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Jack stopped and turned. “My pleasure, Jo.”
She slipped inside the house, and it was all she could do not to squeal like a high school girl. Jack Turner. Smoking hot, absolutely sweet, Jack Turner.
“Oh, someone had a good night,” her grandma said as she walked into the living room.
Swallowing hard, Jo cleared her throat. “Oh, it was great. The interview went well.”
“Didn’t hurt that Jack walked you home either, huh?”
“Oh, well… he was just being nice.”
A tiny smile appeared on her grandma’s lips. “He is a nice young man.”
Jo pointed to the stairs. “Uh, well, I’d better get to bed. Serenity wants me to meet her and her bridesmaids tomorrow for lunch and then dress shopping.”
“Sure, honey. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Taking the steps two at a time, Jo hoped she did see a little more of Jack before she left. He was just as kind and sweet now as he was in high school. He certainly made Wishing Well infinitely more palatable.
Oh, what was she even thinking? She was there to interview a bride, get the details about the wedding, and then fly home. Jack was great, but so was her life in New York.
Besides, it was better for all involved if she stuck with her assignment and left as unentangled as she was when she arrived.
CHAPTER 4
Jo
It’d been forever since Jo woke up early enough to enjoy the sunrise or take photos. Instead of trying to go back to sleep, she’d chugged a cup of coffee and headed out to capture anything that caught her eye.
There really was nothing like a Texas sky. It’d been beautiful and it felt good to spend a couple of hours hunting for the perfect shot. Delia wouldn’t have been happy that Jo missed an entire three-hour ride with Serenity, but Jo needed the time. The sky had lit up with purples and oranges, and she’d even gotten a few candid shots of wildlife.
Looking around the Wish and Roast Café, it looked nothing like it did when she was a kid. Mrs. Shepherd, the woman who owned the place, was a firm believer in if it wasn’t broken, don’t fix it. It was like she was in a completely different café. Her mom had dumped her and this was the first place her grandma had taken her. It’d always reminded her of her mom, and now, it felt so different.
Warm hues of coffee colored paint covered the walls instead of the old dark green. The light fixtures were modern and fit the feel of a cozy spot to drink some coffee, have a pastry, and visit with friends.
“Jo?”
The voice seemed familiar. Jo turned and gasped. “Lucy?”
Through high school, Lucy Bennett was Jo’s best friend. They’d graduated, promised to keep in touch after they left for college, and managed to do it for about six months. Little by little, communication tapered off, and Jo had relegated the friendship to high school. No hard feelings. They were busy and just grew apart. It happened.
“I didn’t realize you were back in Wishing Well,” Jo said.
Lucy smiled as she embraced Jo. “I could say the same about you!” She leaned back. “You look fantastic.”
Between them, in Jo’s opinion, Lucy was the cutest. She still had the prettiest green eyes and red hair. A rare combo that boys loved in high school and no doubt still loved. “You look as beautiful as ever. Your hair is so long.”
“I have a hair blog. Tips and tricks to keep it healthy, shiny, and long.” She dropped her arms from around Jo and stepped back. “What brings you to Wishing Well?”
“I’m writing an article for Eternal Vows Magazine.”
Tilting her head, Lucy said, “Article?” Her gaze dipped to Jo’s camera bag. “I thought for sure you’d be a photographer.”
It wasn’t a dig nor was it meant to sting, but it did. Jo had thought the same thing. “I’m still working on it. In the meantime, I’ll take a few photos to go with my article.” She’d tried doing that when she first began working for the magazine, but Delia had shut her down. Now that she would be photographing, Jo figured it couldn’t hurt to submit them with her article. Maybe the photos would get published, too.
“What are you doing in town?”
“You’re looking at it.”
