They’d stopped at the diner for breakfast before going to see the wedding dress at Tyler’s mom’s shop.
Dabbing at her chin, Jena asked, “He told you that?”
“If by he, you mean Tyler, then no.” Riley stabbed a forkful of pancakes and shoved them into her mouth.
Jena waited for her to finish chewing, figuring the woman would spill about who told her after she was done, but she remained frustratingly quiet.
“Well, who was it?”
“Doesn’t matter. Are you? Because, honestly, Jena, I’d be offended if it were true.”
“It was merely brought up by…someone…and why would you be offended?” If Riley wasn’t naming names, then neither was she.
“Because the thought of my best friend and maid of honor thinking she would stay anywhere else but at the apartment she was already staying in would seriously piss me off. And it would especially piss me off if she even thought of trying to give us money for it. Because said BFF would know I would be the happiest person, and bride, in the world if she decided to be around up until my wedding day.”
“You do realize you just italicized the hell out of me there, right? I feel a little off-kilter right now.”
“Drink your coffee. Coffee cures everything.”
“Will it help your scary mood?”
“Probably not.”
Jena took Riley’s advice and sipped her coffee.
Tyler may not have told Riley directly, but he had to be the original source because Jena hadn’t said a word. It surprised her. She never figured him for a kiss and tell type of guy. Either Seeton was more ingrained in his soul than she’d thought, or he had an agenda, and Jena was pretty sure getting Riley to cheer on his suggestion was the end goal.
He was fast; she’d give him that. After their talk, and some convincing on Jena’s part, they agreed to part ways for the night to get some rest. Tyler had to work the next morning, and Jena needed to soak her sore muscles, knowing she’d be gallivanting around with Riley the next day. Tyler had tried tempting her with a soak-plus-benefits in his tub, but she needed the alone time to think. Apparently, he’d used some of his relaxation time to plant a bug in Dax’s ear, knowing his friend would run back and tell Riley.
“I’m not sure it’s such a smart idea anyway,” Jena said.
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t like living off my friends. I feel bad enough for mooching off my parents the last few months.”
Riley set her fork down and wiped her hands on the napkin in her lap. “That’s all the more reason to do it. You said yourself, your parents don’t need you at the restaurant, but I do need you here, Jena. Your help with the wedding is huge to me. Seriously, just knowing you’re around helps. And if you still feel bad, even though you shouldn’t, we can always use help at the bar.”
Jena eyed her friend.
“What?”
“How late did you stay up thinking about all of this?”
She waved her off. “I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
“How come?”
“Just everything. The wedding, my family being so far away, a missed period, updates we’re still working on for the bar—”
It took a second, but when Jena realized the bomb Riley tried to sneak in, she flinched backward in the booth. “Wait. Back the freakin bus up. Did you say a missed period?”
“I might have,” she said so softly, Jena practically had to read her lips.
“Holy shit, Riles.” People in the diner turned in their seats to glare at her. “Sorry,” she said in a whisper-yell as she leaned over the table. “I meant, holy shit, Riles. Seriously? You’re…pregnant?”
“Well, it’s only been a few days, and I haven’t gone in to see the doc, yet, so it’s not confirmed. But, I have this feeling, you know?”
“Was it planned? I mean, I just thought being before the wedding and all…”
“No, I know what you mean. It is somewhat of a surprise. We didn’t expect for it to happen so soon after I went off the pill. The doctor said it might take a while, so we started early, hoping it would happen right after we were married. We used condoms, but, well, one night, we got a little excited and didn’t think, so…”
“Hello, baby.” Jena filled in the blank. She shot her hands across the table and grabbed Riley’s wrists. “Oh, my God, Riles. A wedding and a baby. I’m so freakin happy for you. And Dax too, of course.”
“Well, it’s not confirmed, yet, but…” she smiled. No, she beamed, and it was then Jena noticed the glow on Riley’s cheeks.
Everything was falling into place for Riley, and Jena was ecstatic for her. She deserved all the happiness coming her way. And for Jena to be there in the flesh, to see the twinkle of excitement in her friend’s eyes? The moment was priceless.
