Something Like Perfect

by Stephens, S. C.

“Thanks . . .”

  Our hands released, and I contained a sigh. I had truly enjoyed touching him, and I couldn’t help but stare at him the entire time he picked up his coffee from the barista. Once he had it, he twisted to me, raised his cup in a cute farewell, and then proceeded to leave the café. My eyes followed him until he was gone, and then I let out the sigh I’d been holding. When I turned back to the barista, I saw that she was still staring after him, and her face looked just as forlorn as mine.

  When she finally snapped out of it, she looked over at me, then made a fanning motion with her hand while mouthing, “Oh my God.” I laughed as I nodded an agreement with her assessment. Yes, that man was definitely hot. And sweet, interesting . . . perfect for me. And taken. But at least he’d managed to completely turn my day around. My head no longer hurt, and my stomach no longer ached. I almost felt normal again, and I was positive I would feel amazing once I drank his thoughtful coffee.

  Chapter Two

  All that next week Jake was on my mind. Those emerald eyes, those sensual lips, the perfectly messy hair . . . the T-shirt that I had an exact copy of in my closet. I couldn’t believe fate had thrown such a perfect specimen into my lap, only to tease me by making him unavailable. So unfair. He had said that he’d only just started seeing this girl, though. Maybe they wouldn’t make it. Maybe they were on the verge of breaking up. But since I hadn’t given him my number—and he probably wouldn’t have taken it anyway—it didn’t really matter if they did break it off. I had no way to contact him. Except stalk the coffee shop. Which I did. Stephanie thought I was insane when I told her what I was doing, but she hadn’t seen him. If she had, she’d be scoping out the café every day with me.

  “Hey there. The usual?” I nodded at the barista. She was the one who’d been drooling over Jake the day I’d met him. “One drip coffee coming up,” she said, shaking her head and smiling.

  “What?” I asked, paying her with the scant amount of coins I had in the bottom of my purse. Even though I always ordered the cheapest coffee on the menu, stalking Jake was turning out to be expensive. I couldn’t keep this going for much longer.

  “He hasn’t been back,” she said, taking my change.

  Heat flooded my cheeks. “Who?” I asked, feigning innocence.

  “You know who,” she said. “Superhot, yea tall, green eyes . . . bought your coffee.”

  “Oh yeah . . . him. That’s not why I come here,” I said, nervously adjusting the strap of my purse.

  She gave me a knowing grin. “Right. Because our drip coffee is so amazing that you couldn’t possibly get it anywhere else . . . like your kitchen.”

  I frowned at her statement. “It’s good coffee.”

  “It’s available at the grocery store. Normally I wouldn’t say something like that, but you’re paying with dimes. Eventually it’s going to be pennies, and I just can’t handle that.”

  “Fine, yes,” I said with a groan. “I’ve been waiting for him to come back. He really hasn’t been in?”

  She frowned, then shook her head. “Nope. It’s like he was a dream. A really great dream.”

  I sighed, then thanked her. Guess it didn’t make sense to keep returning every morning, not if this wasn’t his regular java place. Then again . . . it had only been a week. A month would be a better test, if my bank account could afford it, of course. But I really needed to focus on school and forget about this guy. He was more than just a long shot; he was practically an impossibility.

  For the next two weeks, I was fairly successful in removing Jake from my mind. I even managed to stay away from the coffee shop. My career was what mattered right now, not some dreamy yet unobtainable man. My career, my friends, and my family: those were my priorities. Which was why I was headed out to my parents’ place for a family dinner. We tried to get together at least once a month, every third Sunday. Sometimes life got in the way and we had to cancel, but most months it worked out. The four of us liked hanging out together.

  When I arrived at their house, I parked on the street. Even though I kind of wished someone would steal it, I locked the car before heading to my parents’ door. My car was an ancient clunker from the early eighties, full of rust spots and dents. It barely ran and vibrated so badly you’d think it was falling apart, but I’d gotten it for free from a friend of my dad’s, so I really couldn’t complain about how run down it was. Going to school and living on my own in LA was hard enough with a good paycheck. The paycheck I earned for doing the books for my parents’ carpet-cleaning business was meager at best, but the hours were incredibly flexible, and it just covered the bills. That made it a win-win.

