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“That’s wonderful.” Chris nodded, understanding more than Summer probably realized. “You’ll be a good influence, too.”
“We’ll see.” Summer tied the apron ties behind her back and gave Chris a sly smile. “So. What’s going on with Zac?”
Chris faked surprise. “Whatever do you mean, Summer?”
“Chris...”
Chris grinned, feeling herself blushing. “Things are fine. Casual, but good. I feel great.”
“Same here.” Summer put a hand to her chest. “I feel like I’m coming to life or something. I’m so enjoying this. And him.”
Chris nodded. Yeah, she got that, too. “I’m very happy for—”
“Hello?”
Yikes. Chris hadn’t heard the front door open. “Customer.”
“I’m on it.” Summer disappeared around the corner.
Chris locked up her desk, took off her apron and grabbed her jacket. She’d go home, take a nap and a nice bath and get ready for her unexpected date tonight.
Boy, did she love this feeling of anticipation, knowing that her emotions and her spirit were not going to be ground down and hijacked by the agonies of falling in love. Everything about this relationship felt so completely right.
She walked out into the shop, where one of the most gorgeous women she’d ever seen was standing at the counter. Voluptuous, dark and exotic-looking. Maybe a hint of Spanish or Italian blood? Brazilian?
Immediately Chris started wondering if she’d seen her in a movie or on TV. California was full of those types, and you never knew when they’d show up. One day Jennifer Aniston had walked in for an espresso. Chris had nearly dropped dead of shock.
“You must be Chris.” The woman’s voice was low and musical. Was anything not perfect about her? She couldn’t be a movie star if she knew Chris’s name.
“Yes, I’m Chris.”
“Jackie Cawling.” She held out her hand, which wasn’t perfectly manicured. Ha! Human after all.
“Nice to meet you.” Awkward pause. Was the name supposed to mean something to her? “Are you from the Tribune?”
She looked taken aback. “No, no, I’m a friend of Zac’s.”
“Oh, yes. Hi.” She searched her brain, trying to figure out if Zac had mentioned a Jackie, and came up empty.
“We met in the Peace Corps, in Kenya?” She waited expectantly, as if this prompt should have cleared everything up.
It didn’t.
“Ah.” Chris nodded politely.
“He didn’t mention me?” Her full lips curved in a smile. “I’m staying at his place.”
Huh?
“Uh. No.” She felt stupid. Why did Jackie know about Chris but Chris had no idea about her? “Or maybe he did and I... No, he didn’t.”
“Oh. Well, that’s weird.” She laughed, a sexy, low laugh that made Chris want to growl at her. “You stayed at my friend’s cabin on Friday night.”
“Oh. Right.” She searched her brain again. Zac had said friend of a friend, but had never elaborated. Nor had he mentioned the woman was sleeping at his house.
As was Luke.
How many bedrooms...
No, come on. Zac wasn’t the juggle-women type.
“Anyway, I came in today because Zac doesn’t have an espresso machine at his house and I’m addicted. And because I wanted to meet the woman he’s so taken with.”
“Oh, how nice.” That felt much better. If Zac had told her they were involved, he certainly wasn’t playing games.
“Zac is very special to me.” One of Jackie’s perfect brown brows lifted. “We go back a long way. We’ve been through a lot together.”
And...now she felt worse again. Jackie and Zac used to be a couple, probably serious. It was so obvious Jackie might as well have screamed it right into Chris’s face.
“That’s great.” Chris was not rising to the bait. “Are you having a good visit?”
“Oh, yes. We always have a great time together. He’s one of those people I can see rarely, but when we’re back together it’s like we were never apart.”
Just. Shut. Up.
The enormity of the gap between this woman’s long, intimate friendship with Zac and the silly fling Chris was having with him was choking her. This woman would know things about Zac that Chris never would. She’d probably been touched by his hand with real love, had been gazed at with deep tenderness, had laughed with him, had felt they truly belonged together.
