Page 80 of Timid (Lark Cove 2)

We needed more time, just the two of us.

After breakfast, Jackson and I both left my apartment. I went to the camp while he went to the bar.

I finished my work in an hour, then returned home to do laundry and clean, which didn’t take me long. With Dad teaching, I stopped by my parents’ house in hopes that Mom would be up for an afternoon visit, but she was busy working on bookkeeping for Bob’s Diner. So I went down to the bar much earlier than I’d planned.

It was empty except for Thea standing behind the bar, dusting the shelves and bottles along the mirrored wall.

“Hey, Willa!” Thea smiled as the door closed behind me. She looked beautiful today, with her dark eyes and thick hair. She looked beautiful all the time, but lately, she’d had an extra sparkle in her eyes.

She and Logan had gotten married a couple of weeks ago in a small celebration in the backyard of their sprawling lake house, and she’d had that sparkle ever since.

“Hi! How’s it going?”

“Good. You?”

I slumped into a stool at the bar. “Good. But I’m going kind of stir-crazy. This time of year is always tough. I miss the camp and it takes me some time to adjust to the slower pace.”

“Yeah.” She set down her duster and came to stand across from me. “It’s hard when Charlie starts school. It’s so . . . quiet.”

I nodded. “Exactly.”

“Jackson said you were thinking about getting a part-time job this winter.”

“I was, but I haven’t found anything yet.”

“I think the gas station was looking for an evening clerk.”

“No.” Jackson’s voice came from the back hallway before he emerged. “She’s not working at the gas station.”

Thea rolled her eyes and spun around. “Why not? Wait. Let me guess.” She held up her hand before he could speak. “It’s not safe.”

Jackson grinned at the sarcasm in her tone, walking right past her. “You know? Willa never argues with me about stuff like this. She just knows I’m looking out for her. So why do you have to bust my balls every time I say something that’s just for your own good?”

Thea winked at me. “It’s fun. Busting your balls is one of my hobbies.”

I giggled as she and Jackson went into one of their stare-downs. Seeing them together reaffirmed what Thea had always told me: they were siblings of the heart.

All the moments when I’d been jealous of Thea had been silly. The way Jackson looked at her was nothing like the way he looked at me. There was no attraction between them, only affection.

It made me wish I had a brother or sister of my own.

Jackson broke the staring contest first, shaking his head as he came closer. He leaned across the bar to softly kiss my lips. “Hey, babe.”

“Hi,” I whispered. Just one little kiss and I was nearly breathle

ss. “So did you guys have a good meeting today? I see she didn’t bore you to death with the accounting.”

Thea scoffed. “Is that what you told her? That my monthly update is boring? Rude. I spend a lot of time putting that together so you know what’s happening.”

“Traitor.” Jackson tried to hide a smile as he glared at me. “And yes, it was good. The best review of those damn spreadsheets I’ve ever had.”

“I’m taking them home to Logan,” Thea declared. “At least he’ll appreciate them.”

“I’m sure he will,” Jackson agreed, getting a glass out to fill it with Coke. He set it down right in front of me with a napkin.

“Thanks.” I loved that he didn’t ask me anymore what I wanted to drink. He knew I’d stick to Coke until dinner and then have a beer. Sometimes two. Then I’d switch to water until it was time to go home.

“We do have some news, though.” Jackson looked to Thea, getting a nod of approval to share. “Thea’s going to step back a bit. Not work as many nights. She’s cutting back on weekends too.”