for her and she walked into the shop. Mark continued to hold the door open as Jake reluctantly stepped through. “If it’s any consolation,” he told Jake. “I already have a headache and she’s not even my date.”
Jake grimaced. “And now we’re letting her have coffee?” He rubbed his hand over his face. You can do this, you can make it through the evening. You can …
“Jake?”
His hand dropped like a stone. He knew that voice. “Casey?!”
Casey Woodrow stood on the other side of the counter, wearing the shop’s signature blue apron and looking ready to take the ever-gabbing Sammi’s drink order, provided she ever gave one.
Jake stumbled forward, right into a display of gift boxes. Sammi spun around, a trail of words following her. “Jake, you poor thing – here, let me help ya!” She bent down and began yanking his arm in random directions. “Ya okay? Didja hit your head? My brother hit his head once and oh, the hospital took forever and ever and I couldn’t imagine the pain he was in the whole time …”
Jenny grabbed Sammi’s arm in the hope of saving Jake from her predations. “Give him some air …”
Casey just stood on the other side of the counter, her mouth hanging open in shock.
Mr. Roberts the owner, whom Jake recognized, charged out of a back room behind Casey. “What’s going on?”
“I’m okay,” Jake said as he clambered to his feet and made his way to Casey at the counter. He could hear Sammi droning on over Jenny’s insistence he was all right. But he wasn’t all right – not at all. “What are you doing here?” he asked gruffly. He didn’t mean to sound angry, but the shock of seeing her in his backyard was like a kick in the head. Why? Why did she come here?
“Jake …”
“Don’t jus
t stand there,” the owner snapped. “Take their orders.”
Casey gritted her teeth, and Jake could tell it took an effort on her part to even look at Sammi. Not that Sammi noticed – she was too busy yakking at Jenny, something about dentists, omigosh, being worse than hospitals.
Jake tried again. “Hello, Casey.” At least he didn’t sound mad now.
“Hello.” She, on the other hand, didn’t sound overly ecstatic to see him.
“What … what are you doing in Redmond?”
She shrugged. “I took your advice.”
He took a step back. “But here? You had to come here?”
She stared at him a moment. “What’s wrong with here? You’re from around here. It worked out for you.”
He felt stricken. “You’re here because I’m here?”
“Yes … no … I mean, you said to leave New York, so I did,” she said defensively.
“But I never meant for you to come here!”
Jenny took a cautious step forward, her eyes darting between the two. Jake ignored her, his eyes fixed on Casey.
“You never said not to. And you made it sound so nice …”
Jake blinked. Yeah, he imagined he had. But he certainly hadn’t expected her to just up and move here – especially not after how they’d parted …
“So can I take your order?”
“What?” came out an unwanted blurt.
“She asked what you wanted,” Jenny cut in. “He’s horrible at this sort of thing, just so you know.”
“At ordering coffee?” the owner said.
Everyone looked at him, then at Jake. Even Sammi had stopped talking and was staring at her date in shock.
The owner glanced between Jake and Casey, then shook his head in disgust. “Young people.” He slung a dishtowel over his shoulder and disappeared into the back, yelling “We close in ten!” as he did.
Casey straightened behind the counter. “What do you want?”
Jake stared at her. You. But he wasn’t about to say that. “A white chocolate mocha, extra whipped cream.”
“Hey, she hasn’t taken my order yet!” Sammi protested.
“What do you want?” Casey asked, leaning to one side to see past Jake.
“I’ll have the same!” Sammi said, as if she’d just won a prize. “No, wait, I changed my mind – I want a coconut chocolate freeze!”
Casey wrote their orders on the appropriate cups, then looked at Jenny. “And you?”
Jake watched Casey take Jenny and Mark’s orders, then begin making their drinks. What were the chances of running into Casey like this, even if he had sold her on the wonders (ha!) of the Oregon outback? Bizarre.
Casey finished Sammi’s drink first and set it on the counter under the sign saying “Pick Up.” Sammi snatched it up and attacked it like it was some miracle elixir. The others were just happy it kept her quiet. Jenny’s was up next, then Mark’s. Jake wondered if she’d purposely saved his for last.
But finally she slid it across the counter. “Thank you,” he said.
“You’re welcome.” She turned and wiped a cloth over the work area, her movements stiff, forced.
Jake could only stare. What should he say? What could he say? He was still in shock over the fact that she was in the same time zone, let alone standing just a few feet away.
Jenny went to stand beside him and elbowed her brother in the ribs. “Talk to her, you wuss,” she hissed.
“Mind your own business for once,” he muttered back.
“You’re my brother – you are my business.”
He glared at her before looking at Casey, who was clearly preparing the little shop for closing. “How long have you worked here?” he asked. Good – his voice didn’t crack.
She turned. “About two weeks.”
“C’mon, Jake,” Sammi whined. “Time to go home.” She eyed Casey suspiciously, and snaked an arm around Jake’s.
He looked at it in annoyance. She’d been grabbing at him the entire evening, but he’d managed to avoid getting snared. At least now she was too busy sucking on her straw to talk his ear off – that would have been too much. He looked up at Casey and grimaced apologetically.
