by Magan Vernon
Crouching down, I looked into the camera. The water of The Harbor behind him was the same color blue as his eyes and blended into the sky above. By getting low, I could get the sky, water, and the fountain shooting up all in the same picture as the look of wonder on his face.
I was so lost in my photos. With every slight movement, I’d turn and get a new angle, making sure I got the shooting water, his eyes, and the blue sky all in my frame. It had been so long since I’d had such freedom of creativity that I forgot how much I loved it.
I stepped back to the bench my purse was by and sat down, looking through the shots. I didn’t want to brag, even to myself, but they were actually pretty damn good. Better than I’d done in a while. They could be a cologne ad or one of those cheesy romance covers where the guy is wet, and his shirt is clinging to him.
“Get anything good?” I felt the droplets of water from Jordan’s shirt on my feet before I even heard him.
“Ah! You’re going to get my camera wet!” I quickly pulled it back and turned off the camera, sliding it into my purse.
“Then I guess that’ll make two of us.”
“What?” I asked, looking up. But before I could fully realize why he had the huge grin on his face, I was off my feet, and Jordan had me thrown over his shoulder. I squealed as the kids in the fountain parted to the side and Jordan ran in as the water shot from the cement and soaked both of us
“Jordan! Put me down!” I squealed, tapping the back of his wet shirt as it molded to his skin.
Slowly, Jordan slid me down but didn’t let me go, keeping his arms around my waist as he pressed his wet forehead to mine, the water dripping from his hair and down his lips.
“Does this mean the pictures turned out?” he whispered against my lips.
“Maybe they did, and maybe they didn’t,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Then I guess we’ll just need more photo sessions. Even if they take all day and night. I’m willing to work on them,” he murmured before tracing his tongue along my bottom lip.
“I think I like that idea,” I said breathlessly before crushing my lips to his.
A collective, “Eww,” came from the crowd of kids around us, but at that moment, I didn’t care. It wasn’t just about his hard, wet body pressed against mine or the amazing way he moved against me. This guy brought out the creativity I’d been lacking for so long. A guy who showed me what I was truly missing. I was falling back in love with Jordan Webber hard and fast, or maybe I never stopped loving him.
The water stopped shooting up from the ground, and we were left standing there, shivering as I finally pried my lips from Jordan’s. He grinned, grabbing my hand, and led me toward the bench.
“I hope you have some dry clothes in your car,” I said with a laugh, swinging our hands.
“I may have something. Don’t know if it’ll fit you, so you might just have to hang out with me here a while and dry off.”
I leaned in and kissed him lightly. “I think I can do that.”
“Abbey! Is that you?”
Every hair stood on my body as I recognized that deep, haughty voice.
Turning slowly, I looked up to see my dad with his dyed-way-too-dark brown hair in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts next to his beauty queen wife with her wavy blond hair and my three-year-old half-brother, Erwin, in one of those baby carriers on her back.
“Dad. Uh. Hi,” I managed to squeak out.
“It’s been a while. A long while,” Dad said, putting his hands in his pocket and stepping closer to us.
I didn’t know what I was supposed to do or say. Sorry, you left Mom and me, and I didn’t want to hang out with your baby or your new wife, who is only ten years older than I am?
“Mr. Dillinger. Sorry, I’d shake your hand, but it’s a little wet,” Jordan said with a little wave, breaking the ice for me.
“Dad. You remember my boyfriend, Jordan,” I mumbled, waving my hands in Jordan’s direction.
Dad nodded. “Oh, yeah. I thought you went to New York.”
“I did. Home for the summer, helping my parents with my grandparents’ place,” Jordan replied.
“Okay. Um. That was a nice chat, but Jordan and I should be heading out. I’m sure you and Missy have some place to be or something,” I said, grabbing my purse.
“We were just about to get lunch if you two want to join us. I’m sure one of the patios would let you sit out there and dry off,” Dad offered.
