New Beginnings

Chapter 10

I understood. Colton was Susan’s son and Abby would most likely be her daughter-in-law someday and I was an employee.

The boys headed home after dinner and I crawled into bed. The next morning, I started with my morning run before heading to work.

Once at work, I started baking without making small talk and Susan didn’t make an attempt either.

I wasn’t sure if she thought I was really trying to break up Colton and Abby, but I didn’t want to bring up the conversation.

This was how the next few weeks went. Evan and Issac kept joining me on Sundays because they were angry with Colton and his behavior.

It took a month for me and Susan to get back to normal but there was still no invites to Sunday family meal time.

Next thing I knew, the boys were starting their senior year of high school. Colton and I had a few tense meetings and Hunter was just Hunter.

On a slow Friday, I was covering the counter for Saralynn. In walked a tall handsome man. He looked to be about 23 or 24 and he had dark brown hair and hazel eyes. His hair was cut short into a faded and tight beard.

What made him stand out the most was the Armani suit he was wearing that fit him like a glove.

“Can I help you?”

“I know I want a black coffee, but what else do you suggest?”

“I hear I make a killer blueberry donut, but I personally like the blueberry scones.”

“I think I will go with one of each.” He said, smiling.

I couldn’t help but smile back. He had a contagious smile.

“Are you new to town?”

“ I guess you could say that I am back in town.”

“Oh.”

“I grew up in town and my Grandmother has been sick so I have come to help out my Mom. I will be working from here half the week and back to Houston the other days.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your Grandmother.”

“Thank you…..I’m sorry my name is Jackson.”

“Hi Jackson I’m Marie.”

“Pretty name for a pretty girl.”

That was the start of Jackson coming to see me.

Every Friday for two months, he would come in and order the same thing. I would take my break and we would spend time talking, but he never asked me out.

It had been two months and Saralynn said I should just ask him, but instead I sat and flirted till he left and then made my way back to my spot in the kitchen.

After work I was feeling a little down. All I wanted to do was get back to my apartment and eat an entire carton of ice cream.

I entered the apartment and noticed the sink had just a tiny drip but a steady drip. I called Charlie and he said he would be over to fix it after work.

It was only 3 so I jumped in the shower and before I could get dressed there was a banging on my door. I put on my robe to find Colton standing at my door.

“You have a…..”

He looked me up and down.

“A leaky faucet and I wasn’t expecting anybody for another hour. Sorry about my outfit.”

I stepped aside, letting him enter.

“It’s the kitchen faucet.” I then walked away to get dressed.

I braided my hair and walked back into the living room to find him under the sink. I chose not to speak to him. We hadn’t really talked since I told him about Abby and it doesn’t matter to me.

I mean, I missed him, but after he was so fast to think I would try and break up him and Abby I decided it was better for me to mind my own business.

Finally, he stood and turned on the faucet and it turned it off and there was no leak.

“All fixed.”

“Thank you.” I said without looking up.

After a few minutes, I realized he was still just standing in the kitchen.

“Look Marie… I am sorry for being such a d**k about the Abby stuff. I know you were just repeating gossip and not trying to break us up.”

“It’s fine I should have minded my own business. It won’t happen again.”

“I miss talking to you. I miss seeing you smile.”

My heart jumped in my throat. He missed me?

“I missed you too.”

“Good, so we are still friends?”

Just like that, my heart dropped. “Of course, friends.” I said with a smile that I knew didn’t reach my eyes.

He sat down next to me on the coach. “Abby decided we needed a break.”

“Oh I’m sorry.” I wasn’t but this is what you say when people break up.

“We had been fighting a lot. Over everything.”

“Do you want to work it out?”

“I do, but I also want….” He stopped and looked up at me.

“You want?”

He didn’t break eye contact as he leaned forward and his lips found mine. It only took a moment for him to run his tongue along my bottom lip and I allowed him access.

When he pulled away, we both had to catch our breath. “I am sorry I shouldn’t have done that…I don’t want you to be the rebound but kissing you was even better than I had imagined.”

I smiled up at him, really wanting him to kiss me again, but he was right. I didn’t want to be his rebound.

“Look, I should go, but maybe you might want to hang out tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I would like that. OK, I will message you tomorrow.”

Kissing me quickly on the lips, he stood and walked out of the apartment. I was so excited. Could this happen? Was I too fast to forgive him?

At that moment, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was the feeling of his lips on mine.