“It’s not—”
She sipped the warm liquid, only to almost spit it right back out.Notcoffee. Not even close to coffee. “What in the ever-living hell is this?”
“Herbal tea. It’s good for you.”
“It’s not good for my mood. Or my taste buds. And it’s definitely not good for my exhaustion.”
Her aunt tapped her arm. “It’s hibiscus tea. I read that it helps lower blood pressure, and by the look of you, you could use it.”
Oh, Jesus, she was not rested enough for this. “Please tell me you have a bagel with egg and bacon in there.”
“Better.” She pulled out two containers. “Gluten-free granola and coconut yogurt topped with blueberries…the perfect way to start your morning.”
She should have stayed in bed. Maybe she could “accidentally” break the intercom and bell, turn off her phone, and this would never happen again. “I need to sit down.” Or just die on the couch.
In the living room, she lowered to the sofa, taking another sip of the herbal tea. Christ, it got worse with every sip. It wasn’t that she disliked tea, just that the liquid was in a cup typically reserved for coffee. It was like a cruel mind game.
Jewel crossed the space between them and settled on the couch beside her, handing her one of the containers of granola. “Did you have a good evening last night?”
Elle frowned. She hadn’t told her aunt about her date with Art because she knew she’d get a million questions, but right now, the woman was looking at her like she already knew. “Yeah, I had a good night. Why?”
“Funny you should ask. I received a call from Marie Alvaro last night.”
Oh jeez. Marie was a single mother whose entire life seemed to revolve around small-town gossip.
“And,” Jewel continued, “she mentioned she saw you.”
“She saw me?”
“Mm-hmm. She was eating at Thida Thai with her daughter and said you were in the same restaurant.”
So that was the reason for the early-morning wakeup. Lord grant her patience.
Carefully, Elle set the herbal tea on the coffee table before opening the container of granola. “And what exactly did she say, Jewel?”
“That you seemed to be on a date with a very nice-looking man. Then Jace Walkerjoinedyou on the date.”
“It’s true.” She scooped some granola and yogurt onto the spoon and placed it in her mouth. Interesting. It wasn’t terrible. In fact, it was actually quite good. It just wasn’t bacon or coffee.
At her aunt’s silence, she looked up to see her staring with a lifted brow.
“And?” Jewel pushed.
“And what?”
“Elle Marshal. You know what I’m waiting for. I want the story behind what happened last night. You’re like a daughter to me.”
Guilt hit her in the chest. She was right. Jewel had raised Elle since she was eight; she was as close to a mother as Elle had. “There’s not much to tell. I was on a date with a guy I met online. Jace saw us together and decided to join.” It was the semi-truth. Or at least it sounded better than what actually happened. Better for Jace anyway.
A small smile played at her aunt’s lips. “He was jealous, wasn’t he?”
“What?”
“Jace. He saw you on a date with another guy and decided he couldn’t leave you alone with him.”
She pushed the granola around the container. “He’s ridiculous.”
“Ridiculously into you.”
