by Melody Grace
“Reeve is not my destiny.” Jules vowed immediately. “He’s the bump in the road on my way to… somewhere,” she said. “A handsome obstacle, but still. Trouble. The kind that blows out your tires and leaves you stranded in the rain.”
“You mean, like the night you met?” Evie reminded her with a smirk. “Which led to you sharing a hot, steamy, epic kiss?”
“Stop it!” Jules groaned, burying her face in her hands. “I’m trying to forget how good that guy is in the kissing department.”
“And how’s that working out for you?”
Jules gave a wistful sigh. “Not great.”
She’d been second-guessing her romance-free summer enough during the bachelorette party, watching Reeve circulate, turning on the charm. He was at ease in the group, handsome and funny, and he even took Aunt June’s teasing in stride. But seeing him down by the vines, talking about the vineyard with such respect and intensity… That kind of care and attention was rare in a man, and it had almost made her fragile thread of self-control snap.
Almost.
But she’d made her pledge for a reason. She couldn’t break it now.
Could she?
“We need a girls’ night,” she declared, trying to keep her mind off Reeve’s smoldering blue eyes.
“Wasn’t the bachelorette enough for you?” Evie asked, looking surprised. “I heard it was pretty wild.”
“For Sweetbriar Cove, maybe.” Jules grinned. “They almost drank the vineyard dry. Aunt June wanted to lead a tantric sex workshop, but thankfully Natalie shut things down before the kaftans started coming off.”
Evie laughed. “I’m glad it was a success. And yes, I’d love to do something. My last guests just checked out, and Noah’s working a late shift at the firehouse, so I have a whole evening free.” She reached for the local paper, and began to browse the listings.
“And how are things going with our smokin’ local firefighter?” Jules asked, glancing over. “En fuego?”
Evie shook her head. “Are you ever going to quit with the fire puns?”
“Don’t throw cold water on me now!” Jules nudged her with her toe. “Come on, I need to live vicariously through all your romantic exploits, since mine are off the table for now.”
Evie smiled. “It’s good. Great. I never thought I could be happy like this again.”
Jules smiled back, glad. Evie had lost her first husband in a car accident almost three years ago, and she’d come through a dark time before starting a new chapter here in Sweetbriar Cove. It had been hard, watching her friend go through that kind of grief, and not being able to do anything to ease her pain. Seeing her now, so happy, it made Jules believe in second chances. “So… Will I be planning your bachelorette any time soon?”
Evie blushed. “Slow down, it’s only been a few months with Noah.”
“But you think about it, don’t you?” Jules pressed. “I see that look in your eyes.”
Evie’s blush deepened. “Maybe… ” she said. “But don’t tell Noah’s mom that. I swear, last time we had dinner with his parents, she threatened to bring her old wedding dress out of storage and fit me for alterations.”
Jules laughed. “I promise, it’s in the cone of silence. As long as one of us is getting swoon-worthy romance and the best sex of her life.”
“Only one of us is choosing to go after it,” Evie corrected her. “Who knows how swoon-worthy Reeve could turn out to be, if you gave him a shot.”
Jules didn’t know… But she could imagine it. And she had. Vividly.
Every night for a week.
“Girls’ night,” she steered the conversation back to safer ground. “What does this bustling metropolis have to offer us?”
Evie giggled. “I know you’re joking, but there’s actually a ton to do this time of year. We have live jazz in the square tonight… Or karaoke at the pub?”
Jules paused. Staying local meant staying near Reeve, and increasing the chance of accidentally running into him again. Probably when she had BBQ sauce dripping down her shirt. “Anything further afield?” she asked hopefully. “I should really get more photos of the area for your social media pages.”
“Sure, that’s why you want to get out of town ” Evie gave her an amused look, like she wasn’t buying her story for a second. Still, she flipped through the pages. “Back to the Future is playing at the drive-in?” she suggested. “It’s a couple of towns over, a really cute vintage spot.”
“Perfect.” Jules clapped her hands together. “We can take my car. The seats go way back.”
