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On my way.
Jess
See you soon. {kissy face emoji}
I waited for Jess at a bistro table inside my favorite little bakery just outside downtown Providence, Red’s Sweet Salvation. Our friend, Ruby, owned the place and was in the back baking.
The bell above the door chimed as Jess Sulton swept into the room. A former plus-size fashion influencer, she entered the space in such a way that everyone noticed her. It was hard not to. Jess had a bigger-than-life presence and didn’t care about others’ opinions. At first, I’d been amazed that she even wanted to befriend me. We were so different. However, I quickly realized that despite what she projected to the world, she was a loyal friend and had a kindness to her that she rarely showed.
She beamed a bright smile at me and waved as she made her way to the counter to place her order. Her high dark brown ponytail draped down her back and she rocked the off the shoulder cream sweater and slacks. Her gold jewelry was bold and likely one-of-a-kind. Once her order was ready, she picked up her coffee and pastry and headed to my table.
“Hazel.” Her expression grew serious as she sat down. “I’m so sorry about last night.”
I reached across the table to take her hand. “It’s not your fault. I’m okay.”
Jess squeezed my hand back. Her eyes sparked with fury. “He’s on my Board. It is my fault. You never should have been in that situation with someone from my company. I should’ve found a way to get rid of him when Jareth suggested it.”
My back stiffened at the mention of my boss. “You’re doing something now. That’s what matters.”
Her lips thinned. “I am.”
“Things are going to be fine. I’m pressing charges, and hopefully, by not letting him get away with it, he won’t be able to hurt anyone else.”
She nodded. “I tried to find you after you gave your statement to the police. Where did you go?”
I pulled my hand back and stared at my mini apple bundt cake as though it was the most interesting thing in the world.
“I went home.” I forced myself to pull a piece off and take a bite.
“You shouldn’t have been alone last night. You could’ve stayed with James and me.”
I finished chewing and swallowed the delicious apple goodness, still not quite meeting Jess’s gaze. I was a terrible liar and didn’t even try. “I wasn’t alone.”
When Jess didn’t answer, I finally forced myself to look up.
Her shrewd gaze never left me. I realized she saw right through me when a slight smile crossed her face. “Tell me more.”
I toyed with my fork and forced my gaze to stay steady on hers. “Jareth stayed at my house with me.”
Jess’s expression immediately shifted from the stern all-business, take no shit woman she can be to something closer to a giddy school girl. The smile that covered her face lit up the room.
“Did he… are you two… ” In her apparent excitement, she couldn’t finish her sentence.
I shook my head. “There’s nothing to tell.”
Jess’s happy look quickly fell, and she let out a long-suffering sigh. “What did he do?”
She knew about my crush. During a girls’ night out and a few drinks, I’d spilled about my unrequited love for Jareth to her, Ruby, and our friends, Lily, Harper, and Ashlyn.
“We kissed,” I admitted. My body hummed at the mention of the hottest kiss of my life.
“But?” She frowned.
“He said he made a mistake.” I forced the words past my tight throat. Just giving them a voice made me want to cry.
“I call bullshit.” Jess’s red-painted nails tapped furiously against the tabletop.
A weak chuckle escaped my mouth. “I know. He doesn’t think he deserves me.”
