Jillian continued to tell him what she’d overcome to make Tangled Charms a reality. It amazed him how many hoops she’d had to jump through in order to open her own business. His own journey was beginning to look less daunting. Perhaps there were some other online resources he could try. Or maybe he could take on a partner like Jillian had done.
“Thanks for the advice.” He glanced at her.
“I don’t know that I would call it advice. But I hope it helps.” She smiled and a warmth grew in his chest. “I have a feeling this is all going to work out.”
Maybe he should adopt a bit of her optimism. What would it hurt?
A few minutes later, he pulled the caramelized butter from the stove and placed it a cold water bath. “While that cools, I’m going to get the eggs.”
“Don’t do that. It’s my fault. I’ll go.” She started to get up from where she was working on a sketch of a jewelry design.
“Stay. This is my project. I’ll do it.” He grabbed his jacket and slipped it on. “Is there anything else you need?”
“Not that I can think of.”
“I’ll be right back.” He grabbed his keys and headed for the door.
No matter how this Bake-Off turned out, he was going to have to figure out some special way to pay Jillian back for her generosity. She was a very special lady. Too bad he hadn’t let down his guard sooner—when she was still interested in him.
*
Knock. Knock.
That was funny. Jillian thought Avery should still be at the store. Perhaps he forgot something. But why was he knocking when he was welcome to just walk in?
She rushed over to the door and flung it open. “Hey, I was just thinking—”
The words died in her throat. It wasn’t Avery standing there. It was Glenn. What was he doing here?
The smile slipped from his face. “I take it I’m not who you were expecting.”
“I…uh, Glenn, why are you here?”
He stepped past her into the apartment without an invitation, sending the door closed behind him. “Did you get my roses?”
That was it? He was upset that she hadn’t called him and gushed about the roses? That would have happened if they were on good terms, but they were far from that.
“I got them, but I don’t know why you sent them.”
The expression on his face softened. “I told you I made a mistake.” And then he moved his arm from behind his back. He was holding a bouquet of white and red carnations. “I saw these and thought of you. I had to get them.” When she didn’t move to accept them, he said, “Go ahead. Take them.”
“I don’t want them.” Her voice was firm. He had no chance with her. “We’re over.”
His face creased with frown lines. “Why do you always have to be so difficult? This is why we broke up. Why can’t you just forgive me? After all, we wouldn’t have broken up if it weren’t for you.”
“Me?” Was he serious? It would be so easy to engage in an argument with him, but she refused to fall for his bait. He just wasn’t worth getting worked up over.
He nodded. “You’re just so stubborn. But I’m willing to forgive you. We can work this out.”
She opened the door. “It’s time you go.”
He moved to place the flowers on the kitchen counter. He turned for the door and then paused in front of her. “I know you’re angry now, but think about it. We’re perfect together. You’ll never find anyone who treats you as good as I do.”
Before she could close her gaping mouth and formulate a response, he was gone. That man had some nerve. She sent the door shut with a resounding thud. Why was he suddenly so interested in getting her back? Was he that oblivious to the fact she didn’t want him back? Not now. Not ever.
*
Jillian had company?
Avery didn’t recognize the upscale SUV sitting in the driveway when he returned to Jillian’s house. He couldn’t imagine Jillian would invite over one of her friends when they were in the middle of a baking lesson. He glanced toward Jillian’s mother’s house. The lights were on, so he assumed it was her guest.
He alighted from his pickup and leaned back inside to grab the bag containing the eggs and some snacks he recalled Jillian enjoying. It was then he heard approaching footsteps. He straightened and turned.
The man approaching him was the same man he’d seen kissing Jillian on the sidewalk the other day. But Jillian had told him she didn’t have a boyfriend. So what was this guy doing here?
“You must be Avery,” the man, wearing a dark suit with a wool overcoat and shiny dress shoes, said. The man oozed ego and money.
“I am.” Avery responded curtly. It was obvious the man had something on his mind.
The man’s eyes narrowed in on him. “You need to stay away from Jillian.”
Every muscle in Avery’s body tensed. “That’s not what Jillian wants.”
A muscle in the man’s cheek twitched. “I know she’s upset with me right now, but we will work things out. I already picked up the pieces after you broke her heart once. Don’t try it again.”
He broke Jillian’s heart? How was that possible? He’d never led her on. Not once. He’d made sure of it. But he had a feeling this man hadn’t been so cautious with Jillian’s feelings.
Avery leveled his shoulders and stared straight into the man’s eyes. “I’ll leave when Jillian asks me to.”
“You’ll regret this. Jillian is mine.” The man strode away and climbed in his vehicle.
Jillian was his?
Really? Since when did Jillian become some sort of possession? No one could own her. She was a strong woman, capable of fending for herself. Avery just hoped she never bought into this man’s warped thoughts.
Avery stood there until the man peeled off into the night. The thought of sweet and kind Jillian ending up with that jerk infuriated him. She deserved so much better.
Realizing he should check on her, he started up the walk. After a light tap of his knuckles on the door, he let himself inside. He didn’t see Jillian at the breakfast nook where she’d been earlier that evening.
