And that he had a strong aversion to cotton candy because a neighbor tricked him once, giving him a puff of real cotton off a nearby tree. He’d been ruined ever since.
The more she learned of him, the more intrigued Meg became. The problem was, they were running out of days. This would be their last day, in fact, if neither of them spoke up. She wasn’t sure why talking about what was happening between them was so difficult. It was obvious there were sparks – an undeniable connection too. Something that made Meg want to share her deepest secrets. Share them because she knew – instinctively knew – that he cared for her.
Still, there seemed to be an unspoken agreement that they’d hold off on “the talk” until the very last day. And now it was here.
A tap came to her door, dragging Meg to awareness once more.
“Meg?” It was Jake’s voice. “You up?”
Meg shot upright with all the grace of a jack-in-the-box, her eyes wide and worried. “Yeah. What’s up?”
“Nothing,” he said. “I thought since we’re just about finished, I could take you out for some breakfast before we get started.”
A smile the size of Texas spread over her face. “Really?”
“Sure. If you’d like.”
“I’d love that,” she said. “Just uh… give me a second to freshen up.” A spot of hope caused her chest to rise. The invitation somehow confirmed that Jake was on the same page. This was it, she mused, the smile still at her lips, the perfect opportunity to finally talk about their relationship.
~ + ~
“Can’t believe how fast this week went by.” Meg couldn’t contain the hint of sorrow that clung to her words.
“Yeah,” Jake said. “It cruised.”
She looked over the scenery as they drove on. They were close to the city now. Soon the view would shift from morning-lit fields of gold and green, to quaint shopping plazas and apartment buildings.
“Oh,” he said, pointing toward her side of the road. “That’s my granddad’s property right there.”
Meg’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding. That one with the red barn?”
“Yep.”
Beyond a large lay of green, stood a lovely two-story home with white siding and a grey roof. And the barn – it was nothing new or flashy, but with its weathered roof and faded-paint-appeal, it was picture book perfect.
“If you head east another three miles, you’d see my mom’s house. Another mile and a half beyond that, you’d find my place.”
She smiled, recalling how proud her dad had been to hear that Jake owned rental property – a side-by-side duplex. He lived in one side and an elderly woman lived in the other.
“Maybe we should swing by on the way back so I can meet your family.”
His answer didn’t come right away, and Meg turned to look at him. She caught a flash of reluctance on his face, but it was gone before she could dwell on it. “Sure,” he said. “That’d be nice.”
In the quiet moment that followed, Meg turned her attention back to her phone. At first she wasn’t really seeing it. Only focusing on the way Jake had seemed anxious for her to meet his family the other day. It had been his idea in fact. So what had changed?
When she came up empty, the text on her phone shifted into focus. It was from Shayna. The two had been going back and forth since the night before.
So you’re really falling for this Jake guy?
Meg stared at the text, feeling the truth of it in the rapid beat of her heart. The sweat that broke out over her palms.
Kind of… I don’t know. But I think I should stay in Montana a little longer so I can find out.
Sure she was downplaying it, but she didn’t want Shayna to think she’d lost her senses completely. Besides, Shayna – being fiancé to Michael’s best friend, Paul – was totally Team Michael. Always working to convince Meg that Michael would come to his senses after the New Year and propose. Trouble was, usually a step like that was proceeded by some amount of
The more she learned of him, the more intrigued Meg became. The problem was, they were running out of days. This would be their last day, in fact, if neither of them spoke up. She wasn’t sure why talking about what was happening between them was so difficult. It was obvious there were sparks – an undeniable connection too. Something that made Meg want to share her deepest secrets. Share them because she knew – instinctively knew – that he cared for her.
Still, there seemed to be an unspoken agreement that they’d hold off on “the talk” until the very last day. And now it was here.
A tap came to her door, dragging Meg to awareness once more.
“Meg?” It was Jake’s voice. “You up?”
Meg shot upright with all the grace of a jack-in-the-box, her eyes wide and worried. “Yeah. What’s up?”
“Nothing,” he said. “I thought since we’re just about finished, I could take you out for some breakfast before we get started.”
A smile the size of Texas spread over her face. “Really?”
“Sure. If you’d like.”
“I’d love that,” she said. “Just uh… give me a second to freshen up.” A spot of hope caused her chest to rise. The invitation somehow confirmed that Jake was on the same page. This was it, she mused, the smile still at her lips, the perfect opportunity to finally talk about their relationship.
~ + ~
“Can’t believe how fast this week went by.” Meg couldn’t contain the hint of sorrow that clung to her words.
“Yeah,” Jake said. “It cruised.”
She looked over the scenery as they drove on. They were close to the city now. Soon the view would shift from morning-lit fields of gold and green, to quaint shopping plazas and apartment buildings.
“Oh,” he said, pointing toward her side of the road. “That’s my granddad’s property right there.”
Meg’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding. That one with the red barn?”
“Yep.”
Beyond a large lay of green, stood a lovely two-story home with white siding and a grey roof. And the barn – it was nothing new or flashy, but with its weathered roof and faded-paint-appeal, it was picture book perfect.
“If you head east another three miles, you’d see my mom’s house. Another mile and a half beyond that, you’d find my place.”
She smiled, recalling how proud her dad had been to hear that Jake owned rental property – a side-by-side duplex. He lived in one side and an elderly woman lived in the other.
“Maybe we should swing by on the way back so I can meet your family.”
His answer didn’t come right away, and Meg turned to look at him. She caught a flash of reluctance on his face, but it was gone before she could dwell on it. “Sure,” he said. “That’d be nice.”
In the quiet moment that followed, Meg turned her attention back to her phone. At first she wasn’t really seeing it. Only focusing on the way Jake had seemed anxious for her to meet his family the other day. It had been his idea in fact. So what had changed?
When she came up empty, the text on her phone shifted into focus. It was from Shayna. The two had been going back and forth since the night before.
So you’re really falling for this Jake guy?
Meg stared at the text, feeling the truth of it in the rapid beat of her heart. The sweat that broke out over her palms.
Kind of… I don’t know. But I think I should stay in Montana a little longer so I can find out.
Sure she was downplaying it, but she didn’t want Shayna to think she’d lost her senses completely. Besides, Shayna – being fiancé to Michael’s best friend, Paul – was totally Team Michael. Always working to convince Meg that Michael would come to his senses after the New Year and propose. Trouble was, usually a step like that was proceeded by some amount of