One Perfect Kiss

by Jaci Burton

  “I think so, too. Now, spill.”

  Jillian laughed. “We’re getting right into it, are we?”

  “You seriously don’t expect me to wait it out while we chitchat about nothing, do you?”

  “Fine, then. Jeff Armstrong asked me out.”

  Josie’s brows shot up. “Shut the front door. He did not.”

  “He did. I ran into him at the grocery store over the weekend, and we got to talking over the mangoes. Then we had an in-depth discussion about fruit salad.”

  “Fruit salad? Really?”

  “Yes,” Jillian said with a laugh. “He’s going to some country club fundraiser party thing this coming weekend with a bunch of doctors. But it’s kind of casual, like partly catered, and partly bring a side dish. He’s not really much of a cook, so I gave him some ideas, figuring fruit salad would be easy enough for a non-cooking doc. Then one thing led to another, and he asked me to come help him fix something and go with him to the party. I said yes, of course, and I will not be making a fruit salad.”

  “Of course you won’t.” She was beyond stoked that her friend had a date with a guy she was interested in. “That sounds so fun.”

  “Doesn’t it? I’m equal parts nervous and excited to spend some time with him.”

  “He is very hot, Jillian.”

  Jillian sighed. “He is, isn’t he?”

  “I’ll want a full report of your date. I’m only sorry I can’t go with you.”

  Jillian seemed to consider the idea. “Hmm, you know what, I could probably wrangle you an invitation. There are lots of single doctors. And I could use the moral support.”

  Josie grabbed her arm. “No. I was joking. You can handle this.”

  “But I want you to go with me.”

  Josie had zero interest in meeting single doctors. There was only one guy she was interested in, and he wasn’t a doc. But she’d do anything for Jillian. “Sure. If you want me to come with you I will, but I don’t think you need me there.”

  “Oh, come on. We’ll see how the other half lives.”

  Josie laughed. “I don’t think all doctors are as rich as you might think.”

  “You never know. Not that money makes any difference to me at all. I just like Jeff. He’s funny and warm, and he really cares about the people of Hope. He worked hard the past few years to get that urgent care center up and running. He’s very devoted to it.”

  “And it’s always busy, so obviously it filled a need in our town.”

  They ended up eating dinner at the restaurant. Bash’s chef always made the best poached salmon, and it had become one of her favorites.

  As she ate, she noticed the football game was on.

  “I’m surprised Zach hasn’t shown up,” she said.

  “Should he have?” Jillian asked.

  “It is Monday night, and football’s on. I would think he’d be up here watching the game and hanging out to watch it.”

  “Oh, is that why we’re here?”

  Josie laughed. “No. I happened to make the connection when the game came on. Just surprised not to see him.”

  “And maybe a little disappointed?”

  She slanted a look at Jillian. “I didn’t say that. I see him every day at school.”

  “How’s that working out?”

  She looked up from her plate. “How’s what working out?”

  “You know, seeing him at school.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Oh, come on, Josie. You know what I mean. The two of you are dating, right? So you have to keep that a secret at school.”

  She didn’t know what they were doing. “We’re not dating. We just hang out sometimes. And we kissed. But dating? I wouldn’t exactly call it that.”

  Jillian laid her fork down and took a sip of her water. After she set her glass on the table, she asked, “Then what would you call it?”

  Josie thought about it for a few seconds, then shrugged. “I … don’t know. Like I said, we’re hanging out.”

  “Hanging out is what teens do, Josie. You’re hardly in that category.”

  Jillian was right. Her relationship with Zach was beyond labeling, because nothing was progressing with them. Some of that was due to circumstance, but a lot of it was due to her own hesitation.

  She should change that, because kissing him had felt so good. She’d like to do it again.

  After she and Jillian finished dinner and said their good-byes, Josie went home. When she got there, she was going to settle in to read a book, but she picked up her phone.