  Stepping into my childhood home, I heard my parents talking in the kitchen and turned that way. They were busy talking about their business when I entered the room and didn’t notice me standing there.

  “I’m just saying, maybe it’s time to think about doing something else. Something more reliable. You know business has been spotty lately.” Dad paused to laugh, his blue eyes mirthful. “And I don’t mean that as a pun.”

  Mom bit her lip before responding. “But what about Valerie? She needs the job. We can’t pull the rug out from under her.”

  Dad cracked a smile at Mom’s pun while guilt flooded me. I knew exactly what they were talking about. I handled their financials, and the last three years had been rough. They’d taken a hit each year and had dipped into savings to cover themselves. I didn’t like the thought that they were doing that just for me. “Hi, guys.”

  They both snapped their gazes my way, clearly startled to see me. I sheepishly raised a hand in greeting, then sighed. “Don’t stay in a bad business for me. I can find something else. Plus, I’ll eventually be done with school, and once I’m out, I’ll be able to get something that will support me. And if not, then I’ll get a roommate. Or three. Whatever I need to do to get by, I’ll handle it. You guys don’t have to worry about me anymore.”

  Mom sighed, then walked over and slung her arms around me. “We’ll always worry about you. No matter how self-sufficient you get, that part never goes away.”

  “Great,” I murmured, in an obviously sarcastic voice.

  Mom pulled away, then smacked my arm. “Don’t sass me.”

  I laughed at her comment, then gave Dad a quick hug before helping Mom with the salad she was making for dinner. I was always looking to practice my lightning-fast chopping skills. I was tearing through a cucumber when I heard a voice behind me say, “I’ll never understand how you can do that so quickly. It defies the laws of physics.”

  Recognizing my sister’s voice, I turned around with the knife still in my hand. I had a witty retort on my tongue, but it fell off my lips when I saw the person standing beside my sister, holding her hand and staring at me with wide, equally surprised eyes. Jake. The man I’d been wanting to see again, the man who’d been haunting my dreams, the man I was hoping would break up with his girlfriend and come find me . . . he was dating my sister.

  Jake was just as gorgeous as that day in the coffee shop. Actually, since I wasn’t suffering from a severe case of being hungover, I thought he actually looked better than I remembered. Penetrating green eyes, strong jaw, lean body, the sexiest hair I’d ever seen . . . perfection. My sister was sleeping with perfection.

  My parents were clearly surprised to see Kylie with a man, so they also hadn’t been informed that she was seeing someone. He must be the secret she’d hinted about at Steph’s birthday party. Quite the secret.

  “Kylie, you brought a friend. And this is . . . ?” Mom raised an eyebrow, waiting for an introduction.

  Surprising everyone, I was the one who gave it. “Jake,” I blurted out.

  Mom, Dad, and Kylie all turned to me in surprise. Jake shook his head, amazement on his face. “Like I said . . . small world. It’s good to see you again, Valerie.”

  I was a little surprised he recognized me, considering the fact that I looked so different than when we’d first met—hair washed and styled, makeup on, n
o sunglasses, and standing tall and comfortably, not hunched over nursing a wicked headache. “Yeah . . . small world. You’re dating my sister.”

  Kylie frowned as she looked between us. “How do you two know each other?”

  Jake lifted his hand toward me. “I briefly ran into her at a café a few weeks ago.”

  Kylie bunched her brows, still confused. “And you remember her name?”

  Seeing my sister’s wheels spinning, I eased her fears. “He was doing the pay-it-forward thing, and I was the lucky recipient. I thanked him afterward.”

  Kylie’s face morphed into a smile. “You do that? That’s so sweet.”

  She leaned into his side like she was melting into him. Jake grinned and wrapped an arm around her, and a sudden rush of jealousy washed through me, darkening my mood. They were so perfect together, nestled in each other’s arms like that. I wanted to be happy for my sister—Jake seemed like a genuinely good person, and she deserved to be with a guy like that—but at the moment, I was too wrapped up in disappointment to be supportive. He was truly lost to me now, forever, because even if they did break up, there was no way I would hurt my sister by dating her ex.

