“Not exactly… Though I might’ve added a few entries to that one for this summer.” I take a breath, searching for the right words. “More like epic adventure. Maybe something likeTheHobbitorTreasure Island. I don’t know. That’s probably stupid.”
“It’s not stupid. It’s your dream, and I love it!” Her excitement is infectious, building me up and giving me even more confidence in this idea that’s been bouncing around in my head lately. “I can’t wait to hold your books in my hands. I just know you’ll be an amazing success.”
My cheeks heat and I know I’ve gone beet red. Shifting my gaze away, I realize we’re still holding hands. I give hers a squeeze and she returns it, and I feel it through my entire body.
“Thanks. For believing in me. I’ve never told anyone that’s what I want to do.” I could give Avi all my secrets.
“Well, I feel honored, and just know I’ll always be your very biggest fan.”
I want to kiss her so badly. I want to crush my lips to hers. I want to feel her warmth against me. I want to feel that approval for my dream soak through from her body into mine and never let it go. But I can’t, so I just tighten my grip on her hand and hold her gaze, memorizing the way the sunlight dances in the specks of gold in them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Avonlea – Twelve Years Ago
Ishould’ve broken up with Ian before coming to Skye because it’s been a tortuous six weeks trying to keep myself from kissing Jamie. But I didn’t want to be the one wishing there could be more with him all summer while he had some girl back in America…
Yet, here I am, still wishing there could be more but not feeling right about ending things with Ian over the phone. Not that we’ve spoken much, since he’s been at rugby camp most of the summer.
I know Jamie wants to kiss me too. It’s clear in the way he looks at me. Even Grannie has noticed, considering her warning of putting an end to us spending so much time together if she finds out there’s been anyfunny businessgoing on.
Noted.
She does know about Ian, though she disapproves and had words with Mum and Dad when they mentioned it before leaving. She andPapa have always been old-fashioned, bordering on archaic. Mum told me she never officially dated in secondary school because they forbade it. Not that she didn’t sneak off with boys. She just hid it from them.
She and Dad never wanted that for our relationship, so they’ve always had an open-door policy with me. They want me to feel comfortable telling them anything. And I do.
I told them about Jamie’s and my kiss two summers ago. They’ve known about every boy I’ve dated since and met them all. They’d rather know what I’m doing than have me hiding it.
But Grannie and Papa… They only tolerate the amount of time Jamie and I spend together each summer because Mum and Dad insist they’re okay with it,andbecause they respect Aileen and Angus.
As soon as Jamie told Angus that I was planning on attending culinary school, he took it as a personal challenge to get me ready. He’s had me in the kitchen almost as much as Jamie has had me out on adventures—much to poor Jamie’s chagrin.
It’s been fun to be part of the kitchen and the other staff knows me now and don’t seem to mind having me as a sort of apprentice.
Today Angus has me helping with the Scotch Pies and left me to get the dough ready. I’m rolling it out on the worktop when the door behind me squeaks open and Jamie walks in.
My face flushes red hot at the sight of him in a fitted T-shirt and running shorts, and a grin cracks wide across my face. It’s an instantaneous reaction, uncontrollable, just like the butterflies I feel in my stomach.
His green eyes sparkle under the fluorescent lights of the kitchen as they take me in, and then he barks out a laugh. I’ve stopped missing the boyish chuckles—because this manly laugh is something that reverberates through my entire body.
“What?” I ask, hands going to my hips.
His strides are sure as he closes the distance between us, continuing to laugh. He stops just in front of me, making me look up to keep our eye contact, and then lifts both hands to my face.
On the outside, I freeze, but everything inside me goes haywire at his proximity, his touch. His palms frame my face and his thumbs gently brush across my cheekbones in a caress that makes me melt.
His smile is tilted up on just one side now. When he pulls his hands away, there’s flour dusted over the pads of both thumbs. I turn the same color of his hair and bite my lip, tasting flour there too. I must really be a mess.
“Did you lose a fight with a bag of flour or did I miss a food fight?” His voice is low and a little rough.
“Har har,” I mock-laugh back at him, but I can barely breathe. He’s so close. So so close.
“Ah, come on, Avi. I’m just kidding. You look cute.”
Tingling warmth floods my system. Cute isn’t hot, but it’s a compliment from Jamie nonetheless.
“Cute, huh?” I ask, and surreptitiously reach behind me to swipe my hand through the flour on the counter. Before he can react, I smear the white powder across his face and feel a zip of added excitement when my fingers trail lightly over his lips.
