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Jackson’s expression turned hopeful. “Tomorrow night.”
“So soon?”
“I don’t want to lose my chance with her.”
“I don’t know…”
“Please. I’ll owe you big time.”
Will sighed. “Fine. But make sure that the woman knows that I’m not interested in a relationship right now.”
“I’ll tell her,” Jackson assured him. “But who knows? Maybe this could be the start of something beautiful.”
“That, I doubt.”
“Want to ride with me?” Jackson asked. “We’re meeting in Coeur d’Alene.”
“Sure.”
“Great. I’ll be by around five to pick you up.” Jackson clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks for helping me out, bro. I definitely owe you one.”
“You definitely do. And if it doesn’t go well, you’ll owe me at least two.”
Jackson was laughing as he headed to his car.
Will hoped he hadn’t made a mistake, but maybe this would be like pulling off a bandage. A date with no possibility of a serious attachment. He wouldn’t even have to worry about interacting too much with the woman, as Jackson would talk enough for the two of them.
He was choosing to view this as a test run. If he spent the evening comparing this woman or the date with the times he spent with Daphne, maybe he wasn’t ready to move on to dating just yet. But if he actually enjoyed the outing, it might be a sign he wasn’t just over Daphne, but that he was truly ready to move on.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Janessa sat down on the loveseat in front of the living room fireplace, then pulled her legs up and tucked a blanket around them. The unexpectedly chilly day had been a reminder that fall and winter were just around the corner.
She stared at the flickering flames, glad that it was that time of year again. The cozy weather was her favorite. Sweaters. Sweatpants. Thick socks. It was all stuff she loved.
Other people might like the sun and beaches, but Janessa reveled in cooler temps and a nice view of the mountains. Not that she’d turn down a trip to Hawaii, but it wouldn’t be her first choice for a vacation.
“Want hot chocolate, Janessa?” Aria asked from the entrance to the living room. “I’m making some for myself.”
“Sure. Is Gareth hanging around?”
“No. He needed to take care of some stuff at his place tonight.” She waved her hand in the direction of the kitchen. “I’ll be right back.”
Janessa considered getting up to get some cookies to go with the hot chocolate, but then thought maybe the hot chocolate would be enough. It better be enough, or she was going to have to start going to the gym on a regular basis.
As she waited for Aria to return with their drinks, Janessa looked through her social media apps, enjoying the peek into the lives of her family members. Especially the ones who weren’t currently in Serenity.
“Here we go,” Aria said as she walked in with a tray that she set on the coffee table. “I brought some cookies, too.”
“You read my mind.” Janessa took the mug Aria held out to her. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.”
As she sank down onto the armchair opposite Janessa, Aria let out a sigh. “This weekend went by way too fast.”
“Are you not feeling well?” Janessa asked.
Aria wasn’t one who usually dreaded Mondays, so to hear her say the weekend hadn’t been long enough was unusual.
