“What? This song makes me do it.”
“And it makes me do this,” he said, grasping their floury hands together and pulling her into a dance. They fell into step, swaying to the melody, bumping hips, clapping, and laughing. He dipped her and watched her smile as she came back up to meet his gaze. Their smiles faded as they stood face to face, hand in hand, their breathing fast. He leaned closer. The yeasty scent mixed with the heady one of their bodies near enough to feel her warm breath on his mouth. Another inch and he could kiss her...
She looked down and stepped back, bumping into the stainless island. “Uh...what’s next?”
“We’ve Got Tonight,” another Kenny and Dolly duet, played. He sang along, “‘...I know your plans don’t include me...’” Was she lonely too? Did she want to stay? These were real questions he had, that he could ask and pretend it was just the song.
“‘I long for love, like anyone else...’” she sang along, her wobbly voice joining his. Her serious expression turned troublemaking, and she flicked flour at him. Soon, they’d made a mess, each covered with flour dust and chasing each other around the island.
She stopped, facing the big clock on the wall. “Is it that late? I’ve got to go.”
“Going to turn into a pumpkin?” he asked jokingly.
She grimaced. “I’ve got a schedule to keep. I’m not on vacation. I’ll help you clean up, though.”
“You don’t have to. I wouldn’t want to put a wrench in your plans.”
“I wouldn’t offer if I couldn’t do it.” Seemed like an apology, not that one was needed, exactly.
He nodded and offered her a towel. They dusted off, and she wiped down the counters while he swept.
“You’re easy to work with,” he said.
“Thanks, so are you. I had fun.”
“Same. Meet me here in the morning, so you can try the success of what you thought would fail? I’ll brew you up a pumpkin spice latte too.” Mrs. G had told him that Jena liked those. It was something else they had in common.
“Message received. Throw in some of Mrs. G’s maple bacon and I’m game.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Or would that bother you, as a vegetarian? How about some soy sausages instead?”
“I think both could be arranged.” He’d double-check the fridge. “Six-thirty too early?”
“I’m always up at five-thirty, even on weekends.”
“You’d do well on the ranch.” He placed the bagels into the fridge and spotted what they needed for tomorrow. Facing her, he took her in again. She fidgeted with her sweater, which she’d slipped back on.
“I grew up on one. Getting up early has been a good habit.”
He nodded. Sometimes she seemed kind of rigid. But it had probably helped make her successful, and who she was. And it was clear from tonight that she could share in the kind of fun he liked to have. “Okay if I walk you out?” he asked.
She furrowed her brow. “Okay.”
He picked up her toolbox and she got her bag. They walked out the back. He propped the door and they strolled to her car.
“See you in the morning,” she said, her breath visible in the air, a vapor that appeared and was gone. She placed her things in the back and faced him. Then, in a flash, she kissed his cheek and hopped in her car.
He couldn’t help the probably goofy smile that broke out on his face. Her lips had been soft, her breath warm, the gesture sweet. He put up his hand in goodbye and watched her drive off. Whistling, he strode back inside. It might take hours to come down from this high, or maybe he’d just enjoy it as it was. Either way, tomorrow was going to be a good day. With Jena.
Chapter Five
Jena woke at her usual time. But she didn’t feel as usual. What had happened to her last night?
Someone called Grant Manning, and his silliness, his quiet charm, his kindness, his cuteness, had happened.
But she had her schedule, her to-do list. And he wasn’t on it past breakfast. So, she’d let herself enjoy breakfast, keeping in mind they may be working together on the renovation, and that it was just one meal together. But from the jitters in her stomach, her body disagreed.
After doing her morning stretches, hygiene routine, and checking her phone and work emails, she walked over to Gallagher’s Café in her uniform of jeans, a tee, and a sweater. The new sun illuminated the town with warm light in the cold morning air. Trees along the river shed their leaves in a fiery display of color, and the planters on Main Street echoed that with colorful chrysanthemums. Though it wasn’t officially fall yet, this was the time it showed itself. By the fall solstice, snow would blanket the town off and on, leading into a long winter.
