Page 52 of Where the Music Grows

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THE SQUAWKING OF A bird overhead wakes me up. I squint against the bright sun coming through the fabric of the tent. I reach for my phone and check the time. I groan and rub my hands over my face. My eyes are burning from lack of sleep.

I would love to lay here and pretend life isn’t happening, but I have things to do. Responsibilities. And it’s going to be hotter than hell inside the tent within the next hour. I climb out of the bag, shimmy into my jeans, and pull on a shirt. A little deodorant and a quick rinse with the mouthwash and I’m good to go. I put my toiletries in my backpack and a fresh change of clothes to put on after I’m done busting my ass at Aggie’s house.

I walk through the trees and smile when I smell bacon. Aggie’s making breakfast. She spoils me. I want to do all I can to repay her for her kindness and generosity.

She waves at me through the open kitchen window. “Come on in. Breakfast will be ready in five.”

I step inside, the smell of bacon and coffee is enough to make my stomach growl. Aggie stands at the stove, humming off-key.

She side-eyes me as I slump into a kitchen chair. “Rough night?”

“I’ve had better.”

She slides a plate in front of me—eggs, bacon, toast. A mountain of hashbrowns. My stomach growls again. She feeds me well.

Aggie pours coffee into a chipped mug that reads World’s Best Aunt. She doesn’t ask about the date. Doesn’t say a word. Just sips her coffee and watches me shovel food into my mouth like I haven’t eaten in weeks. She picks up a piece of toast and takes a bite. I can tell she’s waiting for me to talk. I’m just not sure what I should say.

“What?” I say around a mouthful of eggs.

She blinks innocently. “What?”

“You’re staring.”

“Am I?”

I point my fork at her. “You want to know about the date.”

She gasps, hand to her chest. “I would never pry. That’s your business. I wouldn’t presume you would want to share it with me. I’m just the old lady who made you a breakfast fit for a king.”

I grin and shake my head. She’s good.

Aggie grins and wipes her mouth. “Okay, fine. How’d it go?”

I take my time chewing, just to mess with her. “It was good. Thanks for the restaurant tip. Although, I’m not sure reservations were required.”

“I wanted to make sure you got a table,” she says with a casual shrug. “I know the owner. He promised he’d take care of you kids.”

“The food was great,” I add. “Really good. And the portions were huge.”

More waiting.

We both know she doesn’t give a shit about the food or the service. She wants the juicy details. And that’s so weird to me. But she’s invested in this thing she’s trying to orchestrate. I know matchmaking when I see it.

“We had a good time,” I add.

She nods, casually sipping coffee.

But she says nothing. She’s doing that thing. Don’t speak and make me uncomfortable so I have to fill the silence.

I sigh. “I took her home and...I’m not sure. She ran away like I had the plague.”

Aggie’s eyebrows shoot up. “She ran away?”

My head bobs up and down. “That’s the weird part. It was going great. We laughed, we talked, we—” I catch myself before we kissed. “We had a good time. Then bam. She hopped out of my truck and ran barefoot up to her house.”

Aggie sips her coffee. “Jinnie’s...complicated.”