“Honey,” Connie said, “Justin isn’t married.”
“He isn’t?”Felicity’s forehead scrunched up.She turned to him.“You aren’t?”
He shook his head.He wasn’t about to get into that story.
“Now, get going,” Merry said.“You don’t want to be late.There’s lots to do before the big day.”
“Uh…” She walked over and handed Sunny’s leash to Connie.Felicity turned back to Justin.“I just need to grab my stuff.”She rushed to the back of the bookshop.
He stood there as the two older women smiled at him.They seemed mighty pleased with themselves.But he didn’t smile back.They had played him like a fine violin, and he wasn’t too happy about it.
Thankfully, a few minutes later, Felicity came rushing to the front of the store with her coat on.“I’m ready.”
“Good.We don’t want to be late.”He glanced over at Merry, who was in charge of the play and could have given Felicity a ride.“Aren’t you coming?”
“Oh, yes.But I have something important I need to discuss with Connie first.Go on.I’ll see you two there.”She looked much too pleased with herself.
Without another word, he opened the door for Felicity.When she passed by him, he got the faintest whiff of vanilla and a spice.Was it cinnamon?He breathed in deeper.Vanilla had never smelled that good before.
A second passed before he followed her out the door.He took rapid steps to catch up with her.For having short legs, she certainly walked fast.
She stopped suddenly and turned to him.“You don’t have to do this.”
He nearly bumped into her and had to take a step back.“Do what?”
“Give me a ride.”She glanced down at the snow-covered sidewalk.Then just as quickly, her gaze lifted and met his.“They mean well, but they shouldn’t have put you in such an awkward position.I know you wanted to say no, but you didn’t want to upset them.So, we’ll just part ways here, and they’ll never know.”
She was giving him an easy out.All he had to do was say goodbye and drive away.However, when he opened his mouth, he said, “Get in.It’s snowing.”
When she hesitated, he arched a brow.She wordlessly closed her mouth and nodded.
As he unlocked the pickup door for her, he couldn’t help but think that he never should have bought book eleven in the series he was reading.The price for it was going to be much too dear.Not only was he dog sitting, but he was now spending time with the only woman who had ever truly broken his heart.
It was Connie and Merry’s fault.They had ganged up on him.If he didn’t know better, he’d think they’d had it all planned.Wait.Did they?
It was hard to tell with those two women.Merry had a reputation for being a bit of a matchmaker.If that was what she had in mind, he wasn’t falling for it.
He was giving Felicity a ride, but that was it.They didn’t have to talk.They didn’t have to catch up with each other.Because if he wasn’t careful, he was going to find himself falling for Felicity all over again.And that couldn’t happen.
Chapter Twelve
Thiswasawkward.
Felicity chanced a glance at Justin.He hadn’t said a word to her since he got into the vehicle.He wasn’t happy about this arrangement.That much was obvious.
It wasn’t her fault.She’d attempted to let him off the hook, but he’d been too stubborn.He only had himself to blame for this awkward situation.
She turned and stared straight ahead.The snow was coming down so heavily now the wipers couldn’t keep up with it.Fluffy snowflakes outlined the path of the wipers.Then again, she was appreciative for the ride.
Felicity worried her bottom lip as she sat in the passenger seat while Justin drove them the short distance to the high school.The elementary school was borrowing the stage at the high school for their Christmas play.
How often had they driven this exact route?Countless times.She’d been all smiles back then because when she was with Justin, he’d fill her with happiness that came out in a big smile.Those were good memories.
So much had changed since then.They weren’t the same people they used to be.When they were in high school, she never imagined this day would come—when they were barely more than strangers to each other.
She didn’t even know that Justin wasn’t married.Then again, why should that surprise her?She didn’t know that her own mother had sold their family home.The reminder jabbed at her heart.She never got to have one final look at her childhood home or to pick out what she wanted to save.Now, it was all gone.
But Justin not being married buoyed her heart.Not that she had any illusions about them getting back together.However, it did open the door for them to possibly become friends again.After all, they were friends a lot longer than they’d been boyfriend and girlfriend.
