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I lower my head and my gaze meets his. The smile that makes my blood pressure spike for several reasons is gone, his mouth a flat line instead. But his eyes are earnest. I don’t see any sign of mirth. Just honesty.
Still, I’m not going to fall for that so easily.
“I’m not stuck with anything, Jake.”
He tilts his head, giving me a “yeah right” look. “Sunflower, you are as stuck as I am. You’ve been gone a while and you dress”—he gestured up and down my body—“differently, but there’s one thing that hasn’t changed about you.”
I put my hands on my hips, tossing my head back. “Oh yeah, what’s that?”
He rubs his bottom lip with his thumb, and his eyes darken to stormy gray before they meet mine again. He clears his throat and continues. “You won’t let your mom down.”
Damn him for being right.
“You know whatisgoing to happen? I’m going to be a real bitch if I don’t get more coffee in my system.”
“Then by all means, let’s go. Immediately.”
I frown and narrow my eyes. “You’re seriously coming with me?”
“Yep. No getting rid of me now.”
At his words, my belly goes into a free fall. Which only gets worse when that smirk that drives me crazy appears on his lips.
I roll my eyes and start to walk down the sidewalk toward the bakery. Jake falls in step with me, hands in the front pockets of his jeans, those long legs eating up the sidewalk easily.
We walk a little ways before I clear my throat and eat crow. “You’re right, you know.”
His steps falter to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk and he stares at me. I stop and face him. “What are you doing?”
“I think my hearing is going.” He makes a production of rubbing his ear then starts walking again. “Or I’m losing my mind, cause I could swear you just said I was right.”
I can’t help the smile that curves my lips. I bump my hip against his. “Shut up.”
“Now my vision is waning because I think you just smiled at me. A real smile, not a polite smile.”
“I smiled when I dropped off the car.”
He shakes his head and looks over at me. “Not your real smile.”
We walk a little farther, neither of us talking for several moments. The sounds of the town in motion and Christmas music playing from various stores fills the silence between us.
“I won’t let my mom down. Not just because of her, but for Stella too. She’s like my second mom.”
When we get to the awning of Amelia’s store, he stops and turns to me. “Then let’s make a pact, okay? While we work on this project, let’s set aside our differences and work together. I have a vested interest too. I live in this town, and the last thing I want to do is let them down at the holidays. It could mess with my livelihood, and I can’t have that happen.”
I tilt my head, watching his face. This is a side of Jake I’ve never seen before. He’s serious, focused, and in charge.
Jake Henderson has grown up in more ways than one.
It’s sexy as hell.
Being in the same space with Jake is the last thing I need or want. Being around him only reminds me of how he rejected me and broke my heart.
But I got over Jake Henderson a long time ago. I’m a successful businesswoman. I can do this shit.
Bring it on.
“Okay, I can do that.” I stick my hand between us. “Want to shake on it?”
