Capri swallowed, the bite of brisket suddenly feeling heavy in her throat. She nodded, though she didn’t meet his eyes. “Yeah, sounds nice.”
Jake leaned back in his chair, studying her. “Or, you know, there’s this trail up in the Tetons I haven’t hiked in a while. Thought it might be fun to do it together. What do you think?”
And there it was—that shift she’d been waiting for. Fun things to do together. Projects. Plans. She could feel the expectations rising, like a wave pushing her toward something she wasn’t ready to face.
Capri set down her fork and glanced around the room, her fingers brushing the edge of the napkin in her lap. “That sounds great, Jake, but…I’ve got a lot going on with the rafting company. I’m not sure I have time to think about hiking or outdoor furniture right now.”
Jake raised an eyebrow. “Sure, I get that. But we all need a break sometimes, don’t we?”
His question felt too pointed, too…personal. Capri shifted in her seat, a small knot forming in her stomach. She needed to steer this back into safer territory—work.
“Speaking of breaks, how’s the timeline looking for the house? I’ve been thinking about the fixtures. I believe I finally decided which ones I want to go with.”
Jake tilted his head, his easygoing smile slipping just a little. “We’re on schedule, don’t worry about that. But I wasn’t talking about work.”
Capri could feel the weight of his words, and it made her uneasy. She wanted to keep things professional, controlled. Jake wasn’t supposed to cross that line, wasn’t supposed to start hinting at… more.
Jake let the silence settle between them for a moment before he leaned forward, his voice gentler now. “You seem uncomfortable, Capri. Every time we talk about something that’s not work, it’s like you’re pulling back. Is there a reason for that?”
Her heart raced as she forced herself to meet his eyes. The sincerity in his gaze made her stomach flip. She hated this—hated feeling like she was losing control of the conversation, of the situation.
“I’m not pulling back,” she lied, her voice steadier than she felt. “I just…don’t do well with plans or commitments. Never have.”
Jake didn’t say anything right away. His blue eyes searched her face as if he was trying to see past the mask she always wore. “I wasn’t asking for a commitment,” he said slowly, “just a little time. But if that’s more than you’re ready for, I understand.”
Capri forced a smile, reaching for her glass of water as a way to break the tension. “It’s not that, Jake. I just need to keep my focus right now. The renovation, the rafting business, all of it. I don’t have room for…any distraction.”
The word hung between them, more loaded than she intended. Jake didn’t flinch, though. He nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Alright. I won’t push. Just know I really like you. I’d like to be friends…maybe explore where that takes us.”
She nodded, feeling relief and guilt all at once. His patience gave her space to breathe, to figure out her own tangled emotions without the pressure of expectation. It wasn’t that she didn’t like him—if anything, his presence was starting to feel like the one solid thing in her life. But for now, she needed time, and Jake seemed to understand that perfectly.
As they finished dinner, the conversation drifted back to safer topics—work, the house, the town. But the words Jake had said stayed with her, lingering long after she left his house that evening.
She told herself this was just about protection, keeping things in check. But as she drove home, a nagging thought crept in. What if she was pushing away something good—something real—because she didn’t know how to let someone in?
24
Over the next few weeks, Capri settled into an easy rhythm with Jake. The initial push-pull between them had softened, replaced by a subtle understanding. They worked well together, despite her instinct to keep him at arm’s length.
Jake had a way of diffusing tension with a calm, dependable approach that allowed them to make solid progress on the renovations. Bit by bit, the old house transformed under their hands—walls were knocked down, floors replaced, the fresh scent of sawdust and new beginnings filling the air.
Capri still felt the occasional flicker of hesitation, that familiar need to pull back when things felt too close, but the work kept them focused. Each day, they found more common ground, though she remained cautious about where it all might lead.
Still, she was learning to trust Jake. He showed up every day on time, worked diligently, and as promised, leaving her to focus on the rafting company and the arduous tourist season. More than once, she returned home exhausted, only to find him packing up with a glass of iced tea waiting for her.
Today had been particularly trying. A family of five had booked the afternoon raft tour, and from the moment they arrived, Capri’s nerves were on edge.
The parents seemed blissfully unaware as their three young children tore through the equipment area like miniature tornados, grabbing at paddles and life vests, knocking over supplies, and shrieking at the top of their lungs.
Capri’s jaw clenched as she tried to maintain her usual professional demeanor, though inside she was fuming. The youngest boy had already fallen into the shallow water twice before they even boarded, and the older two were locked in a constant state of sibling warfare, shoving and arguing while their mother distractedly scrolled through her phone.
Capri loved running her rafting business, but days like this—days when parents seemed to treat her tours like a daycare—made her question her life choices. By the time they finally launched, her temples throbbed with the beginnings of a headache, and she had to remind herself to breathe as the kids banged around the raft, completely oblivious to her instructions.
The draining experience had left her with a slight headache.
When the ordeal was finally over, Capri returned home and walked up to her cabin, her boots kicking up dust from the well-trodden path. The day had been long. Not only with the family from hell, but full of small setbacks and endless meetings. All she wanted now was a hot shower and a moment to breathe before tackling the next set of decisions for the house renovation.
But as soon as she turned the corner to her porch, her steps faltered.