  It wasn’t that late. She should check on Zach’s dog, Wilson, and see how Zach was faring with him. Maybe Zach hadn’t been at the bar tonight because something was wrong with Wilson.

  She hoped not, and now she was worried.

  She sent Zach a text message asking how Wilson was doing, figuring that was innocuous enough. If he was busy, he wouldn’t text back. If he wasn’t …

  Her phone buzzed. It was Zach, so she pressed the button.

  “Hi, Zach. I didn’t expect you to call.”

  “You texted, so I figured you weren’t busy. What are you doing?”

  “I just got home. Jillian and I had dinner at Bash’s bar tonight.”

  “Yeah? What did you have?”

  He would ask that. “The poached salmon.”

  “Good stuff. Anyway, Wilson’s doing great. I thought maybe he’d be lonely being home all day, so I went home after school and brought him to practice with me.”

  She loved that he’d thought of Wilson. “You did?”

  “Yeah. I figure all day is long enough.”

  “How did he do on the football field?”

  “He did great. He barked at all the guys while they ran the field.”

  “So he’s taken on assistant coaching duties.”

  “Something like that. He liked watching them throw the ball around. I think he wants to get his teeth into his namesake.”

  Josie laughed. “I guess you’ll have to get him his own football.”

  “That might be a disaster, because I intend to bring him to the games. The last thing I need is him chasing a thrown pass.”

  “Oh, I hadn’t thought about that. You’re right. Footballs should probably be off limits.”

  “Yup. Besides, he seems to be enjoying his other chew toys. Right now, he’s sitting on the couch next to me and gnawing on his bone.”

  She could picture Zach’s feet up and Wilson lying right next to him, totally content. She was happy about that visual. “Sounds perfect.”

  “So, hey, as long as you called, I was wondering if you were busy Saturday night.”

  She paused. “Actually, yes I am.”

  “Got a hot date?”

  “Not really. Just … something. I’m not sure it’s something yet, but I need to keep it open.”

  “That’s vague as hell.”

  “Sorry. Jillian has a date with Jeff Armstrong. It’s some party with a bunch of doctors, and she’s trying to wrangle me an invitation to go with her.”

  “Oh, yeah? Sounds fun.”

  “It could be. I’m just going to be her moral support.”

  “Or maybe you’ll pick up a doctor.”

  “I’m not going to pick up a doctor, Zach.” And he was being an ass about it.

  “Sure. Anyway, I gotta go. Wilson just went to the door, so I think he wants to go out.”

  “Okay. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Yeah, thanks for calling to check on Wilson.”

  He hung up, and she stared at her phone. Was he upset she’d told him she was busy? And why had he acted like she’d offended him? Or maybe she’d just read something into their conversation that wasn’t there.

  This was why she hadn’t dated anyone since her breakup. Relationships were confusing and always made her feel bad. And she had zero time to feel bad. She’d done plenty of that throughout her entire life, and she was over it.

  So maybe she would pick up a hot doctor a
t the party Saturday night. And she might fall in love with him and have a happily-ever-after with him.

  Or maybe she wouldn’t. Maybe she could be happily ever after all by herself, because she was awesome like that.

  Either way, Zach could suck it.

  Chapter 12

  * * *

  ZACH STARTED SATURDAY in a good mood. It had been a long, tough week, and last night’s game at Northeast High had been a hard-won battle against a very good team.

  He’d brought Wilson with him to the game. It had been a risk, but it had worked out perfectly. Zach felt bad about leaving him home alone while he worked during the day, so he’d started going home after school to pick him up and bring him to the field for practices this past week. Wilson had gotten to know all the players and had gotten used to the football field before game night.

  Of course, they’d had an away game, but it hadn’t seemed to matter. Last night’s game had turned out even better than he could have hoped for. The cheerleaders had adopted Wilson as sort of a mascot and watched over him so Zach could concentrate on coaching. After the game, his social media had blown up, not just about the win, but also with pics of Wilson with the cheerleaders, his dog sitting next to the players on the bench, and with kids who’d come to watch the game, along with a lot of comments about “Coach Powers’s new dog, Wilson” and what a welcome addition he was to the Hope High Eagles team.