“Morning!” Grant called from the side of the building. “Ready for an amazing breakfast?”
“That’s big talk.” She could be a little teasing, right? That wasn’t romantic or anything.
He shrugged with a smile. “Come in.” He ushered her into the back door. The café wouldn’t open until eight. “I already boiled the bagels and they’re in the oven. Bacon’s on. Sausages in the oven. And here’s your pumpkin spice latte.” He motioned to the stainless island, where place settings were laid out with a single red rose in a bud vase.
Single red rose. The hallmark of a romantic gesture. She slid onto one of the stools, her stomach sinking. No one had ever gone to this kind of trouble for her.
Except her brother on her eighteenth birthday. She really needed to call John. They hadn’t parted on the best of terms, but somehow being with Grant made her remember the good times, and how she missed her brother.
So maybe Grant was just... Maybe a red rose was all he could find at this time of year.
“I can only take a short break, as I’ve got more breads to bake for today.”
“Sounds busy.” So was she. She had a schedule. Weekends were when she did special tasks and errands, and caught up with friends and family.
“I’ve already been here awhile, so there’s not much more to do. I’d like your company.” He met her gaze as he stood by the oven.
“Here I am.” Dishes and sounds clinked out front. “Mrs. G here?” She looked to the door.
“Out front with a couple of staff. They’re prepping for the day.” He checked the bacon and then opened the oven.
“Smells amazing in here. I’ve never had a homemade bagel before. Just out of packages.”
“Should be a treat.” He placed the baking sheets with the lightly browned rings on the cooling rack, then transferred the bagels to another rack.
“You’re rocking that apron, by the way.” She tried to keep her tone serious, but she couldn’t help the giggle that ran through it. Not that she was laughing at him, but at the giddy feeling she got seeing him all morning-fresh, his hair combed neatly, his sleeves rolled, with that starched white apron on. There was something almost sexy about him like this that made her stomach go all dance party again.
She was all over the place, like she used to get during stressful times with her family. One moment they’d be having a good time, and the next, some conflict would come up and they’d be arguing.
She took some breaths. Grant wasn’t her family, and they’d been resolving things. Fun didn’t have to lead to conflict, or romance. It could just be fun. She had that with her friends, especially Alice. Whatever this was with Grant, she’d move on with her day after the meal.
He met her gaze again, frowning, but this faded when he studied her for a moment. “Thanks. Ready to eat? What do you like on your bagel?”
“More than ready. What have you got?”
“Butter, jam, cream cheese, smoked salmon, veggies, you name it.”
“Mango chutney?”
He stopped and looked at her again with a puzzled expression. She laughed. Some of the tension slid off her. “Kidding. Salmon and cream cheese would be amazing.”
He joined her laughter. “Same.” He brought plates to the island. Then he cut a couple bagels while she si
pped her latte.
“Did you make this latte?”
“Yeah.”
He sure was a multitalented man. She liked that about him. “Did you take cooking classes or something?”
“Actually, yeah. The twins—they’re two years older than me—we all did online school. I had the freedom to take different things, and our cook liked having my help. It was fun, and it comes in handy when staff has days off. My older brothers have a limited repertoire.”
Grant wasn’t what she’d expected at all, not that she’d given him a lot of thought. He was surprising, and this at once excited and scared her. Predictability had become her safety zone.
Her friend Alice had once pointed out that excitement and fear were bedfellows. She hadn’t believed her, but in this moment, she understood. She didn’t like it, but she got the concept.
Jena munched alternately on bacon, sausage, and bagel. “This is so good,” she said between bites. She had to give credit where it was due.
“Thanks. And see, I’m eating yours.” He held up her misshapen first attempt. “Tastes great.”