  My parents were watching the entire exchange with curious faces. Not wanting anyone to see I was upset, I disarmed the hurt in my heart and made myself say, “It’s good to see you again, Jake. We’re just finishing up dinner. I hope you’re hungry.”

  He patted his stomach. “Starving.”

  I turned back to chopping vegetables. My mind spun while I worked; my stomach churned. How had my fantasy guy ended up being my sister’s new secret boyfriend? All the images of us I’d created started shattering in my head—our first kiss, our first time, marriage, kids, growing old together. God. The fact that I already had all of those fake memories stored in my brain was just sad. He was a man; there were several more on the planet. I’d just have to find another one. And hope he was single.

  Mom patted me on the back, like she somehow knew everything I was struggling with, and then she started playing hostess, offering Jake a drink before showing him where to sit at the table.

  I stayed in the kitchen until the last possible moment, all the while listening to Dad carry on a conversation with Kylie and Jake. Where they’d met—a bar. How long they’d been together—a month and a half. What Jake did for a living. That question really interested me, and I leaned toward the opening into the dining room to hear his answer better.

  “I’m in training to captain ships. I’m apprenticing on yachts right now, but my ultimate goal is cruise ships.”

  I instantly had a vision of him in a captain’s uniform, and I closed my eyes to savor it. Sweet Jesus. I had to put a hand on the counter to steady myself.

  Mom and I served dinner a little while later, and I couldn’t stop watching Jake. Every little thing he did fascinated me. This was one obsession that was going to be difficult to shake. Maybe it would be easier if I thought of them as a couple—Jake and Kylie—like they were one person instead of two. Kake. Jylie. Something like that.

  “So I heard you tell Dad you met in a bar?” I asked, looking only at my sister.

  She giggled, like she was embarrassed. “Yeah, I know, it’s cliché, but that’s how it happened. He was alone at the bar, so I bought him a drink. We just . . . hit it off from there.” She was staring at him with stars in her eyes. Was that how I’d looked when I’d stared at him at the coffee shop? I hoped not.

  “That’s cute . . . sweet.” And fortuitous for my sister that he’d been single. That had to have been just a few weeks before the café. If she hadn’t approached him that night, he would have been single when I’d approached him. And then we’d be holding hands under the table right now.

  Jake glanced at me, and there was something in his eyes . . . a question. He had to be wondering if I’d tell Kylie about the fact that I’d asked him out. That wasn’t something that I would mention, though. For one, I’d been rejected in that little scenario, although that would only strengthen Kylie’s feelings for Jake if I told her that. But more importantly, I wouldn’t tell her because I swore, for a second, there had been sparks between Jake and me. I’m interested; please ask me out sparks. And I couldn’t tell my sister that I’d had a connection with her man, one that made my insides feel all gooey. No, I would keep that secret to my grave.

  Redirecting his gaze to my mother, Jake politely said, “This is amazing. Best I’ve ever had.”

  Mom grinned, then shrugged and pointed at me. “I really can’t take the credit. It’s Valerie’s recipe. She’s always been the best cook in the family, and she’s taught me a thing or two over the years.”

  I smiled at her, then raised my lasagna-laden fork. “You got the noodles perfect this time, Mom. I think you’ve got this one down.”

  Jake seemed surprised as he glanced between Mom and me. “You created this?”

  The intensity of his eyes on me was almost too much. I could feel my heart rate climbing. “Yeah, I love cooking, always have.”

  Mom grinned brightly as she added, “She’s just finishing up culinary school right now. One day she’s going to have the hottest restaurant in LA, and we’ll all meet there for family dinners. Assuming we can get reservations, of course.”

  I laughed at her comment, then shook my head. “There will always be a table reserved for you, Mom. It will have your name on it and everything.”

  Her eyes grew serious as she pointed her fork at me. “It better.”

  Jake laughed, then looked over at me with astonishment in his eyes. “That’s amazing. Truly. And so is this meal. Lasagna is my absolute favorite, and I thought nobody could top my grandmother’s recipe, but I think you just changed my mind. This is outstanding. When you open your restaurant, you’ve got to include this.”

