Page 9 of Call It Serendipity

“Yeah.”

I start to laugh, but the noise quickly catches in my throat. Five rows back, seated on the aisle, is Jake. And he has already noticed me.

A smile lifts the corner of his mouth as we make eye contact, his hand giving me a subtle wave.

“Excuse me,” Claire hisses. “Who is that sexy man looking at you like he wants to see you naked. Or has already seen you naked?” she asks with a mock gasp.

I flush, turning back to the front of the room and slinking down in my chair. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Lucy, we do not keep secrets!”

Glancing around to make sure no one else is listening in on our conversation, I loosen a sigh. “Okay, okay but it’s really nothing so just remember we’re in public right now.”

“Sure, now spill,” she says hurriedly.

“Walking home from work last week, I wasn’t paying attention. I had my headphones on, so I didn’t hear the motorcycle that was flying around the corner. And⁠—”

“Ooh, he has a motorcycle?”

“No. The motorcycle nearly hit me when he pulled me out of the way and probably saved my life.”

She gasps, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. “Oh, Lucy, that is terrifying. I am so glad you’re safe.”

“Yeah, and instead of stopping to thank him, I proceeded to run away.”

“So you don’t even know his name?”

I steal a quick glance over my shoulder again. This time, he’s rubbing his jaw, deep in thought and focused on the meeting.

“Well… I ran into him again at Jitters yesterday and he introduced himself, kind of.”

“Kind of?”

“I know his name is Jake, but that’s really it.”

She tilts her head. “Do you know how long he’s lived around here or why he cares enough to be at this forum?”

“I know he also likes Gin Blossoms.”

This time she’s the one nudging me. “Go talk to that fine piece of man right now.”

“But the forum…”

“Is over.”

I look around to find people starting to rise from their seats and filter out. When did it end? There had been a whole line of villagers ready to wave their proverbial pitch forks.

“Or he’s going to come talk to you,” she says with a terrifyingly wide smile. “Even better.”

Jake is in fact approaching the front of the room instead of heading out, and he looks as if he is coming my way. I hope he’s coming my way, at least. But if he is, I don’t think I’ll be able to handle Claire’s attempts at being my wing woman. She’s practically radiating excitement beside me.

“Don’t even think about it.”

Her eyes widen innocently. “About what?”

“On second thought, I think I will go to him.” I shimmy past her and Levi to slip from our row and start down the aisle.

We meet in the middle of the room, coming to a stop as the crowd mills out around us.