My hands were shaking so bad; I couldn’t even pick up my purse. Jordan must have sensed my tension, so he grabbed my purse, slinging it over his shoulder. “Thanks for the offer, sir, but we just ate. Maybe another time.”
Dad nodded solemnly. “Okay. I understand. How about next weekend? Saturday at our place? Would that be okay with you, Missy? I can grill dinner even.” Dad looked at the beauty queen with her way-too-made-up face staring at us and her blue eyes wide.
“Oh, yeah. We have Mommy and Me yoga in the morning, but dinner would be great.”
“What do you say, Abs? Maybe you and Jordan can both join us?” Dad asked, staring at me expectedly.
“I’ll think about it,” I muttered and tugged Jordan’s shoulder, not letting out a breath until we were out of his sight.
“Well, that was awkward as hell,” Jordan said, taking my hand as we stepped onto the hot blacktop of the parking lot.
“Tell me about it.”
“So are we going?” he asked.
“Are you serious?” I raised an eyebrow.
He shrugged. “It couldn’t hurt, I guess. If nothing else, you can get back at him by screwing me in his back bushes. If he even has bushes. Do you think he lives in one of those neighborhoods that have the huge houses but postage stamp yards, and if I pulled my junk out, the neighbor could see it from their kitchen window?”
“I know he does. He and Missy live in some ritzy sounding development near Plano.”
“What have we got to lose by going to dinner?” Jordan asked.
“An evening?”
“Then we can take it and do something for us. We eat with them then head to a park for more pictures. I’ll bring my sketchbook; you bring your camera. And who knows … if you’re good, maybe I’ll give you a treat.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“You’re too much sometimes; do you know that?” I asked.
He stopped and faced toward me, putting his hand on my cheek and forcing me to meet his eyes. “And you’re just right.”
Chapter 11
The next morning, I had an early shift at the bakery.
I expected another uneventful workday with the usual people yelling at me for their Monday morning coffee with Brooke coming in to write.
But what I didn’t expect was for Jordan’s aunts to walk into the Forever Sweet Bakery.
“Bev, Lynn, Hi,” I said, pushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
Just like when I usually saw Jordan, I always looked like a hot mess when I was around them. Today was no exception since I’d spilled coffee all over my white shirt and apron and got powdered sugar all in my hair from a tiny kitchen explosion while making the frosting.
“So this is the place with the fancy coffee Jordan’s always at. I can see the attraction,” Lynn said, wiggling her eyebrows.
Bev stood behind her, staring at the chalkboard menu above the counter. “Do you know how much coffee we can make for the price of one latte?”
Lynn rolled her eyes. “Stop being a cheap ass, Bev.” Lynn then smiled, looking up at me. “Don’t mind my sister. We’re on our way to the airport, and I said I had needed coffee before we got there. Coffee and maybe a little gossip.”
“Oh. Um. Y’all are leaving already?” I choked out, no sure what else to say.
Lynn laughed. “Bev is. She’s a Yankee now, but I’ll be driving back later this week. Someone just had to take her to the airport. Jordan offered, and I had a feeling it was to stop here first. But since he’s the only man worth his salt who can fix thi
ngs around the house, he stayed home to get stuff done. I’m guessing so he can see his little cupcake tonight.”
I felt my face flush, and I couldn’t think of a damn thing to say.
Bev smacked her little sister on the arm. “Leave the poor girl alone and order your mocha choke a latte or whatever fancy thing you’re gonna get.”
“Hold your granny panties, Bev. Lemme just sit a spell and talk to my future niece-in-law,” Lynn said, looking at me with a wide grin.
“Oh, uh, I don’t think we’re that far. We just started talking again,” I managed to sputter out and grabbed a towel, aimlessly wiping the pastry case so I’d have something else to occupy my attention.
Lynn cackled, tossing her thick brassy blond blowout over her shoulder. “Sugar, I’ve seen the way he looks at you. The way he looks when you’re not around too. You’re the one who got away for him, and now that he’s got you back, there ain’t no way in hell he’s gonna lose you again.”