And then he spotted her in the kitchen. “Hey, is everything okay?”
She turned from where she had poured herself a cup of coffee. “I take it you ran into Glenn in the driveway?”
“Yep. Saw him.”
“I, ah, hope he didn’t bother you.”
Avery was about to say something when he noticed the flowers on the counter. Apparently Jillian still had some sort of feelings for the man or she wouldn’t have kept his flowers. The thought didn’t sit well with him. Not at all.
“Everything is fine,” he said, knowing it was anything but fine.
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
Confusion reflected in her eyes, but thankfully she let the subject go. “There’s fresh coffee in the pot if you want some.”
The last thing he needed right now was caffeine. He was plenty pumped up and wide awake. In that moment, he realized he wanted to fight for Jillian.
The decision didn’t hit him like a bolt of lightning. Instead, it came to him gently as though he’d always known deep inside that they belonged together.
Now how would he convince Jillian?
Chapter Fourteen
It had been a great day.
Jillian smiled broadly Thursday afternoon. Not only had she completed the necklace and matching earrings for the fundraiser, but she had also put them up on display in her shop and five people had already bid on them. She’d set a starting amount, but it was bare minimum and she hoped people would be extra generous since all proceeds went to Harry’s House.
“What has you smiling this afternoon?” Suzanna asked.
Jillian paused. She was smiling? “I don’t know. I guess the week is going well.”
“Anything special?”
“No. And it doesn’t have to do with a guy if that’s what you were thinking. It’s just that the shop is doing well and so is our website. And th
e snow is falling—”
“Whoa. I have to stop you there. How do you equate snow to a good week?”
“Just because you don’t like snow doesn’t mean everyone feels the same way. I think it’s pretty. I’ve loved it since I was a kid.”
Suzanna shook her head. “I don’t know how you can like something that’s so cold and it makes a mess out of traffic. Oh, and it ruins my shoes if I forget my boots.”
“But it’s so tranquil when it falls. I just love watching the big fluffy flakes flutter to the ground. It blankets the earth in white, hiding the rough edges and smoothing things out.” When Suzanna continued to shake her head in disagreement, Jillian asked, “You mean you don’t like Frosty?”
“That’s not fair. Frosty isn’t real.” Suzanna moved to the front door and squirted cleaner on the glass. “I think we’re just going to have to agree to disagree on the subject of snow. So how’s your student doing?”
“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Jillian pointed toward his pickup pulling up in front of Tangled Charms.
“Oh, I wonder what he wants.” Suzanna grinned at her.
“I’m certain it’s nothing like the thoughts going round in your mind.”
Before they could continue their debate, Avery was at the door. Suzanna pushed it open and greeted him a little too jovially for Jillian’s taste. He was going to think they were talking about him—they had been but she didn’t want him to know it.
He stepped inside and brushed off the flakes of snow. “It’s really coming down out there.”
“I know. It’s beautiful,” Jillian said as casually as she could manage because right then her heart was beating rapidly. They hadn’t seen each other yesterday. She had been busy finishing the earrings for the auction and he’d said he wanted to do some more work in his kitchen. “Did you change your mind about baking tonight?”
He shook his head. “Not unless you think the cookies weren’t right—”
“I thought they were perfect,” Suzanna chimed in.
Jillian sent her a dirty look. “She’s right. They were delicious. You should win with them as long as you keep your eye on the butter.”
“And don’t burn it like I almost did the last time I tried to make them. Gotcha.” He continued to stare at her. “What has you in such a good mood?”
His presence. Not that she would admit that to him. “I finished my donation to the Harry’s House fundraiser.”
“That’s great.” He smiled, making his eyes twinkle.
Her stomach did a somersault. “Would you like to see it?”
He nodded and followed her over to the display in the middle of the showroom. He stared into the lit display. “The necklace is beautiful. It would look really nice on you. Maybe you should wear it for promotional purposes.”
Not that she wasn’t tempted, but she would never do such a thing. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
“You must have lots of this jewelry at home.”
“Actually I don’t.” When he arched a brow, she continued. “Everything I make is for the business. I figure one day when the business is secure, I’ll work on something for myself.”
“It’s too bad you have to wait that long. Maybe you should make something for yourself now. You know, a reward for opening the shop.”
“Maybe.” It was a nice thought, but she knew she wouldn’t do it. It wasn’t like she had anywhere to wear it since she’d sworn off men. “I’m sure you didn’t stop by to discuss jewelry. What did you need?”
“I was wondering if you were free tomorrow evening.”
“Did you want to get started on the next recipe?”
“I have something else in mind. I promise no recipes will be involved.”
Was he asking her for a date? She hadn’t been expecting this and she didn’t know what to say. Her mind told her to make any excuse possible to get out of it, but her heart was in direct contradiction.
“She’s available,” Suzanna interjected.
Avery smiled. “Is that right?”
Jillian stifled a groan and nodded. She had no idea what she’d just gotten herself into. “What should I wear?”