  “Thank you . . .” His multiple praises had my cheeks burning with heat and my stomach swirling with glee. But then my gaze wandered to Kylie. She looked left out.

  Deciding to be a good sister, I pointed her way and said, “I’m not the only talented one in the family. Kylie is pretty amazing too. I’m sure you’ve seen her art.” Kylie had a booth at the beach, sketching caricatures for tourists. It never ceased to amaze me how fast she could accurately capture someone’s essence on paper; I could barely draw stick figures. I kept trying to get Kylie to draw anime for me, but she hated the style. I couldn’t help but wonder if she knew that her boyfriend was just as big a fan as I was. She was going to flip if he ever tried to drag her to a convention. And remembering that connection Jake and I shared made me a little sad.

  I forcefully pushed away the feeling as Jake grinned and twisted to look at Kylie. “I have. She did one for me. It’s hanging on my wall, and I’m never removing it.”

  Kylie looked down, like she was embarrassed. “Yeah, it’s not exactly the highest form of art, but it’s fun, and I get to be a little ridiculous with it, make a guy ride a shark or something. What other job allows you to do that?”

  “Don’t sell yourself short,” Jake said. “It’s amazing. You’re amazing.” And then he leaned over and kissed her. Watching them connect like that made something painful squeeze inside my chest. I almost felt like I was having a mini heart attack. Man, I bet he was an amazing kisser.

  After dinner, Kylie went to help Mom with dessert. Dad was making himself a drink, so that left Jake and me alone together. It felt wonderful and awful to have some private time with him. “So . . . my sister,” I said, tossing a playful grin his way.

  Shaking his head, he looked down at the table. “Yeah . . . what are the odds?”

  I looked around to make sure we were alone, then leaned in and said, “Thank you for not mentioning that I asked you out. That would be totally embarrassing.”

  He grinned, and then his smile softened. “Yeah, well, it wasn’t exactly a shining moment for me.”

  I bunched my brows in confusion. He’d been a perfect gentleman about everything. “What do you mean?”

  His eyes flicke
d around the room, also making sure it was empty. “There was a moment, a flicker of a heartbeat, where I wanted to say yes.”

  My eyes widened at his confession. Even with me looking like a hot mess, a part of him had wanted to go out with me. He found me attractive. He found me interesting enough to possibly date. He would have been willing . . . if he’d been single. And that made all of this a million times more painful.

  Chapter Three

  Jake was once again firmly stuck in my mind after that night, only now it was worse. Instead of fantasizing about our limitless potential, I had to sit on the sidelines and watch as he and my sister fell in love. I had to hear Kylie talk about their escapades—the B&B he took her to for the weekend, their late-night walks along the beach, Kylie meeting his parents and instantly bonding with them. But as the weeks turned into months and it was clear their relationship wasn’t ending, I sort of got used to the painful, jealous feeling that forever lingered in my chest. It became a very familiar ache, one I was able to shove in a corner and ignore. Most of the time.

  “Valerie! You did it! We’re so proud of you!” Stephanie squeezed her arms around me in a crushing hug. I tried to laugh, but I couldn’t breathe.

  When she let me go, I let out a loud exhale. “Thanks.”

  Alicia beamed at me. “Culinary school graduate . . . man, I’m so excited for you to make us good shit. Now that you’re not swamped, dinner is at your place every night, right?”

  I lifted an eyebrow at her. “Now that I’m done with school, I need to get a job so I can start saving for a restaurant. Or . . . saving for a loan for a restaurant.” I shook my head with a sigh. “I doubt I’ll be making dinner at home anytime soon.”

  Chloe pursed her lips in thought. “Hmm . . . I heard that mom-and-pop place was hiring.”

  I grimaced at her suggestion. “That’s a greasy spoon diner. It’s a nice thought, but I was hoping for something a little more challenging than bacon and eggs.”

  Alicia closed her eyes. “Mmmm . . . now I want breakfast.” She opened her eyes and looked around. “We should leave this place. It’s dead anyway.”