Now decisions were much easier to make too.
“That settles it then,” she said with a squeeze of Riley’s wrists. “I’m staying.”
***
Jena felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was staying in Seeton until the wedding. The choices before were deemed as either running away or blindly following her heart. Neither had seemed like a safe, secure bet that wouldn’t have left her wondering if she’d made the right decision. Riley’s news was like fate stepping in and tipping the scales.
A bell sounded from over the door as Riley and Jena bounced into the seamstress shop, giddy with excitement, their mood clearly changed from earlier that morning. As they made their way past racks of clothes and shelves with bolts of fabric, the vibe gained more momentum with the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.
“Cookies,” Riley said, seemingly hypnotized.
Lynn stood behind a counter in the center of the shop, chuckling. “Leave it to you to sniff out the goods, Riley. How are you, sweetie?” She stepped around the counter and gave Riley a hug.
“I’m good, Lynn. How are you?” Riley nearly got poked in the chin by a pencil sticking out of the bun at the nape of Lynn’s neck.
“Wonderful, dear. I’m wonderful. Jena, nice to see you again.”
She dodged the unintentional weapon as Lynn gave her a similar hug. “It’s good to see you too.”
Mrs. Cole and Riley made small talk about the progress of the wedding plans, while Jena stood by and listened. Well, half listened. She couldn’t stop worrying about what Tyler’s mom thought of her showing up at his house the other night. Did she think Jena was a crazy stalker after her son? Did she assume they’d slept together that night? Crap, this was Seeton. Did she know?
Those thoughts led her to remember Lynn whispering into Tyler’s ear that night: Get her to stay.
Was it a coincidence Tyler made the suggestion to do exactly that? Had they planned this together? How much did Lynn Cole know about their relationship?
Jena felt a pain in her rib and realized it came from Riley’s elbow. “Huh?”
“Lynn asked if you were okay.”
Realizing Mrs. Cole wore the same pinched expression as Riley, Jena straightened and forced a smile. “Oh, yes. I’m fine. Just excited to see this dress.”
“Well, then, let me go grab it from the back,” Lynn said. “Along with the cookies.”
Riley sighed. “You’re an angel.”
The second Lynn was out of sight, Riley backhanded her on the arm. “What was that?”
“What was what?” she asked, rubbing the spot.
“You completely zoned out. What were you thinking about?”
Jena shook her head, trying to shake it off as nothing, not wanting to put a damper on Riley’s special time. When she saw the look of utter determination on her friend’s face, she knew she wasn’t getting out of it. “I feel awkward around Tyler’s mom, you know? I mean, what if she knows what’s going on between us.”
“Well, duh,” Riley said, eyebrow raised. “Of course, she knows. It’s Seeton.”
She dropped her gaze to the floor. “I’m so embarrassed.”
�
�Stop it. You and Tyler are a thing. Everybody knows it, and that’s okay. It’s awesome actually. And if Lynn Cole had a problem with it, believe me, you’d know it.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. I once witnessed her tell a chick to stop sniffing around Wade because she, and I quote, wasn’t woman enough for her son. Like I said, if she didn’t want you with Tyler, she’d let you know. She definitely wouldn’t bake cookies for you.”
“I think those cookies are for you, Riles.”
“Oh, no. I’ve been in here countless times, and not once has there been any cookies.”
“Did she know we were coming?”
“Yep. Told her we’d probably be stopping in today when she called to tell me the alterations were done.”
Jena didn’t know whether to be happy or scared shitless. Having Tyler’s mom rooting for them as a couple might make things harder to deal with after the wedding when she’d probably be going back home.
Wait, probably?
“Here we go.” Lynn walked out, holding up the dress in one hand and a plastic bin of cookies in the other.
“Oh, my God,” Riley cried. Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, the bride-to-be went not for the dress she would wear on the day of her wedding, but straight for the tub of cookies, relieving Mrs. Cole and holding it up to her nose. She cooed at the baked goods like newborn babies and then snatched one out before shoving the bin at Jena. “Look, peanut butter.”
