I nodded. “He was busy. Just picking up a to-go order.”
“It’s a been a year, right? Since he bought you the restaurant?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“Man, what a blessing!” Luke exclaimed. “You’d probably still be just waitressing if not for him.”
I frowned. What was wrong withjustwaitressing? I opened my mouth to ask just that, but Luke launched into telling me about an emergency surgery he had to do on Mrs. Lane’s Pomeranian.
I tried to concentrate on his words, but my attention was on the guy behind the wheel of the red pickup and the ugly words Luke had just said. I was sure he hadn’t meant for it to sound derogatory, but it had. Likejustwaitressing made me less than. As far as I was concerned, if someone was working hard and paying their bills without doing something illegal, then they were okay in my book.
And what was with Jack not wanting to meet up for the Christmas parade? He was here. It was a holiday, so he wasn’t working. Why not stand with us to watch the floats go by? What was the big deal? Why wasn’t it a “good idea” that he hang out with Luke and Jules and my mom? The very mother he’d helped save with all of his fancy Seattle doctor consultations.
I was getting really sick of hot-and-cold Jack. I wanted to know why we’d had such an amazing time in India, and then he’d just disappeared and started to ignore me. But I knew I had to let it go because getting more than five words out of Jack seemed impossible.
The rest of the day passed quickly as I ran orders and then went home to have Christmas dinner with my mom. We had Hannah’s Fine Italian to-go, of course. We then attended church and stopped by Luke’s parents’ house for a visit afterward before we all went to the parade together. I felt like a zombie, though. I wasn’t as present as I normally was. My mind was with Jack.
Where was his assistant, Chloe? She had been with him last year. Was he alone? Alone on Christmas wasn’t right, even if I was mad at him for ghosting me.
I slipped into the bathroom at Luke’s parents’ house and pulled out my phone.
Hannah with Two N’s: Is Chloe with you?
His response was immediate, which was a relief because that never happened anymore.
Jack: No, she’s in Italy with her new husband’s family for the holiday.
Italy? That was exciting.
Hannah with Two N’s: So you’re alone on Christmas?
Jack: Yes…the way I like it.
Ouch. Okay. Point taken.
Sothat’swhat he’d been about to say today. That he didn’t want to meet my mother or Jules because he wanted to be alone. I was honestly a little tired of Jack’s emotional roller coasters. Ghosting me like that after our amazing trip to India was a pain I wouldn’t easily forget. And I was with Luke now, so it didn’t matter.
Hannah with Two N’s: Alright, well, Merry Christmas, Jack.
There were three dots showing he was going to reply. Then they went away, then they were back, and then they went away. A knock came on the bathroom door, and Luke called for me.
Putting my phone in my purse, I sighed.
Jack was complicated, and I didn’t have time for that right now. I wanted to be a good friend, but I had a perfectly goodboyfriend on the other side of this door, waiting for me, and if Jack wanted to spend Christmas alone, then fine.
I pulled the door open, and Luke was standing there, giving me puppy-dog eyes.
“What’s that look for?” I smiled.
He peered up, and I followed his gaze to the mistletoe above us. He yanked me into his arms and I squealed in laughter. When his lips pressed on mine, I waited for that rush of adrenaline, desire, happiness. But it didn’t come.
It was just warm flesh and thoughts of Jack spending Christmas alone. And the wordsjust a waitressroaming around in my head.
I pulled back, shocked.
“You okay?” Luke asked, frowning.
I cleared my throat. “Yeah, yeah. Excited for the parade.”