The owner once again emerged from the back. “Closing time, people!”
Mark went to the door and held it open for the rest of them. Sammi made a beeline for it, pulling at Jake’s arm to follow.
He managed to free himself from her grasp. “See you around,” he said to Casey.
Casey, her back turned once more, glanced over her shoulder. “Sure.”
Jenny gave him an is that the best you can do? look before marching out the door.
“C’mon, Jake, let’s gooooo!” Sammi made another grab for his arm.
He dodged it, fighting the urge to glare at her. She’d been a trial all night, but he didn’t want to be rude, and he didn’t want to make Jenny mad after she went through the trouble of arranging the evening. Of course, he was never going to let her do it again after this fiasco. And Casey still didn’t turn around. Worst evening ever.
When he finally trudged outside, Jenny spun on him. “You just wait until we get home,” she said through clenched teeth.
“What’s going on?” Sammi asked between sips of her drink.
“Nothing.” Jenny headed for the truck.
Yeah, just wait until we get home, Jake thought as he pulled his keys out of his pocket. He unlocked his vehicle and opened the door for Sammi. “Thank you, Jake,” she said prettily. Funny how she’d suddenly turned all quiet and sweet the moment he started paying attention to Casey. And what had she said in there – C’mon, Jake, let’s go home?
Jake seethed. Women – always looking to manipulate you! He’d make sure Sammi’s house was their first stop. And any opinions Jenny had, she could shove under a tarp with the rest of the manure.
“What’s the matter with you?” Mr. Roberts asked as Casey washed out the blenders.
“Nothing, sir.”
“You’re slow enough without day dreaming on top of it,” he snapped.
She turned away, ordering herself not to cry. Heck, she couldn’t figure out why she had the urge in the first place. So what if she ran into Jake Sullivan? So what if he had a girlfriend? So what if they lived together? What did she care?
Apparently she cared a lot.
“Look, it’s none of my business,” Mr. Roberts continued, his voice calm. “But concentrate on your work, learn all you can and I’ll give you a raise.”
She rinsed out another container. “Thanks, Mr. Roberts.”
“Old boyfriend of yours?” he asked.
She looked at him. “Yeah.” Denying it wouldn’t help. “I … was kinda rotten to him a while back.”
“I see. Must not have been that long ago – you just got here.”
“It was just before I moved here.”
“Before? But didn’t you say you were from New York?”
“Yeah.” She really didn’t want to go into detail with her new employer. She really wanted to go home, curl up on her ugly bed and have a good cry. She knew it could happen – after all, there weren’t that many places in this neck of the woods to get a cup of coffee – but she thought she’d be prepared if it did. Only she wasn’t – she couldn’t be. He was still in her head. Why else would she have moved to the back of the beyond?
Casey’s turned, her eyes fixing on the door. Maybe God was trying to tell her something. Maybe, just maybe, He was giving her a second chance. She just hoped it wasn’t a second chance at screwing things up.
Mr. Roberts had gone over to the front window to close the blinds. He was a kind, middle-aged man with graying hair and big brown eyes, and while he could be gruff at times, he was generally a sweetheart. She’d taken the job to assure her of a steady income in case she ever had a dry spell with her designs, which happened in her line of work. Things could get held up easily enough, and swimwear sales were always slow in winter. She didn’t want to risk running short.
She supposed she could have found a job in a clothing store, which would’ve been more up her alley, but the coffee shop was right across the street from her apartment. With no car, or driver’s license, she thought she’d better take what she could find close to home. That they’d let her have all the coffee she could drink helped too.
Mr. Roberts locked the door, then gave her the keys. “You sure you and Donnie can handle things tomorrow morning?”
Casey thought of the gangly teen and smiled. He was clumsy, but had a memory like a steel trap and never needed to write an order down. “No problem.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon, then. ‘Night, kid.”
She tried not to flinch every time he called her “kid” – he referred to everyone in the shop that way. Never mind that she was the oldest there next to him – he was just a shade older than her actual father. Still, it rankled. She’d been a child too long. It was about time for her to start growing up.
Casey walked out the door and across the street to home. The area had turned out to be the downtown historic district – quaint, charming and a far cry from the Upper East Side, which had been her intent when searching for a place to live. She wanted to experience small-town living, and this place had looked perfect. And Jake had made it sound almost magical, filling her head with tales of rodeos and country fairs and life on his family’s ranch. If she could find a slice of that for herself, she’d be happy.
And until tonight, she had been.
Chapter 11
Jake watched Mark give his sister a peck on the cheek. It was too dark to tell if she blushed or not, but she smiled shyly and bid him goodnight. Jake gripped the steering wheel as she got back into the truck and braced himself, but she didn’t speak, just sat, her smile still in place. “Well?” he finally said.
“Mark’s nice, don’t you think?”
Jake eyed her suspiciously. “He’s okay. I don’t know if he’s for you, though.”
Her smile grew. Uh-oh. “Well, at least we know Sammi isn’t for you.”
He nodded, still wondering where she was going with this. “I may never forgive you for saddling me with her. What specifically did I do to deserve that?”