She nodded. He was right; she’d thought her failure would ruin the batch, but it was fine, a success even. That party in her turned into a slow shimmy, pleasurable and unexpected. He was an unusual guy. He cooked and baked, he liked Star Trek, he was easy to talk to, and they had fun together. When he wasn’t being all flaky about plans. But that was abstract so far. Their interactions had made her want to spend more time with him. Would that really be a problem? They were two twentysomethings who were unattached and attracted to each other.
Alice would say to go for it. But Alice had a lot more confidence about dating than Jena did. Jena’d dated, but it had always taken a backseat to achieving her goals.
“Excuse me,” he said. He hopped up and pulled more breads out of the oven and placed them on the large metal cooling rack. Then he sat back down. He reached for her hand, but just grazed her fingers. A reddish tint blushed up his throat into his jawline. His strong, handsome jawline.
Their gazes locked and she returned the quick touch of fingertips. Her insides had that frantic party thing happening again. She swallowed and broke whatever spell this was. She had no time for magic or parties or romance. Not that Grant was saying any of that.
“I...I’d like to spend more time with you. Today. Want to explore with me? Explore where things could go between us?” His words were quick and followed by a swallow of coffee and a nervous smile.
He’d kind of just said it now. Where could things go? Her stomach dropped again at his vagueness and the implications. “Are you usually this spontaneous? Don’t you have things to do about the property or something?”
He shrugged. “It’ll all get done.”
Maybe with six older brothers and a full staff like she’d heard they had at Manning Ranch, things would get done. But in her world, things didn’t get done unless she planned and worked and followed through. She didn’t like the sense of resentment toward him at the conflict in her. Didn’t he know she had things to do? It felt like he was offering some temptation that would just derail her.
“Have some fun,” she could hear Alice and John saying to her. But fun wasn’t how she’d gotten where she was, and fun wouldn’t keep her there.
“Thanks for breakfast, but I have a lot I need to accomplish today. Thanks for the invite. I’ll have Luke contact you.”
He dipped his head and kept eating. After a few minutes, he smiled slightly and nodded. “Sure, of course.”
Her brow furrowed. She really did like him... “I’ll see you around?”
“Yeah.” He met her gaze. “How about meeting up when you have time?”
She pulled out her phone and checked her schedule. Her hand shook slightly. She liked being sure, not nervous. “I won’t know until I find out what Luke says about your project.”
“Okay.” He had a defeated look, his head dipping, that made her want to reassure him.
But she couldn’t, as she didn’t know what he wanted beyond spending time together, and she couldn’t tell him they could when she didn’t have a firm work schedule for the week. But she wanted to spend time with him too.
Why did stuff like this have to get complicated so fast? She wasn’t used to all these conflicting feelings.
She finished her bagel and savored the last of the latte before glancing at her watch. She had her weekly call with Alice, and the checklist of tasks after that. “I better go.”
“Yeah. Have a good one.”
“You too.” That party in her stomach had turned into a throbbing ache. She didn’t want to leave. But she didn’t want to get off track, either. If she didn’t get things done, she’d fall behind.
She waved and gathered her things. He held the door for her. He smelled like fresh bread and spruce tea and she leaned closer, wanting the warmth that settled in her at his closeness. She shook her head and hurried out, into the cold morning air. The door clicked shut behind her and all the warmth in her seemed to evaporate like her breath misted.
Jena Raines, you are not this emotional. But the feelings wouldn’t go away. Hurrying back to her apartment, she tried to steel herself for her weekly call with Alice.
At eight, as usual, the phone rang. After greetings, Alice made a clicking sound.
“What’s up with you? You sound different. Upset even.”
Jena paced. Hey, it would increase her steps for the day. “Let’s talk about you. How’s your weekend?”