  Not a single negative comment about having a dog on the field. He’d asked permission from the other team’s coach before he brought Wilson, and Coach Simmons had told him he had no problem with it.

  He was grateful for that. Wilson had a great time. His dog needed some love, and he’d gotten plenty last night.

  This morning, they’d gone for an early run outside. There was definitely a chill in the air, and Wilson wasn’t a fast runner, but he did pretty damn well considering he only had three legs. Zach decided he’d treat Wilson just like any other dog, and he’d let Wilson tell him what he could and couldn’t do. So far, it was working out.

  After they finished their run, Wilson ate his breakfast, went outside for a short sniff-and-pee around the yard, then curled up to sleep in what was fast becoming his favorite spot in the corner of the couch.

  Which meant Zach could sit at his desk and work up some new plays for the team. They’d been working hard, but there were still some areas that needed tweaking, especially at wide receiver. Paul had dropped three passes he should have caught last night, and Zach felt his concentration was off. Paul was normally the one kid he could count on, but lately it hadn’t been that way. It was getting worse, too, and Zach knew it had to be issues at home affecting his field play.

  The question was, what to do about it. The kid obviously needed some help, but what could Zach do without directly interfering? Maybe he just needed someone to talk to. The only thing Zach ever did was ride the kid’s ass about his play and his homework. Maybe it was time to dial it down some and see if he could get Paul to open up.

  He thought about calling Josie to talk to her about it, but they hadn’t talked since their conversation the other night.

  He smiled about that. Yeah, he’d put that conversation about Paul on hold. For now.

  He had some things to do to get ready for tonight.

  * * *

  NOT WANTING TO feel like the third wheel she obviously was, Josie declined when Jillian offered to come by with Jeff and pick her up. Instead, she got the address and drove over to the golf course, then wound her way around the streets until she found the clubhouse.

  Though “clubhouse” didn’t really do it justice since it was a long, sprawling building that kind of reminded Josie of a castle. She hadn’t even known this place existed. The golf course was situated amidst a new community that had been built just a few years ago, according to Jillian. The houses were new, huge and looked like they cost a small fortune. It was an interesting contrast to her neighborhood, which was one of the older ones in town.

  She loved her street, with its charming brick and frame homes that were nestled close to one another in such a neighborly fashion. She’d met the neighbors on either side of her, and they were great people. One was a retired couple who took walks every morning, and she’d often see Dave outside working on the house or the yard, while Amanda sat on the porch reading. The couple on the other side were around her age, had been married four years, and had a two-year-old daughter who was simply adorable.

  Here, everyone was spread out, and the houses weren’t close enough to walk outside and talk to your neighbor, but maybe that was the way the people who lived here wanted it. Though she supposed if you liked golf, it didn’t suck to have a golf course out your back door. It all depended on what you were looking for in a home. For her, it was that feeling of belonging, something she hadn’t felt when she was growing up, and why she’d chosen her neighborhood and her particular house when she’d moved to Hope.

  The wind whipped her sweater back as she got out of the car. She looked up and saw no stars. Instead, thick clouds cluttered the sky.

  She could smell the impending storm, that scent of a coming shower that always felt so renewing. She loved rain, and a cleansing rainfall was the best. But before it decided to dump a deluge of water on her, she reached into the backseat, pulled out the food she’d made, and hurried toward the front door.

  There was a sign leading her to the room where the party was taking place. Music was playing, and the room was already filled with people. She hoped Jillian and Jeff were there, because she didn’t want to feel like an intruder.

  She didn’t have to, because Jillian spotted her right way and came over to greet her.

  “I’m so glad you came. Here, let me help you with those,” she said, taking one of the dishes from Josie and setting it on the table near the wall. “I made a carrot-and-beet salad because I didn’t want to make anything unhealthy and be judged for it.”

