“Anyway, tonight was fun, wasn’t it? Hanging out with Liv and Austin? And not being mad at each other?”He paused and looked directly at her.“I’d like to get back to being friends. I’ve missed you. Do you think we could try that? Being friends?”
She just didn’t know what to say to him. She knew what he wanted to hear. That they could be friends. That things could go back to how they were sixteen years ago.
But things were just so complicated. It was almost easier to be mad at him and avoid him. Being friends would be…difficult.
He sat there staring, waiting.
She let out a long sigh.“We could try. But I don’t think things can ever be like they were before.”Too much time had passed. Too many hurt feelings. Too many secrets and lies…
A brief look of sadness clouded his eyes.“Maybe not. But I’d sure like to try. I miss the Heather you used to be.”
“That Heather is long gone, Jesse. She doesn’t exist anymore. People change.”
“If the new Heather could at least not run away every time she sees me, I’d be fine with starting there. Will that work?”His easy smile urged her to say yes.
She gave in and finally smiled back at him. It was a weak smile, but it was the best she could do. Besides, if she said yes, then maybe this whole conversation could end.“Yes, the new Heather could try and not run the other direction when she sees you.”
“That’s at least a start.”He stood and reached out a hand.“Come on, I’ll walk you the rest of the way home.”
Heather sat outside on her balcony long after Jesse had walked her to the lobby doors of her building. She hadn’t even considered asking him up to her condo. Okay, maybe she had for a brief moment before common sense kicked in. She needed time to process the evening.
She admitted she had fun at dinner…in a stressful kind of way. The easy conversation and laughter had helped to ease her stress by the end of the meal. At least somewhat. By the end of the dinner, she’d even imagined that she could have a slightly uneasyacquaintancerelationship with Jesse. Acquaintance. That was a good word. That would work. Maybe.
But then he’d offered—more like insisted—that he walk her home. And then insisted they talk. He wanted to be friends again. And any way she looked at it, she just wasn’t sure that would work.
So much time had passed. She’d gotten used to not having him in her life. When she was being extremely honest with herself—which, granted, was not often—she could admit how much she missed him. He always seemed to get her. Understand her. Know what she was feeling, sometimes more than she’d admit to herself.
But was she ready to get close to him again? And if she did, and he still had that connection to her…would he figure out things that she really,reallydidn’t want him to know?
Chapter 5
Evelyn paged through her recipe binder, jotting down ideas for some items Jesse could serve on The Destiny. He’d asked her to come up with some menus and help the cook by working a few evenings on the boat. She had to convert some recipes into larger quantities, but she was getting quite handy at that after working here at the cafe.
She looked up when Livy and Donna came into the kitchen.
“Hey, Evie, we want to talk to you,”Donna said.
“Sure, what about? Are you two okay with me helping Jesse?”She should have asked them to make sure. She’d have to take a few nights off to help him, and she didn’t want to bring any competition to the cafe.
“Oh, we’re fine with that,”Livy assured her.
“Okay, what’s up?”She put down her pen.
“So, we’ve come to a decision. A family decision,”Donna said as she took a seat at the counter beside Evelyn.“We want you to have part ownership in the cafe.”
“What?” Had she heard that correctly? Anowner?“But I didn’t invest in it.”
“Technically, I didn’t either very much,”Livy said as she leaned against the counter.“Heather put up most of the money. I just invested my time in the business plan and putting the cafe together.”
Donna leaned forward and tapped the counter.“You work very hard here. And Parker’s—the store and the cafe—are both family businesses. There’s no reason for you not to have a split of the profits.”
“Besides, your cooking is the reason that the cafe is so successful,”Livy insisted.
“You’re sure?”Evelyn tried to process all this. She’d have part of the profits? Something she’d helped create. Pride soared through her. Who would have thought on that day she found out Darren was divorcing her and leaving her with nothing, that she’d get to this point in her life, and so soon?
“We’re positive.”Livy jumped up and hugged her.“Parker women stick together. And if you want to be part of Parker business, then you deserve this.”
“I’m so surprised. I’ve never really worked at Parker’s until the cafe. Well, except a bit as a young girl to help out Grandmother.”