Wondering if Tyler’s mom somehow knew they were her favorite kind of cookie, Jena grabbed one. “They smell wonderful.” She took a bite, her teeth sinking easily into the peanut-buttery goodness, and then letting it melt on her tongue. With a satisfied moan, she finished it off in twenty seconds flat. “Lynn, these are delicious.”
“Thank you, dear. They’re Tyler’s favorite.”
“Mine too.”
She winked. “Have as many as you like.” Turning her attention to the plastic garment bag in her hand, she pulled the zipper down its length. “Riley, let’s show your friend what a beautiful dress you’ve picked out.”
Excitement sparked in Riley’s eyes as Lynn unveiled the dress, and when it was completely out of the covering, Jena could see why. A sleeveless illusion neckline gave way to filigreed flower patterns over the beaded bodice and waistline. The A-line chiffon skirt, with a hidden slit up one leg, appeared light and airy down its long length, ending with a short train. Both radiant and elegant, the dress was stunning.
“Oh, Riles.” Tears filled Jena’s eyes. “It’s perfect.”
Lynn hung it up on a rack near the counter, facing forward so they could see the whole of it on display.
Riley moved to stand in front of the gown and brushed her fingers over the beading. “Yeah?”
Stepping next to her friend, Jena did the same, admiring the intricate details. “It’s going to be gorgeous on you.”
With a brilliant smile, Riley became lost in the beauty of the dress, or more likely, the power of what the dress symbolized. True love and happiness ever after. At least, that’s what it symbolized to Jena.
“Well, don’t make her wait, Riley,” Lynn said. “Go put it on. I need to see if there are any more adjustments that need to be made anyway.”
“Okay.” She let out an excited giggle, grabbed the dress off the rack, and headed to the back room—leaving Jena alone with Lynn. Tyler’s mom. The one who knew everything.
“Maybe I should go help her—”
“She’s fine,” Lynn said with a wave of her hand. “We can zip her up when she comes out. Let’s talk, Jena.”
And cue the anxiety attack. Was she going to get the speech about not being woman enough for her son? But she’d made cookies. Jena knew parents who lured their kids in with sweet talk only to catch them in lies. Was that her tactic?
“The cookies are really good, Mrs. Cole.” Oh, good Lord, am I five again.
She smiled. “Thank you, Jena. I’m glad you like them. But, remember? Call me Lynn.”
“Or mom,” Jena blurted. Seriously. Stop. Talking.
Lynn’s eyes crinkled at the corners, the same way Tyler’s did when he smiled. “Yes, or mom, if you prefer. Relax, Jena. I’m not going to warn you off my son. In fact, I hear you might be sticking around Seeton now, is that true?”
How in the world could the woman know that? She’d only made the decision before they came to the shop. Maybe she simply knew about Tyler’s suggestion and was feeling her out. “Until the wedding, yes. After that—”
“I also heard you were interested in starting up a daycare someday, right?”
Jesus, were there hidden microphones planted around Seeton? Jena had never known a place where word traveled so fast. Hell, she wouldn’t be surprised if they already knew what she’d be having for dinner tonight, or the color underwear she’d wear tomorrow.
“Yes, someday,” Jena answered.
“And I imagine that’s tough to do in the city.”
“It is.”
After several uncomfortable moments, Lynn pushed the bucket of cookies across the counter toward her. “I have a proposition for you, Jena. What if I let you rent out this shop for a test trial?”
Her eyebrows pinched together. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
“I’m retiring. And since no one in the family does seamstress work, I’m forced to sell the shop. I spent many years here. Hard work, dedication, blood, sweat, lots of tears. I did it all for my dream, and it paid off. There are so many good memories that came from this place. I don’t want to sell it to any Joe Schmo in town. I want my shop to give someone the same chance it gave me. Someone with a dream. You, Jena, if you’ll accept it.”
