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Brianna drew her fingers across her lips. “My lips are sealed. Now spill. Everything.”
“Well, I’d had a crush on him for years, but then Jimmy and I got together, and after he left I was so sad with everyone being gone and so lonely with Jimmy being all the way in Denver. Eric had come by the coffee shop one night and asked how I was. It had been a particularly hard day, and I just lost it. I started crying, and the next thing I knew he was holding me, and it just happened. One kiss. A really small kiss. More like a peck, but it was enough. Jimmy had come home and was standing outside and saw it all.”
Brianna sucked in a deep breath. “Oh, no.”
“Yes. I know. It was so not fair and so not right. He just turned and left and never called me again. I thought for sure he’d fallen in love with someone else. But no, I broke his heart and that is why he never came back.”
Brianna bit her lip and shook her head. “That’s horrible. But he should have said something.”
“He was a kid. Eighteen. We both were.”
Brianna’s eyes filled with tenderness, and she touched her arm. “I’m so sorry that happened to you. I was in Boston at college?”
Roni nodded, so thankful for her friends. “So was Nicole. Melanie was gone. Jenni was in high school. We were scattered to the wind.”
Brianna hugged her tight. “We can’t let that ever happen again. We have to promise to always be there for each other.”
Roni laughed. “Definitely. Especially once you all start having babies.”
“What do you mean, you all? Onceweall start having babies.”
Roni grinned. “Yes, well, let’s make sure I find my Mr. Perfect first.”
“Deal.”
They started walking down the aisles, once more talking about the interesting items that caught their attention, about Brianna’s business and the changes she wanted to make, when Roni spotted a cast iron door stopper.
“Look at this. It’s shaped like a cat. I love it.” Roni picked up the heavy door stopper and added it to the cart. “You wouldn’t believe the way Spooky loves Jimmy. It’s weird.”
“I’ll say. Spooky doesn’t like anyone,” Brianna said, nodding.
“Hey! He’s not that bad. And he loves Jenni, too,” Roni pointed out.
“You two do have a magic touch when it comes to animals. Seems like Jimmy might too.”
Roni smiled, lost in her thoughts of Jimmy and how much she was looking forward to their dinner tonight. “I sure hope he decides to stay,” she admitted.
Brianna looked at her with raised brows. “You’re falling for him all over again, aren’t you?”
Roni bit her bottom lip, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. “I think I am.”
Brianna stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Be careful, Roni. I like Jimmy, I really do, but I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Roni let out a sigh. “I am. Trust me. I don’t even know if he’s going to stay, and I don’t want to go back to communicating by phone and email across the country.”
“I don’t blame you, but you never know. Maybe we can convince him to stay. We’re throwing an ice skating party up at the house this afternoon for the wedding party that just arrived. You should come. I think Owen is asking Jimmy.”
“Ice skating?” Roni said. “I haven’t had on a pair of skates in forever.”
“An even better reason to come. Did I mention Jimmy might be there?” she repeated.
Roni rolled her eyes. “All right. That sounds like fun. Jimmy and I are supposed to go to dinner tonight, so if he’s going to be there, count me in.” She couldn’t wait to show him the tins she bought. She shook her head as she realized she was falling deeper and deeper. She couldn’t seem to help herself. She’d wanted this, wanted him for so long. She wouldn’t let her fears get in her way.
But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t keep her eyes wide open and her heart guarded.
Just a little.
CHAPTER13
