“Not when I’m at your house.” She lifted a corner of the towel and rubbed it over her long hair. “The cider’s delicious. You need to sell it. Seriously.”
“No, it’s not good enough.” He held up the shorts and shirt. “Here are some dry clothes. The shorts have a drawstring. They’re good enough to get you back to my folks’ house.”
“Thanks.” She climbed the stairs leading into his laundry room.
“Hey,” he called, and she spun to face him. “Next time we swim, how about we change into our swimsuits first?”
“Where’s the fun in that?” she asked, and the grin she received in return made her insides turn to mush.
Emily hurried through the laundry room to the bathroom, where she stripped out of her wet shirt, tank top, and shorts. She lifted the gray shirt he’d given her over her head and breathed in the cozy smell of his laundry detergent while hugging the soft fabric against her body. Then she stepped into his black athletic shorts and tied the drawstring as tight as she could.
She gathered up her wet clothes and exited the bathroom, meeting Dusty in the hallway. “Hey, girl.” Crouching down, she rubbed the cat’s head. Dusty lifted her chin and purred with delight. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”
“Meow!”
Emily left the wet towel on his washing machine and found a grocery bag for her soggy clothes before returning to the garage, where Jake rested against a metal shelf while talking on the phone. Her stomach sank as she imagined Claire on the other end, spewing her undying love for him and begging him to run away to Nashville with her.
Way to be dramatic, Emily!
“All right,” he said. “We’ll be there soon.” He disconnected the call and dropped his phone into his pocket before rubbing his hands together. “We’ve been summoned for supper. It’s taco night.”
Emily almost sagged with relief. “Great!”
He started out the open door.
“Wait.” She sidled up to him and pointed to the jugs of cider sitting on the shelf. “We’re going to sell your cider in the barn. I’ll design a label.”
He shoved his hand through his wet hair, and his messy locks reminded her of when they were in high school. “It’s not ready.”
“Then we’ll work on it until you think it is.”
He pursed his lips for a moment before taking her hand in his. His warm skin sent a thrill zipping down her spine. “You know my mom doesn’t like it when we’re late for supper. Let’s go.” He took a step and tugged her hand, but she stood firm, unmoving.
She held on to him. “Have your folks tried your cider?”
“No, they don’t need to know about it.”
“You should tell them.”
“Not until it’s perfected.” His expression sobered. “It’s a secret. Please keep it to yourself, okay?” he asked, and she nodded. “Promise me.”
She pretended to lock her lips with an invisible key.
He laughed. “Let’s go eat.”
“Why is Emily wearing your clothes?” Mom asked while Jake loaded the dishwasher with their empty plates after supper.
The sound of the shower running in the upstairs hall bathroom hummed above them. While they’d eaten Mom’s delicioustacos, along with rice and refried beans, Emily entertained his parents with hilarious stories about customers she’d encountered at the coffee shop in Charlotte. He appreciated how Emily happily chatted with his folks and how she felt like part of the family—like she always had.
And he couldn’t help thinking about how cute she looked in his clothes.
After supper, he’d told Emily to go shower while he helped Mom with the dishes. Emily had tried to protest, insisting she needed to help, but after a little pouting, she finally agreed to go upstairs.
“We went for a swim after I worked on the barn roof with Vince and the guys. We were both soaked, so we stopped by my place and got some dry clothes.”
“I’m sure the lake was refreshing after that hard work,” Mom said as she packaged the leftovers in containers. “I love having Emily here. Feels like old times. If only Ally were here too.”
Jake nodded and added the utensils to the dishwasher.