I wanted to tell her that I felt the same. That looking through the photos I took of him on my computer last night flooded my heart and mind of memories of what we were. Of what we could be now. So many things had kept me in Friendship, Texas, for so long, but now, all the signs were pointing for me to leave. To finally give it all up and follow Jordan to New York.
I could fail miserably, and that was a definite possibility. I didn’t have a plan for school or a job or anything. If I wanted to stay with him and not let him get away again, I’d have to come up with a new one.
But instead of saying all that, I just smiled at his two aunts. “So does this mean y’all get the family discount for your donuts?”
***
“Did we text this much when we started dating?” Dave asked between munching bites of quinoa salad.
“I think we did. Maybe we just didn’t notice it because our kids were texting just as much,” Mom quipped.
“Okay. I get the hint,” I muttered, putting my phone down next to my plate.
“You know, you can invite Jordan over for dessert. Actually, there’s still time and a lot of leftovers. I can even reheat some of this brisket if we need to,” Mom offered, pointing her fork at the large tray of barbecue brisket that Dave had smoked all day.
“He probably isn’t interested,” I muttered, not sure if I was ready to have dinner with Jordan, Dave, and my mom again. It would probably have to happen again someday, but not tonight. Not when I was still thinking about what his aunt said. About how he felt about me. That we may have more than a future, and he really had always loved me.
Since Jordan, I’d just had flings, but now that he was back, I was thinking I couldn’t let him go this time, even if it meant going to New York. I just had to decide if that was what I really wanted.
Before I could say another word, my mom’s hand shot across the table and grabbed my phone.
“Mom? What are you doing?” I asked, reaching for my phone.
The woman didn’t need to read my texts between Jordan and me, especially since they all weren’t G-rated.
But before I could stop her, Mom pressed a few buttons and stood with the phone to her ear.
“Mom! What are you doing now?” I sprang up from the table, the distressed wooden chair clanging to the floor behind me.
“Well, hey, Jordan, long time, no talk. It’s Stephanie, Abbey’s mom,” Mom said, adding some extra twang as she looked at me with a wink.
“Abort! Mom! Abort!” I hiss-whispered, running around the table, but she darted in the other direction behind Dave.
“So, Jordan, have you had dinner? You know we have a bunch of brisket and some homemade ice cream in the freezer if you want to come by,” Mom practically sang.
“What the hell, Mom?” I yelled, trying to stop her, but she moved again, and instead, I ended up running into the arm of Dave’s chair.
“Wonderful! See you soon, Jordan!” Mom smiled and hung up the phone, sliding it across the table. “See? That wasn’t such a big deal, was it?”
I pointed at Mom. “Don’t embarrass me too much, okay? Same with you, Dave,” I grumbled, going back to the table and picking up my chair.
Dave laughed, shaking his head. “It may be good to have some extra testosterone here.”
“We could call Johnny and Sofie, too! Big family dinner!” Mom offered, throwing her hands in the air as she took her seat at the dining room table across from me.
Dave smiled, putting his hand on my mom’s. “Maybe we should save Abbey a little bit of mortification.”
Mom leaned in, her eyes still on me. “Then do you think we should tell her to change the stained shirt and wash the flour out of her hair?”
I sprang up from the chair, wide-eyed, completely forgetting the fact I still looked like shit. Not that Jordan hadn’t seen me a million times before like this, but if he was going to come to dinner, I needed to at least look halfway decent.
“I’ll, uh, be right back. Okay?” I said, but before Mom or Dave could answer, I rushed up the stairs. Washing my hair in the bathroom sink, I quickly changed into a light blue sundress. I had barely finished putting my hair in a bun and reapplying some mascara and lip-gloss when the doorbell rang.
“I got it!” I yelled from the top of the stairs and quickly sprayed some perfume on my neck and one spray below the belt, for good measure.
I tossed the little glass bottle back in the bin next to the sink then bolted down the stairs.
