I staggered to my feet and swayed a little but held onto the table for balance. Dropping into the chair beside her, I leaned forward, bringing my face inches from hers.
"Right. Here," I whispered huskily, brushing my thumb against her soft cheek.
She didn't withdraw, and my hand lingered.
Her eyes dropped to my mouth, and my stomach reflexively tensed. I was thinking of doing the unthinkable. I was thinking of kissing this woman.
My gaze swept over the fullness of her lips, and a yawning ache expanded inside me.
"Jamison." She said my name in a trembling whisper. An invitation, no doubt.
Her eyelids lowered and her mouth tilted up toward mine.
"Mom?"
I jerked back so fast, my elbow knocked the carafe off the table and sent water and glass splashing all over the floor.
Chapter 13
Tallulah
"Ican't believe this happened. I'm so sorry!" Shelley exclaimed. She had arrived shortly after Manuel and Blossom.
"It's okay. Really." My head was buzzing, and I held onto Blossom to maintain my balance.
"No, it's not, Tallulah," Shelley insisted.
Jenny was in the back cleaning up the spilled water and broken glass. The rest of us stood at the front of the shop—Jamison and Manuel, Blossom and me, and Shelley and Riley, whose eyes were red-rimmed.
Jamison and I had guessed correctly. Riley had given us the wrong samples. Each one was color-coded, and she had put out samples from a green-labeled box, which contained cannabis-infused samples, instead of the gold-labeled box, which contained the wedding cakes. The honey lavender cake had been the only sample where the herbal flavor of the drug had been detectable. Riley had apologized profusely, but the damage was done.
Frankly, I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. I was one of those few people in the world who had a low tolerance for weed, a problem I discovered in my youth. Since then, I hadn'ttouched the drug, but based on memories, I knew the high would last for a long time, and afterward, I'd probably have a headache. All I wanted to do was go home and go to bed. Mmm... sleep sounded like such a good plan right now.
"Why are the two of you smiling so much?" Blossom demanded.
I was smiling? I perked up and fixed my face.
"Because they're high off edibles," Manuel said, glancing at his father.
"The cakes were good, by the way. Especially the almond cake.Yummmm," Jamison said.
I looked at him. He looked at me.
Despite everything that had occurred—Blossom's shocked voice, the way Jamison and I guiltily jumped back from each other, and Manuel's confused expression as he stood behind my daughter—I started laughing again.
Jamison hid his face in his hands, his shoulders bouncing up and down as he chuckled.
Manuel rolled his eyes like a disgruntled parent. "We need to get them home."
"Good idea," Blossom said, gripping my arm, as if I were a misbehaving toddler.
"Tallulah, I'll call you," Shelley said.
"Bye," I sang, turning and waving as I was whisked away by my daughter, who seemed very strong all of a sudden.
Jamison and I locked eyes before I was tugged through the door, and time stopped. My heart contracted, and heat spread throughout my chest. The dynamic between us had shifted, and though in a woozy state, I was certain our relationship wouldn't be the same again.
Blossom helped me into Orange Julius, and we drove home in silence, my head resting against the cool window, eyes closed.Eventually, the drug would pass through my system, and I'd be back to normal. I just needed to rest.
