After trying the dessert, Aidan was already making plans to stop at Sweet Treats tomorrow. “That’s a definite winner.”
As they tried each option, Aidan felt the stress of a busy day melting off his shoulders. Conversation and laughter flowed easily between the three of them, almost as if they’d known each other their entire lives.
Jackie shared her plans for her knitting store, envisioning cozy nooks filled with soft yarns and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Aidan listened intently, his thoughts drifting between admiration for her determination and the lingering question of whether he should stay in Sapphire Bay or return to Manhattan.
“I almost forgot,” Daniella said suddenly, glancing at her watch. “I need to speak to Mabel and Allan at the general store. I’ll leave you two to enjoy the rest of the evening.”
Jackie seemed confused. “Can’t it wait until the morning?”
“I have two bus-loads of children arriving at nine o’clock. If I don’t talk to Mabel and Allan now, I’ll never get a chance.”
Jackie’s eyebrows rose.
“It’s true,” Daniella said with a grin. “I’ll catch up with you tomorrow. Thanks for an enjoyable night, Aidan.”
He watched bemusedly as she grabbed her hat and jacket off a chair and sent them a quick wave. “Bye.”
Jackie watched her friend leave the kitchen. “That was sudden. Do you think she needs to see them or is she playing Cupid?”
Aidan grinned. “I’ll go for the Cupid option. Someone who dresses as a fairy, owns a fairy-themed event business, and believes in happy-ever-afters, must have a romantic heart.”
Jackie sat back in her chair. “Would you be surprised to learn that Daniella moved to Sapphire Bay because of a promise she made to her brother?”
Aidan was surprised. “She knows so many people I thought she must have been born and raised here.”
“She only arrived three years ago. Everything Daniella’s done was started from scratch. She didn’t know anyone, had nowhere to live, and hadn’t stayed anywhere for longer than six months.”
Aidan studied Jackie’s face. “She sounds a lot like you.”
“Except she has a great family.”
He waited for Jackie to continue, but she didn’t. “Have you told your mom about the loan?”
Jackie picked up the empty plates and stacked them on top of each other. “Not yet.”
“Are you going to?”
“I’m still thinking about it. My mom has a habit of jinxing everything I do.”
Aidan picked up their empty glasses and joined Jackie at the kitchen sink. “What would stop her from jinxing your store?”
“Not telling her what I’m doing,” Jackie said half-seriously.
He knew her relationship with her mom was complicated, but it wasn’t his place to tell her how she should communicate with her. “Whatever you decide to do is your choice.”
Jackie opened the dishwasher. “Now I feel guilty.” She sighed as she held out her hands for the glasses. “If I was a good daughter, I’d tell her what’s happening. At least that’s what Mom used to tell me. Which is hysterical considering I grew up being told I was a mistake and always made bad choices.”
Aidan didn’t think there was anything funny about being told you weren’t wanted, and neither did Jackie. If a person’s eyes were the window to their soul, the defeated expression in their depths told him she’d tried hard to prove her mom wrong.
Opening his arms, he waited for Jackie to step into his embrace before holding her tight. “Parents can be hurtful sometimes.”
“All I wanted was to have a mom like I saw on TV. Someone who cared about what I was doing and looked after me. The only person who did that was Mrs. Green.”
“How did you meet her?” Aidan asked.
“I locked myself out of our apartment and was waiting for Mom in the corridor. Mrs. Green found me and gave me dinner. She was the sweetest lady I’ve ever met.” Jackie snuggled closer. “Thank you for being here.”
“I had to celebrate your good news. Your knitting shop will be a huge success.”