“Do they now?” Evie waggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Are you sure you don’t want to take Reeve up on his date night offer instead?”
“Nope.” Jules lied. “Tonight is about you, me, and a packet of jelly beans. Oh, and Mallow Mars. And chocolate-covered pretzels.”
If her mouth wasn’t going to be tangled up with Reeve’s, then she needed to keep it busy somehow.
* * *
That evening, they loaded up the car with sweaters and snacks, and headed out to the drive-in, a couple of towns over. Evie was right about the vintage appeal: It was set back from the highway in a big field, with old-fashioned signs and turnstile gates, a huge screen at one end, and a row of food trucks selling hot dogs and popcorn. A long line of cars and trucks snaked through the main gates, and as the sun sank lower in the sky, they found a spot just a few rows back from the screen and settled in.
“See? We don’t need guys around to have fun,” Jules said, munching on a red vine.
“Except one would be useful to help open my soda,” Evie said, struggling with the bottle cap. Jules took it from her, and twisted it off in one motion.
“There.”
“I stand corrected.” Evie giggled, just as Jules’ phone sounded with a new call. She glanced at the screen, and promptly dropped it in surprise.
“Who is it?” Evie asked, looking over.
“Rory,” Jules said, still staring at the handset on the floor like it was a snake about to strike.
“Asshole ex-boyfriend, Rory?” Evie’s eyes widened. “But he hasn’t called since...”
“Since he fired me and dumped me, all in one go.” Jules swallowed hard. “I wonder what he wants?”
“Nothing you’re going to give him.” Evie said immediately. “Right?”
“Right,” Jules echoed, but she still felt that painful echo of rejection, slicing deep in her gut.
“He’s probably realized he was crazy to let you go, and is calling to beg you back again,” Evie decided, and when the little voicemail icon blinked, and Jules played his message, she found that her friend was half-right.
But only half.
“Jules, babe,” Rory’s message began, sounding so affectionate, it was like the breakup had never happened.
“Babe?” Evie echoed, her jaw dropping in outrage.
“Shhh!” Jules hushed her, and played it back from the beginning again.
“Jules, babe, looks like you’re having a fun vacation out there. Good for you. Anyway, just a small thing, but engagement is way down on my Instagram, and Gucci have gone lukewarm over that partnership you were negotiating, so I’d love you to get together with Becky and just bounce some ideas around. See what you can come up with. You always did have the magic touch. Call me, can’t wait to see you.”
Jules slowly lowered the phone, numb.
“Is he serious?” Evie cried. “Asking you to give his new girlfriend business pointers? Can you believe the nerve of this guy!”
But Jules could. The Rory she’d met had been endearingly bashful, uncomfortable asking anyone for a favor. Success had changed all of that.
Success that she’d helped him achieve.
She couldn’t stop herself clicking through to check on his social media pages, now that Becky was running things. “No wonder people aren’t commenting,” she muttered, scanning through moody professional portraits of Rory himself, and clips from magazine articles. “Where are all his
work-in-progress shots? Behind the scenes at his studio? People don’t want staged photoshoots, he needs to get back to basics and give them a feel for—”
Evie snatched her phone away. “No.” she said firmly. “You’re not helping him.”
“I wasn’t going to,” Jules protested.
“You say that now, but you just can’t help yourself,” Evie said, gripping the phone tightly. “You see something you can fix, and you barrel ahead and do it, just to prove you can. Look at what happened with the vineyard.”
“What about it?” Jules asked.
“One minute, you say you’re going to focus on yourself, and the next, you’re special-ordering three dozen raspberry cupcakes to try and save someone else’s business. Someone who didn’t even ask for your help,” Evie added.
Jules opened her mouth to protest, but she couldn’t. “I just want Rory to know that I’m right, and he’s wrong,” she said instead.
“I know you do.” Evie gave her a sympathetic smile. “But if you help him now, will that really happen? Or will he use you for your social media genius and then go right back to Becky like you never even existed —again?”