I let out a breath, thinking I needed to start actually working out or laying off the donuts because I was kind of winded. Then I opened the door, and all the air was sucked from my lungs as I looked at the blue-eyed hottie in front of me with his five o’clock shadow.
I’d seen Jordan a lot and a lot of him, but he never failed to make me smile and appreciate what Parkour and a few years had done to his body.
“Abbey. Wow. You look amazing,” Jordan said, stepping inside and kissing my cheek.
“And holy fuck, you smell amazing too,” he said low, whispering into my ear.
“Just showering and a little perfume,” I said, trying not to let my voice shake. But just having his lips that close to me lit my entire body on fire.
“I’m suddenly hungry for something other than dinner,” Jordan whispered, and my bottom lip trembled at his words.
“Jordan! I hope you’re hungry!” Mom’s voice rang from the dining room, and I gasped softly, jumping back, so I didn’t attack the guy with my mom and Dave in the next room.
We walked into the dining room where Mom had already piled the place setting next to mine with brisket, quinoa, salad, and veggies along with a big glass of sweet tea.
“Wow, Mrs. Dillinger. This looks awesome,” Jordan said, taking his seat next to mine.
“It’s Stephanie, Jordan, please. And I don’t think you’ve officially met my boyfriend, Dave,” Stephanie said, putting her hand on Dave’s.
“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” Jordan said, shaking Dave’s free hand.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Not just because it was weird to have Jordan, sitting here with Mom and her new boyfriend, but I also had a sudden twinge in my vagina. Maybe it was because of the way Jordan talked to me, and it was panging, begging for him. Hell, he was the best sex I’d ever had, and if my vagina wanted more of it, maybe it was just eager too.
“So, Jordan, how long are you in town for?” Mom asked.
Jordan smiled, putting his napkin on his lap. “A few more weeks at least. I’m helping my dad—well, doing most of the work—finish a few things at my grandparents’ house to sell it. Then I hope your daughter, here, will at least drive back to New York with me,” Jordan said, smiling and nudging my side.
My face felt like it heated up to a million degrees, and so did my panties. Dammit, why was I attracted to his smile and touch and still embarrassed by him?
“Abbey? You didn’t mention New York?” Mom asked, raising her eyebrows.
Jordan stuffed his face with brisket and smiled, looking down
at his plate.
So this was his game? He knew I planned to go with him, but he also knew I could easily back out if I didn’t tell my mom.
“It’s not a definite, but something I’m thinking about,” I muttered, stuffing my mouth full of brisket, hoping maybe that would end the conversation.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea, you know?” Mom said, raising her eyebrows.
“Vut?” I asked, almost spitting out my mouthful of food.
Mom shrugged. “Well, you’re an adult now, and you’ve shown that you’re still into photography. Maybe a trip to New York would be a nice change. Maybe you could even visit some schools there or find a photographer you want to intern with.”
I took a big gulp of my sweet tea before letting out a deep breath. “Who are you and what have you done with my mother?”
Mom smiled. “Well, you’re older now. And I think you can make your own decisions about what you want and don’t want in life.”
“So what you’re saying is you want Abbey to stay in New York?” Jordan asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Don’t get too far ahead of yourself, Jordan. I may have always liked you, but you still hurt my little girl. I’m just giving her the options. Ultimately, it’s her choice.”
“It is,” Jordan agreed, looking at me with a smile.
I looked at my glass of sweet tea and gulped it down, not wanting to continue this conversation.
Almost four years ago, a similar conversation took place, but it went more along the lines of my dad grumbling the entire time and not even considering New York.
But that was four years ago, and a lot had changed since then. Now, I had to decide if I was really ready to change as well.
***
After stuffing our faces and some small talk—that, thankfully, wasn’t about New York—Mom stood and grabbed her plate, but Dave put his hand on hers.
“Steph, since you cooked, why don’t we have Abbey and Jordan clean up? It’s a nice night out. Maybe we can take a walk out to the pond, and you can show me those boards you said needed to be fixed.”
