Page 30 of An Unexpected Turn
“Torrid affair?” She burst out laughing. “Dipping into historical romance books again?”
I smiled despite myself.
“Okay, maybe people don’t usually speak torrid terms in this century, but if I gave in to this, Claud, trust me. It would be torrid as hell.” I snuck a look back at Jake, catching his gaze for a second before we both turned away.
“Shit, that’s hot.”
“Please stop and figure out what you want to eat. We have a long day tomorrow.”
She waved a hand.
“We have plenty of time, and you aren’t blowing me off that easy. When you said nothing ‘really’ happened, does that mean it did or almost did?” Her eyes danced. “Well?”
“There was an almost-kiss,” I admitted. “After the condo flooded, I was emotional and frustrated. It felt as if I was still being punished.”
“You aren’t,” she snapped, “because you didn’t do anything to be punished for. But before we rehash that old argument, keep going.”
“He came over with my uncle to assess the damage, and when Uncle Keith stepped outside, I burst into tears. Jake tried to comfort me, and before I knew it, we were backed up against my sink. My uncle came back in, and we broke apart. We didn’t kiss but came very, very close.”
“Wow.”
“You keep saying that.” I sighed, craning my neck toward the bar in search of a waiter. “I think I may have daddy issues when it comes to men.”
“Why, because your father split when you were young? I think that man is hot as sin, and my father was always,always, around.”
I chuckled at her eye roll.
“Or because Travis was older too? So, you have a type.” She shrugged. “Nothing wrong with that.”
“Dating a man more than a decade older never works out for me.”
“It didn’t work outonce.” She held up a finger. “And he was an asshole who lied to you and let you take the fall. Is Jake a good guy?”
“Sogood.” I exhaled with a groan-like whimper. “You should see him with his son. He’s been a great friend to my uncle for so long.” I twisted the stem of my water glass between my fingers. “How could I do this to them?”
“Jake is a grown man. You can’t do anything to him.” A wicked grin curved her lips. “Well, I mean, you can, but from what I just witnessed, you wouldn’t have to twist his arm or anything.”
“Very funny,” I shot back, even though the thought of doing things to Jake had me breathless and flushed. This couldn’t happen, yet it seemed as if it already had.
“My God, you should see yourself now.” Claudia snickered and lifted her glass. “Need some ice?”
I should’ve taken a handful of ice and dropped it right down my pants to douse this growing ache that was about to get me into even more trouble.
“Get me a rosé when the waitress finally comes. I need to use the restroom.”
I left Claudia and stalked down the tiny hall toward the bathrooms. She was a good friend who never pulled any punches, but after what I’d confessed to her, I needed air. I made a living helping kids face their problems, and all I wanted to do was run from mine.
But I couldn’t run in a small town. I couldn’t run from my uncle, and I didn’twantto run from Jake. That was the biggest problem of them all.
I was so into my thoughts that I didn’t watch where I was going and ran right into whoever was leaving the single-stall bathroom.
“Peyton! I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there.” Jake’s sister looked me over with a concerned pinch in her brow. “Are you okay?”
“It’s okay. I’m sorry, didn’t realize where I was going.”
Seeing her up close, I spotted the resemblance to her brother. She had the same dimple poking her cheek when she smiled and the same big eyes, only hers were green, not blue.
“My brother seems to have the same problem.” She glanced back to where I assumed Jake was still sitting.