Jules winced. Now that one hit too close to home. “I know, I know,” she said, defeated.
“At least look at the silver lining,” Evie added. “He’s clearly lost without you. That has to feel good, right?”
“Maybe a little,” Jules agreed. “But I’d feel better if he gave me credit and a glowing reference so I could go get another job.”
“One step at a time.” Evie squeezed her arm. “Now, how about a hot dog before the movie starts?”
“You mean, so I can bury my feelings in processed food? Do you even need to ask?”
But they were just getting out of the car, when Evie’s phone rang. “We need a new girls’ night rule,” Jules said as Evie answered. “No phones allowed.”
But Evie wasn’t listening. “Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry!” she was apologizing into the handset. “I must have gotten the dates mixed up. I’ll be right there, I promise.” She hung up. “The Holdforth family from Arkansas are waiting on the front steps!” she exclaimed, looking at Jules in panic. “They thought their booking was tonight. I have to go get them checked in and a room made up.”
“Of course,” Jules said immediately. “I’ll give you a ride back to the Inn.”
But Evie shook her head. “You stay and enjoy the movie. Noah’s just finishing his shift, he can swing by and give me a ride.”
“Are you sure?” Jules checked. “I don’t mind helping. We can do girls’ night another time.”
“It’s fine,” Evie reassured her, grabbing her jacket from the car. Then she saw something behind Jules, and her smile turned smug. “Go get that hot dog, and have a good time.”
Jules turned to see what she was looking at—and found herself staring straight at Reeve, in line over by the food trucks.
Her heart turned over, despite everything. He was wearing a soft blue sweater and jeans, sleeves pushed up, and his hair falling in unruly curls again.
He looked utterly irresistible.
When she turned back, Evie was beaming. “Like I said, it’s a sign.”
“I don’t believe in signs.” Jules tried to argue, but Evie wouldn’t hear it.
“That doesn’t mean they aren’t real,” she said, kissing Jules on the cheek before waltzing away.
When Jules looked back at Reeve, he was staring straight at her. His mouth curled into a smile, and he lifted his hand in a wave. Jules smiled back, and made her way over to join him.
She had been planning on getting a snack, after all.
“Mustard and relish?” Reeve asked, as she joined him at the head of the line. He said it so casually, it was like they’d planned to meet.
“Both, thanks,” Jules replied. She wondered for a moment if Evie was right, and the universe really was offering him up on a platter. Then she shook the thought away. It was a coincidence, she told herself. What else was there to do around here on a Saturday night? “And ketchup,” she added, watching the guy prepare their food. “And onions. And some of the cheez-wizz, too.”
Reeve looked amused. “No wonder you managed to eat all that jam at the festival. Your stomach is made out of iron.”
Jules smiled. “My dad used to take me to a baseball game every weekend, growing up.” she told Reeve, as they took their food and strolled away. “It was after my mom left. I think the child psychologist told him I needed stability and routine. Anyway, we would have a contest, to see who could order the craziest dog.”
“And let me guess, you always won?” Reeve asked.
“Not even close,” Jules said, through a mouthful of food. “My dad is the master of weird food combinations. One Thanksgiving, he made turkey sushi with a deep-fried marsmallow crisp. It was surprisingly good,” she added. “You should try it sometime.”
“I think I’ll pass,” Reeve said with a chuckle.
“You would say that,” Jules grinned. “Mister ‘plain with ketchup and mustard’.”
“It’s a classic!” he protested, taking a bite.
Just like him.
Jules flushed, and looked away. “So… You like old movies?” she asked, changing the subject.
“To be honest, I didn’t even know what was playing tonight,” Reeve replied. “I just needed a break. From the vineyard… From everyone… ”
“From Aunt June, trying to recruit you into her new amateur stripping troupe,” Jules quipped, and Reeve gave a laugh.
“Don’t even joke about that. Next thing you know, we’ll be performing at the next town festival.”
“Which should be when: next week?” Jules teased.
