Page 1 of Summer Sweethearts
JESSICA
“Thanks for tonight. I had a good time,” I tell the woman I went to dinner with. With her long red hair dancing around her in the night’s breeze, she’s beautiful, but not the girl for me. She leans in to kiss me, but I turn my head so her lips brush my cheek instead of where she was hoping for.
“I’d like to see you again. Can I call you later?” she asks, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” I respond, giving a light side hug before turning and unlocking my front door. I step in and turn, giving her a weak smile before I close and lock it. Letting out a deep sigh, I lean my back against the door.Thank goodness tonight is over!I’m done with dating apps and trying to date people my age. They have no idea how to hold a conversation that doesn’t revolve around them or how to stay off their damn phones while we are on a date. Being bisexual increases the dating pool immensely, but it also increases the probability of people sucking.
None of that matters though, because next week I’ll be moving to Kingston. It’s finally time for my mom to retire, but with her owning her store, she would either have to sell or pass it along to someone else. So I plan on stepping into those shoes and working at Orchid full-time. I’ve been commuting, but I absolutely adore the small-town vibe and the people in Kingston. My mom is ecstatic that I’m moving closer to her. She made the move to Kingston after my dad passed and hasn’t looked back.
Moving away from my front door, I head to my room and get ready for bed by slipping into my favorite oversized shirt and panties. Heading to my bathroom, I throw my dark brown hair into a messy bun and start washing my makeup off. I only hope some of the memories of tonight’s date get washed down the drain, along with my eyeliner. My date, Candace, was gorgeous with her vibrant red hair and green eyes, but she lacked any true conversational skills; always giving me one-word answers, and every time her phone dinged, she hurried to check it. She even went as far as to show me the tags she was getting on her social media.
Rolling my eyes at the memory of tonight’s disaster, I pat my face dry, throw some moisturizer on, and head to my bed.
* * *
Exhaustion courses through my body as I break down the last box now that I’ve finished unpacking. My new apartment in Kingston isn’t anything special, but it’s mine, and I don’t plan on being here forever. This studio apartment doesn’t give me a whole lot of room to work with, but I was tight on time when I started looking for something here in town.
I still have to head to the shop and sign all the paperwork with my mom to transfer ownership of her clothing boutique over to me. Orchid was my mom’s baby, but she’s found a new passion for writing. So she asked if I wanted to take over the shop as the owner so she could pursue her dream of being a clean romance author.Oh, if she only knew how dirty her own daughter is.
Leaving my house, I quickly make my way downtown. I’m ten minutes early for our meeting, so I decide to stop at this little bookstore called Sugar Spines. I love reading a good paperback, and the sign says they have coffee, so I decide to check it out. Walking in, I am met with the smell of paper and coffee beans, which has my mouth watering. I step up to the counter so I can order, but I don’t see anyone working. There is a little bell that says ‘ring for service’, so I tap it. “I’ll be right with you!” a sweet voice calls from the kitchen.
A few minutes later, the doors behind the counter open, and my stomach does a somersault as my heart rate speeds up. Standing before me is the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen; she’s older than me, and she just has that mature older vibe to her. Her long blonde hair is piled on her head in a haphazard bun, and piercing blue eyes stare at me behind thick-rimmed glasses. “Hi, sorry about the wait. What can I get for you?” she asks.
I don’t answer her, I can’t.How does one tell a goddess their civilian coffee order?If I open my mouth to speak, I won’t be able to focus my attention on her anymore. “Miss, are you alright?” she asks, snapping her fingers in front of my face. With her hand so close, I catch her scent of vanilla and lavender, which has me licking my lips. “Miss?”
“Umm, I-I-I’ll have a toasted white mocha hot. Large, please. Sorry,” I rasp, shaking my head as if clearing the fog I’m in.
“Sure, no problem. It’s $5.23,” she tells me.
I hand her a ten and tell her, “Keep the change.” She smiles and slides her tip into the pocket of her apron. She turns around to start making my coffee, and when she finishes, she twirls back around to hand me the cup. As she does, our fingers brush against one another, and a jolt of electricity shoots through me.
“Have a good evening.” She smiles, and I melt at her perfectly straight white teeth hidden behind those kissable lips.
“You too,” I whisper, turning to leave. Getting to the door, I push it open and turn to get one last look at my soon-to-be new obsession. I need to know everything about her. I need to make her mine.
* * *
I’ve been in Kingston for almost a year now, and it’s everything I didn’t know I needed in my life. Orchid is thriving and my mom is loving the newfound freedom of not having a nine-to-five. I’m loving everything about this town, from the relaxed way of living right down to the residents who have invaded my life. True to their word, Cara, Bea, and even Cara’s brother, Cain, have become fast friends of mine. Cara and Bea are regular shoppers at Orchid, so I saw them quite often. Where Cara is down to earth and calm, Bea is wild and unpredictable. I love spending time with them. Cain was unexpected. I called him at the recommendation of Cara to do some small projects around the shop, and we instantly clicked. He’s lucky he’s a happily engaged man and not into women, or I’d be trying to climb him like a tree.
The little bell above the door chimes, and I look up to see who has come to shop today.Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.Cain comes in with a beaming smile on his face. “Hey, Cain. What brings you in today?” I ask as he walks over to the table where I’m setting up a new jewelry display.
“Well, I was out to lunch, -helping Aiden finish addressing our wedding invites- and I thought that I’d come to personally deliver yours,” he tells me with a proud smile.
“I’m invited, am I?” I tease. He quirks a brow at me and slides a cream-colored envelope with a sky-blue wax stamp seal. “Cain, these are beautiful. I love the wax stamp.”
“Thanks, but I can’t take the credit for them. Aiden picked them out, and the stamp was his idea. I just helped address and stamp them.”
I pick up the envelope and open it, careful to not ruin the stamp. Pulling the invitation out, I scan it.Cain Morale and Aiden Blarbo cordially invite you to their summer wedding. June 24th, 2023 at Blue Haven Lake at three o’clock in the afternoon.
“You moved the date up? Why? This also says I get a plus one. Just who do you think I’m going to bring?” I ask, putting a hand on my hip.
“I don’t know, but you have the option to bring a date. You could finally get the courage to ask Loretta out. Don’t think Aiden hasn’t told me about how you’re there every morning to get a coffee or how the flirting between the two of you is off the charts,” he teases. “Oh, and the lake was booked all of July, and Aiden is set on the location, so he caved on the date.”
My eyes widen in shock at the fact that Aiden has noticed, and shared with his fiancé, that I have a little crush on Loretta. “I’ll think about it. But you’re one to talk. I heard how long it took for you to finally get the balls to pursue Aiden,” I snort.
“Yeah, and look how that turned out. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I regret waiting so long because getting to love him longer would have been a privilege,” he tells me, his tone serious but full of love for his man.
I stare at him, not quite knowing how to reply to that. Cain pays me no mind, though, and speaks again. “Well, I have to get to work. I just wanted to hand-deliver this to my friend. You’re too good for the mailman.” With that, Cain turns and heads to the door, leaving me standing here wondering if I should take his advice and finally ask Loretta out or not. He gets to the door but turns around instead of leaving. “Are we still on for the movie tonight?”