“Whatever. I just need your advice on something.”
“Advice? I guess I could try. What is it?”
“You’ll have to wait and see. You might want to bundle up. I’ll pick you up at, say, six. We can grab some dinner at FlintWorks.”
Was this really happening? Avery was asking her on a date? But then she recalled that he mentioned something about advice. Perhaps she’d once again let her hopes get the better of her.
He quickly departed and Jillian refused to discuss it with Suzanna. She didn’t need anyone else putting ideas in her head. She had enough of her own.
*
There was a heap of clothes on the bed.
Jillian had changed outfits five times until she settled on faded jeans and a light pink button top that Suzanna had given her for Christmas. Jillian had been saving it for a special occasion. She wore her hair straight down and she’d paid particular attention to her makeup, even adding some mascara, which she only did for special occasions.
She grabbed her white winter coat with the big faux-fur-trimmed hood, lined boots, and pink gloves. That should keep her warm and the combination didn’t look bad together either. Not that she was trying to impress Avery or anything.
Knock. Knock.
He was early again. She started to rush to the door, but then slowed herself, not wanting him to think she was too eager about their plans.
When she pulled the door open, the smile slipped from her face. “Mom, what are you doing here?”
Her mother’s brows drew together. “Who exactly were you expecting?”
Busted. “Avery.”
Her mother’s eyes widened. “You’re certainly seeing a lot of him these days. Do you think that’s a good idea?”
Jillian retraced her steps away from the cold air and away from her mother’s comments that had dampened her good mood. Her mother followed her, sending the door shut behind her. Jillian made a point of not arguing with her mother, but this was different. She didn’t understand why her mother was always down on Avery.
Jillian turned to her mother. “Why is it that you can like Glenn but not Avery?”
“It’s not a matter of liking one man more than the other.” Her mother pressed her lips together and glanced away.
“Why are you so against Avery? This isn’t new. You’ve been this way even when I worked for him. What did he ever do to you?”
“It’s not what he did to me. It’s what he did to you.”
Jillian pressed a hand to her chest. “To me?”
Her mother nodded.
“But I don’t understand. What did he do to me?”
Her mother frowned at her. “You surely don’t think he didn’t notice how crazy you were for him. No man is that oblivious.”
Jillian had the same thoughts, but she always shoved them aside or told herself she was letting her imagination get the better of her. “So what are you saying?”
“That if you are going to let yourself get pulled back into his world, you need to know his intentions upfront.”
Jillian didn’t want to hear this again. She’d been telling herself that she was over him—that she had nothing to worry about.
“You’re worried about nothing,” Jillian told her mother in what she hoped was a reassuring tone. “I already told you, I’m over him.”
Her mother sent her an I-don’t-believe-you look. “Jillian, I wouldn’t say this if I didn’t love you. I just don’t want you to set yourself up to get hurt again.”
Jillian told herself that her mother was just being overprotective, but even she was having a hard time buying that story. Her mother would be the first one to cheer on this relationship if she thought it would lead to marriage. So was her mother seeing something that Jillian had missed?
*
Dinner was nice.
; Perhaps too nice when he was aiming for an evening with a little more spark.
Avery maneuvered his pickup in the direction of the Crooked S ranch. He chanced a glance over at Jillian. She’d been chatty about the Bake-Off all through dinner at FlintWorks, but now that they were alone in his vehicle, she’d grown quiet and appeared lost in her thoughts.
After all Jillian had done to help him prepare for the Bake-Off, he felt guilty for dragging her away from her work and consuming so much of her time that he’d arranged for a special surprise for her. He’d planned every detail. He just hoped he hadn’t forgotten anything. But most of all, he hoped Jillian enjoyed it.
All around them was a winter wonderland. A blanket of snow covered most everything. Winter had settled in and didn’t look as though it would be leaving anytime soon. Though springtime was his favorite time of the year with the warmer temperatures and everything springing to life, there was something magical about a snowy evening.
When they approached the turnoff for the Crooked S Ranch, he slowed down. He wheeled the pickup into the two ruts in the snow. He’d made arrangements with Blake a couple of days ago to have everything ready when they arrived. To his surprise, Blake was more than willing to help him out.
“Avery, what are we doing here?” Jillian turned to him.
“You’ll find out very soon.” As much as he wanted to speed down the lane, he had to take his time with the snow and ice.
“Why are you being so mysterious?”
He shrugged. “Why not? Don’t you like surprises?”
“Sure. I like them when I know what they are.”
Avery laughed. “You do know that’s a contradiction, right?”
“What is?”
“Enjoying surprises only if you know what they are. If you know what it is, it’s not a surprise.”
“Fine. You win the debate. Just tell me what it is.”
He rounded the big red barn and pulled to a stop. “See for yourself.”
Jillian didn’t say a word for a moment as her gaze took in the sight before them. “We’re going for a sleigh ride?”
“We are.”
“But I thought you needed to get my opinion about something.”
Of course she’d remember that part. “I do. But you have to get in the sleigh before I ask you.”
Sprinkled with Love Page 13