Holy shit. Never in a million years, did she see that coming. “But isn’t there anyone else you know who might want it? I mean, I don’t even live in Seeton.”
Lynn smiled as if Jena’s argument was futile. “I know, dear. And you would have to if you agree to this. It’s the perfect opportunity. Fate, if you will. My retiring and you needing a place to jumpstart your career. I have a good feeling about you, Jena, and your daycare idea. You have to admit, Seeton needs one more than the city does. We could work with Chris to make it affordable for you, especially starting out. I’m even willing to give you a few months free so you can get your feet wet. It’s the kind of offer I was given when I started. Think about it. You don’t have to decide today. But I would like an answer sometime before the wedding as my husband and I are eager to get traveling. If you don’t take the offer, I’ll need to sell the shop, and that could take a while.”
Jena was overwhelmed. It was too much, and yet, everything she’d been dreaming about seemed to be wrapped up in a pretty bow. But the gift was sitting on an offering table four hundred miles away from the life she knew. Could she make the change? Should she? All of a sudden, her dreams appeared within reach, and just as suddenly, she was terrified of going for it.
Riley’s timing was impeccable as she entered from the backroom, wearing the beautiful wedding gown, shimmering like a bright light in the fog. “Okay, someone needs to zip me up.”
As Tyler’s mom moved to help Riley, Jena reacted. “No, please. Let me do it.”
After zipping up the back of the dress, Riley spun and gazed at Jena and Lynn, her smile glowing. “So, what do you think?”
She beamed back at her friend, tears once again in her eyes, and this time free-falling. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect.”
The whole damned town seemed to be perfect. Which helped to confuse Jena even more.
CHAPTER TWENTY
It had been a slow day at the firehouse. Surprisingly, having nothing to do but clean and go on safety check runs for eight hours didn’t bother Tyler. In fact, he welcomed the chance to sit back and remember his long, erotically pleasurable night with Jena. Those memories led to new ones he wanted to create. Before he knew it, he’d spent the whole day daydreaming of the woman.
Now that the day was almost over, he was r
estless. As much as Jena was on his mind, he thought he’d be on hers as well, but she hadn’t reached out to him at all. She had plans with Riley to see the wedding dress, and maybe they’d tackled other errands throughout the day, but she could have, at least, sent a text. Okay, so he didn’t make an effort either, but he was trying to give her space to think about the plan he’d proposed. It was a big decision, more complicated than simple geography. He longed to tip the scales, prove how much he wanted her to stay and make it worthwhile, but she needed to decide on her own, for both their sakes.
What compelled him to even voice the suggestion, he had no clue. But once it was out there, Tyler realized it was what he’d wanted all along; so he left the ball in her court. Now, sitting alone at Beckett’s with a beer in hand, he contemplated jumping over the net, stealing the ball back, and bullying her to forfeit.
The bottle was at his lips when someone slapped him on the back of the shoulder, jerking his hand and spilling beer down his chin, shirt, and ultimately his lap.
A deep chuckle sounded in his ear. “Rough day, princess?” Dax, grasping Tyler’s shoulders, leaned to the side and shot him a sinister grin.
“Asshole,” Tyler grunted as he grabbed a napkin from the bar and dabbed it at the stains on his clothes. “You owe me a beer on the house now.”
“Worth it.”
Dax disappeared into the back room and came out to stand in front of his friend behind the bar. “What’s up?”
“Nothing. Just got off work. Having a few beers before I head home.”
“Mmm hmm. Hoping to catch a glimpse of the maid of honor?”
Tyler pretended to be only slightly interested. “Oh, is she coming here?”
“Maybe. Surprised you don’t know. Aren’t you two a thing now? When you’re in a thing, you should know.”
“Who said we were a thing?”
“You. When you used me as your go-between to persuade Jena to stay in town until the wedding. Which I didn’t appreciate, by the way. Playing cupid really isn’t my gig.”
“Oh, please. I’ve seen you with Riley. All of Seeton has seen you with Riley. It’s pretty pathetic.”
Full Potential: (A Heart of Seeton Novel) Page 16