“Taking Grandma to a Tribal elders meeting tonight. It’s pretty much a family weekend around here. School’s going well, and I have two coffee dates later in the week.” Unlike Jena, Alice had gone on from community college to a BS in Ecology to an MS program in Environmental Studies. Her pause lengthened, Alice’s form of a mic drop and a friendly jab at Jena for her lack of dates. “Are we on for next weekend? You said you were taking me to lunch.” Alice had that tease in her voice that made Jena smile.
“You know me. Reliable.” It was starting to feel like that was all she was. A one-dimensional character instead of a full person. “Noon, right? We’ll go to Gallagher’s?”
Dolly had hired Alice again to give tours next weekend of the native plant garden she’d planned and created at Dolly’s bookshop, so it seemed a good opportunity to see her friend. Since Alice had transferred to the university, they didn’t see each other much. Alice was busy with school and her even busier social life, and her family and Tribal community. Jena smiled wider. She couldn’t be like Alice, but she admired her just the same. It took a lot to do as much as Alice did and keep it all in decent balance.
“Sounds good,” Alice said, pulling her back to their conversation. “Are you going to make me wait til then to know what’s going on with you?”
Jena leaned against the window frame of her second-floor apartment. Gallagher’s was visible in the corner of her vision.
“I met someone I like.” When she’d been with Grant, she’d been full, vibrant. But also confused and conflicted.
“Who?” Alice clinked something. Probably stirring honey into her coffee.
“Grant Manning. Youngest Manning brother. He’s...not like I would’ve expected. He made me breakfast this morning. Last night, we hung out and made bagels. He might be hiring us to work on a property he’s buying, so I’m thinking I shouldn’t do anything about it. I already turned him down for spending the day together, but I’ll probably see him around while he’s here.”
“Woman, do I need to call your brother on you? I can tell you’re getting in that single-focus mindset. You can be successful and have fun. You did have fun with him?”
“A lot.” Jena worried at her nail then paced again. Her throw rug would get a hole in it at this rate. “But he’s too...spontaneous. I mean, he doesn’t even have a plan.”
Alice laughed. “He sounds like he could be good for you. Has he put you down or anything for who you are?” Alice had disliked Jena’s last boyfriend for that.
“What’s stopping you, then?” Sometimes Alice could be too direct for Jena’s comfort.
But comfort wasn’t the most important thing. Security and contentment were, for Jena.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Throw some action in there, too.” There was a pause, probably Alice sipping her coffee. Usually Jena would be having a cup too, but she was already too wired from emotion.
“Yeah, I will.”
“Good. And Grandma said to remind you about the dinner in a couple of weeks.”
“It’s on my calendar. I wouldn’t miss it.”
“I should’ve known. Watch out, because she said she’s going to stuff you with food, so come hungry. Or, you know, you could bring a guest to help you eat all the goodies.”
Jena laughed, releasing some of the tension that had been tightening her belly. “I don’t know about that, but thanks. See you next week.”
“See you,” Alice said before ending the call.
Jena tapped her phone to her chin. None of this stuff with Grant was in her plans. Part of her wanted to go back to life as usual. But another part wanted to dive into these feelings the way she used to follow her brother at a run into the lake they used to visit, both of them shouting and laughing as they leaped and dove into the water below.
She wasn’t that kid anymore, though. She pulled up her schedule for the day and ticked off the first few items. It was time to get back to business.
Chapter Six
It had been a week since his Kenny Rogers Friday night dance party with Jena.
Saturday, they’d had their bagel breakfast. He’d felt brushed off, but he’d decided to persist. He liked Jena, and nothing about what she’d said had convinced him she didn’t feel the same. There was a connection, an attraction, between them.
So, he’d talked to Mrs. G again, and to Jena’s uncle, and whoever else he could, not asking questions outright, but he’d come away with useful information all the same.
Saturday afternoon, he’d run into her at Careys’ General Store, where Mrs. G said she went every Saturday afternoon. They’d talked while shopping, and she’d let him help carry her purchases home. But only to the bottom door to her apartment building.
Sweet Fall Page 3