He smiled, and took another bite of his hot dog. “So, are you meeting people here, or… ?” Reeve trailed off.
“It was supposed to be girls’ night,” she explained. “But Evie had to bail at the last minute.”
“That’s a shame. Want to come watch with me?” Reeve asked casually.
Yes.
Jules bit her lip and tried to think of a good, logical reason why not. But she didn’t have one—aside from how tempting he looked in that sweater, soft enough to touch. “Sure,” she replied, just as casual. “I’ll go get my things.”
She met Reeve back at his truck—after tapping out a ‘there’s no such thing as destiny!!!’ text to Evie—and found him spreading a blanket up on the hood. “There’s a better view from here,” he said, helping her up, and handing her a wadded up sweater to us as a pillow.
“Great,” she answered faintly. Now they didn’t even have a gearstick between them, as they lay side-by-side gazing up at the screen—and the stars.
Jules settled back, trying not to notice how her pulse was already racing, having him so near. She tried to act naturally, sipping a soda, and looking blandly around, but all she could think about was how if she just moved her hand a few inches to the left, she would be touching him.
Holding his hand.
“So… Here we are,” Reeve said, and when she turned back to him, she found him flashing her a satisfied smile. “On our first date.”
“This isn’t a date,” Jules corrected him immediately.
“Of course not,” Reeve kept smirking. “We’re just having dinner, and watching a movie. Together.”
“Hot-dogs and candy don’t count as dinner,” Jules lied, even though in her book, they absolutely did.
“Then next time, I’ll bring a real picnic.” Reeve offered her some popcorn, and Jules took a handful before tasting it. She wrinkled her nose.
“Then make it salted, not sweet.”
“So there will be a next time?” Reeve grinned.
“I didn’t say that,” Jules said quickly. But who was she kidding? Star light, spotlights, and a handsome man lounging beside her with candy.
This was a date.
And there was nowhere else in the world she’d rather be.
“Hey Reeve. And…. Jules?” Cassie and
her boyfriend Wes passed by, arms laden with popcorn. “Lovely night for it,” she added with a wink.
Jules blushed, as Wes asked Reeve if he was coming to the next poker night.
“Maybe,” Reeve said. “Although I can’t say I’m an expert.”
“Join the club. We’ll see you there. Unless you have other plans.” Wes gave a knowing grin that matched Cassie’s, and then the two of them kept walking—just as Poppy and Cooper called over from their car.
“Great spot, right?”
Jules waved back.
“Remind me to swing by the vineyard this week,” Poppy added. “I’ll pick up all the wine I ordered.”
“Sure thing.” Reeve called back, before Poppy ducked back into their car. He gave Jules an apologetic smile. “I’d forgotten it was like this, living in a small town.”
“I like it,” Jules admitted. “I always thought of myself as a city girl, but I can see why Evie is putting down roots. Having familiar faces on the street every morning, getting to know the neighbors. Summer already knows my order at the bakery, and Franny recruited me to do… something for the town website. It’s nice, being a part of things.”
“I guess… ” Reeve didn’t sound too confident. She glanced over. “This town is still full of mixed memories for me,” he explained. “My dad got so obsessed with making the vineyard a success, he drove everyone away. Started feuds with the neighbors, caused all kinds of trouble. I could tell, they all felt sorry for us.”
“I’m sure they were just worried,” Jules said.
He nodded. “I see that now, but let me tell you, there’s nothing like being a teenage kid, feeling like everyone knows your family drama. It was claustrophobic. I could never just act like everything was OK.”
“I know how that feels,” Jules said before she could stop herself. “When my mom left, it was the big gossip around our neighborhood. People would bring casseroles by, like somebody had died. I know they were only trying to be nice, but it made me feel like some kind of charity case, when all I wanted was to pretend everything was fine.”
She stopped. She didn’t know why she’d brought up her mom again; she never talked about her. She just wanted Reeve to know that she understood what it was like, having your parents’ choices cast a long shadow over your own life.