His mother’s step faltered. “What does she have to say?”
“Just that she’d like to see me.”
“And wouldn’t you like to see her?”
J.P. thumbed his jaw and slipped his cell phone into his back pocket. “Of course, I’d like to see her. But I’m busy working on our booth for the fair.”
“Isn’t that something she should be helping with? Last I checked, you two were partners for that.”
“I want it to be a surprise.”
Pearl swiveled her head to give her son a long look. “Is she aware of this?”
“Is she aware that I’m working on it without her? Or that I want it to be a surprise?”
“Either/or.”
He bent to pick up his hammer from the ground and dropped the handle into the loop on his tool belt. “I haven’t really talked to her much in the last few days.”
“You haven’t eventalkedto her?” Pearl’s volume rose steeply.
“I mean, we’ve texted. But I’m purposefully trying to avoid her so I don’t spill the beans. You know I can’t keep a secret, Mom. And this is a big one.”
“Do you really think now is a good time to do that?” his mother questioned him in the same tone she used to take when scolding J.P. as a boy. He had his back to her—she had been following J.P. around like a puppy while he tidied up his makeshift construction area—but he didn’t need to turn around to confirm the scowl on her face. It was there in her voice, like an audible, disapproving frown.
“I obviously don’tlikeavoiding her,” he reasoned, moving to tuck a section of the booth under a thick blue tarp to keep it hidden. Pearl grabbed hold of the other edge to secure it in place. “But once I see the reaction on her face when I do the big unveiling…” His focus went back to the imagery he could so easily conjure up in his head. He looked off in the distance for a beat before snapping back into the here and now. “It will all be worth it. You’ll see.”
“I know she’s going to love this, J.P.,” Pearl affirmed. “But I doubt she loves being ignored. Communication is so important, especially in the beginning stages of a relationship.”
J.P. bristled. “We’re not in a relationship.”
“You mean to tell me you don’t care about that woman?”
“Of course I care about her. We just haven’t really talked about any relationship stuff yet. It’s too early for that.”
Saying nothing for a breath, Pearl regarded her son with a heartfelt expression of understanding. “I know you’re a little gun shy when it comes to romance. It’s understandable. Kenzie did a number on you. But if you think Nora is someone you can picture yourself with, then you should tell her that.”
J.P. unhooked his tool belt and slung it over his shoulder. “That’s sort of what I’m trying to do here. With this booth for the fair.”
“Your grand gesture?”
“In a way.” He wobbled his shoulders. “I’m just hoping it translates.”
“I think it will,” Pearl said. “But I also think words are important. I wouldn’t ignore Nora for too long. You just might find she’s not around when you’re finally ready to talk.”
Why hadthe conversation with his mother felt like a cautionary tale and a threat all mixed in one? Did she have some information J.P. didn’t?
He knew women didn’t like to be ignored. But that sentiment wasn’t reserved just for the female population. He had hated it when Kenzie would outright disregard his presence when they were out for a nice meal or even spending time with friends. She always had something occupying her thoughts, and it was rarely J.P.
His mother was right—it wasn’t fair to keep Nora in the dark, but he couldn’t think of an alternative. He never let her texts go fully unanswered, but sometimes the responses weren’t prompt, and they were always surface-level and short.
He was about to fix that.
Howie’s Hardwarewas crowded for so late in the day, and J.P. attributed that to the approaching summer festival. He knew he wasn’t the only one overly invested in his booth. If the barren lumber aisle was any indication, volunteers were well underway constructing their spaces for the event.
But J.P. wasn’t here for supplies.
It took him a minute to find her. He had been peering down every aisle, scanning each section with his eyes peeled for a yellow half-apron and mop of dark hair. He hadn’t thought to look higher, so he almost didn’t see the forklift barreling toward him until it practically clipped his side.
