He wanted to take the pressure off our actual kiss! It wasn’t anything more than that!
Jules
Oh, it was definitely more than that.
How was the kiss?!
Me
It was fine. Nothing special.
Average.
Just okay.
Eliza
LOL even over text you’re a horrible liar. I don’t believe any of that.
Jules
What you meant to say was it was an amazing kiss and you haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, right?
Me
Gah! No comment.
Jules
Also, did you nearly start a fire at Pasta Fresca?
Me
No comment!!!!
I slippedmy phone into my apron’s front pocket, knowing very well Eliza and Jules would have a list of questions next time I saw them. I didn’t blame them, because I would want to know everything, too.
When Jules told us over the summer she was going on a first date with Wes, Eliza and I wanted all the details on how their relationship had evolved to that point. Well,nearlyall the details. He was my brother, after all.
I thought about how much things had changed for the better since that moment. How Wes and Jules fell deeply in love. How strong my friendship with Jules had gotten in the months since she’d been in Golden Falls. And how lucky I was that my friendship with Eliza was stronger than ever after so many years.
It was more fun asking the questions than being on the other side of things, though, especially since I had no clue how I felt about the kiss. It was practice, and we were going through a list…but it also felt soreal.
One thing was for sure—I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Or Gabe’s warm body pressed against mine. His large hand on my lower back. How effortlessly his lips moved against mine. How I never wanted to stop.
I didn’t think I’d be able to survive another kiss from Gabe with how all-consuming this one was.
With Christmas quickly coming up—three more days!—I didn’t have time to focus on anything else, and my holiday orders showed that. I had a handful of customers who placed their orders for the holidays at the start of December, but most stopped by the café or ordered over the phone this week.Everyone would pick up their orders the morning of Christmas Eve, and I closed the café on Christmas Day and the following week. Jodi and Henry at the animal shelter, along with other volunteers, helped foster the cats during this time.
I pulled myself out of my thoughts when the door opened, and Wes walked in. Once my brother was within earshot, I turned to Tiffany with a teasing smile. “I’ll take Wes’s order and spare you having to deal with his grumpiness.”
“I’m not that grumpy,” Wes grunted in his typical fashion, but the corner of his mouth twitched as he fought a smile.
Tiffany let out an amused laugh, already used to our antics. “Sounds like a plan.” She turned to Wes and gave him a small wave. “Good to see you, Wes.”
Wes nodded in return, and Tiffany turned to the next customer.
Wes stepped to the side to look at the day’s pastries. My brother drank his coffee black, so most of the time when he was here, it was for a treat, either for himself, Jules, or his staff. He hummed as he looked at the trays behind the glass. This week’s menu was festive frosted sugar cookies and thumbprint cookies.
