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She let out a quiet breath in relief.
“Okay, maybe she is hiding,” he grumbled. “But give her some time. I really think she’s going to come around. Soon.”
Jess dropped her hands and scooted away from him. Far away.
Another throaty, weighted sigh from her father. “I hope so, son.”
She curled in on herself and shoved her face in her knees.
“Tell her we love her, will you?” Dakota asked.
“Absolutely. Have a great day, both of you.”
The two of them remained like statues, up until Kevin finally shifted to her, looking down.
“Fuck you,” she grunted, standing up. “How dare you not tell me that my father came to the shop. You promised me you would not lie to me anymore.”
For the first time in her history of knowing Kevin, he looked livid, and all his anger was directed at her. It was unsettling. “Jess, how else would you have liked me to handle it, huh? Did you want me to tell you he was standing outside the shop and pull you out there with me?”
She wrung her hands. “The customer the other day…with the kanelbullar and the caramel macchiato.”
He nodded, his face still stony. “Yes, that was him.”
She crossed her arms and held them tight to her chest, tearing her gaze from his. Her father and Dakota were no longer in sight, swallowed by the growing crowds.
“Also, I did not lie,” Kevin said, his tone defensive.
She sniffed. “Did he say anything to you then?”
He exhaled. “He asked how things were going, and how you were.”
She gazed back at him. He no longer looked angry, but his expression was dim. She shifted back and forth, waiting for him to continue.
“I didn’t lie to him, Jess,” he admitted. “I told him that the shop was getting more business and we needed to keep up that momentum. And I told him that you seemed happy, despite everything.”
She frowned. “What does that mean?”
“I think he knows you left Charlie.”
“Dakota probably told him. I admitted it to her and Jasper when they stopped by.”
Kevin nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“I’m sorry,” she huffed. “You’re right. You made the right call. I’m sorry you had to get in the middle of this.”
“I sort of knew I would be, though, with the list and all.”
She nodded and looked down at her clogs.
Kevin stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, tucking her tight against his chest. “Whenever you’re ready, however long it takes, I will be here for you.”
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled back. “Thank you for being my friend. For being patient with me. Even when I’m a complete and total bitch.”
“I’ll accept your apology, only if you promise never to call yourself that again.”
“But I am…”
“No, you’re not,” he said. He stretched his arms out and placed his hands in his favorite spot—at her shoulders. “You may be stubborn sometimes, Jess, but you’re also resilient. I don’t know much about what happened between you and your family, but I can see how much pain you’re in because of it. There’s probably a lot to process through, and it’s okay to be patient with yourself as you do it.”