  Josie laughed. “You think doctors don’t eat junk food?”

  “No clue, but I wanted to make a good impression. I’m so nervous. How do I look?”

  Josie could tell from Jillian’s nonstop barrage of topics that she was, indeed, nervous. She gave her friend the once-over. Jillian looked beautiful in a pale lavender shift dress that hit her just above the knees. Her white sandals were the perfect complement to the dress, and her green eyes sparkled with excitement.

  “You look beautiful. You always look beautiful.”

  Jillian grinned. “Thanks. That’s what Jeff said.”

  “He did? That’s great. Where is he?”

  She pivoted and pointed over to a circle where some people stood talking. “Over there with several doctors who work at the emergency clinic. Doesn’t he look amazing?”

  He did, dressed in dark pants and a navy button-down shirt. “He does.”

  “I could barely breathe on the drive over, Josie. Just sitting in the car with him made my pulse race. And there were no awkward silences, either. He asked about my work at the library, told me about the book he was currently reading, asked about my life here in Hope. We talked, you know? I mean we really got to know each other better on the short drive over.”

  She was so happy to hear that. Oftentimes you could build up in your head what you thought could be a great date, only to have it fizzle out when you spent time together and realized you had nothing in common. She had high hopes for Jillian and Jeff.

  “Come on, let’s go get a drink and join the fray,” Jillian said.

  “Sure.”

  Josie opted for a wine spritzer since she was driving. That way she could at least feel like she had a drink, but the alcohol content would be low.

  Once they had their drinks, they wandered over to where the group was still talking.

  “Hey, everyone,” Jillian said. “This is Josie Barnes. She’s my best friend and a teacher at Hope High.”

  “Hey, Josie,” Jeff said.

  “Hi, Jeff.”

  “Let me introduce you to ev
eryone here.”

  She met a couple of doctors and their spouses, and a few more doctors who were there alone—two women and three men.

  “Like you, Stephen moved here not long ago,” Jillian said, nodding toward one of the doctors—a tall, good-looking guy with sandy blond hair and compelling green eyes.

  “You did? Where from?”

  “Bismarck.”

  “Oh. That’s quite the change.”

  “Yes. I got a divorce and decided to move back home.”

  “You grew up here?”

  He nodded. “Just outside of Hope, actually. But I got a job here so I’m glad to be back.”

  “Hope’s a great town. You didn’t have family in Bismarck?”

  Stephen shook his head. “My ex and I are both doctors, so we ended up there because of a practice opening. I’m an obstetrician. So, after the divorce, I knew I didn’t want to stay—for more reasons than just the weather.”

  “It’s really nice here in Hope. And not just the weather.”

  Stephen laughed. “Yes, I like it here. And not just the weather. It’s nice to be around family again.”

  “Then I’m glad you’re back home.”

  “Thanks. Me, too. You want to head over to the buffet table and grab something to eat?”

  “Sure.”

  She searched the room for Jillian, who had disappeared into the crowd. There were a lot more people here than she’d anticipated. She’d expected some stuffy gathering with a lot of dry conversation about gall bladders. She didn’t know why. Preconceived notions of what doctors did, she supposed. Instead, there were music and dancing and lots of animated talking and laughing. As she and Stephen headed toward the buffet, she heard one guy tell another guy about his two-year-old daughter’s antics, one woman tell another about how hard it was to get grape juice stains out of the carpet, and the beginning of a dirty joke she really wanted to stop and hear the ending to.

  This was a fun crowd. She was having a great time. Even more important, Jillian was having fun. Josie finally found Jillian and wandered over, mostly listening to the conversation. She noticed Jeff kept his attention almost entirely on Jillian. He never left her side to go off and hang out with his doctor friends, and always included her in conversation. He even talked up the fact that Jillian was the head librarian and all the fun things she did for kids there, since so many of the doctors had children.