Evelyn motioned to the toaster. “Knock yourself out.”
As Jade waited for two pieces of wheat toast to pop up from their slots, her mind wandered again. So much had happened in the last twelve hours, and she was still analyzing it. At the top of her thoughts was Sebastian. Despite wanting him to talk to Miles,she’d been shocked he’d so easily agreed. That had made her feel a little less guilty for manipulating him, and it took a ton of weight off her shoulders.
He’d also given her insight to the small newspaper business and how it affected the community, and she’d been impressed. While sellingThe Timesto Harrington made financial sense, Jade hadn’t considered the human ripple effect until he’d explained it. And if she’d never considered it, having worked at a newspaper before, she was positive Miles and his ilk hadn’t given it a thought.
Then there was his offer to show her around and how quickly she’d said yes. Talking with him last night had been like old times. She’d felt completely relaxed in his company, as if all was right with her world, at least for a little while. She still had the ledger fiasco to contend with, and she’d decided to tell him today, after their drive. She probably should confess as soon as he picked her up, but she just wanted a couple hours of peace before he never spoke to her again.
Pop!
She blinked away her reverie and buttered the slices. The thought of telling Sebastian about the ledger strangled her appetite. Maybe he would understand her desperation and that it wasn’t totally her fault that her briefcase disappeared.But it’s my fault I stole from him.
“Um, Jade?” Evelyn said. “Are you sure you know how to make toast?”
“Huh?” She looked down at the hole she’d made in the middle of the bread with the butter knife. “Sorry. I’ll eat this slice.”
Evelyn dished out the fluffy scrambled eggs, Jade added her pathetic excuse for toast, and they went to the living room. Jade sat down and stared at her plate, her uneasiness growing.
“Eggs okay?”
She looked up at Evelyn and nodded. “They look yummy.”
“They are.” She grinned and took a bite, then lifted her bunny-slippered feet and wagged them back and forth. “If I do say so myself.”
Jade smiled and started to eat. She was right—they were very good. She really liked Evelyn and wished Sebastian had said something about her before. Then again, back then she always shifted any family conversation before it got started, for her own sake.
“So,” Evelyn said, putting her empty plate on the oval glass coffee table. “What are your intentions toward my brother?”
Jade froze, the last bite of her eggs halfway to her mouth. “Intentions?”
“Yes. You do have intentions, don’t you?”
She wasn’t sure how to answer that, because she didn’t know how much Sebastian had revealed. Evelyn worked at the paper too, and Jade wouldn’t be surprised if she had the same resistant attitude he did. “No?” she ended up saying, knowing she had to tell Evelyn something.
“As long as you’re sure.” She grinned, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes now.
Great, now she was suspicious. Jade didn’t blame her. “It’s good to see him again.” One hundred percent the truth, especially since they weren’t at odds right now. That would change soon, but she would do everything she could to apologize and own up to her bad judgment.
“I think you’re good for him,” she said. “When I got back from the store, I noticed how relaxed he was. He hasn’t been that way in a long, long time.”
Wow. She was glad she’d put him at ease too.
“Why did you two break up? And yes, I’m nosy. But I love my brother. He’s an amazing man, and I don’t want him to get hurt. He’s had enough of that in his lifetime.”
Jade inwardly winced. She set her plate next to Evelyn’s. “I took a job in Atlanta. Long distance wouldn’t have worked out. We didn’t date long anyway.” Her answers were clipped, and she refused to elaborate. While she was glad Sebastian had such a loving sister, Jade didn’t owe her any more information.
“He said that too. About you not dating very long. Then you’re just friends?”
“Yeah... friends.”
“That’s probably for the best. Seb’s married to his work. There’s not much room for anything else.”
Jade could relate. Charlotte had accused her of the very same thing not that long ago.“One day you’re going to realize that all work and no play makes for a dull life.”
“I probably shouldn’t tell you this.” Evelyn sighed. “I promised him I wouldn’t say anything to anyone, but since you’re not a Clementonian, it will be okay. Seb doesn’t just write newspaper columns. He’s also a novelist.”
“He finished his book?”
Evelyn looked surprised. “You knew about that?”
