Winter's Path: (A Seasmoke Friends Novel) (15 page)

And that song...it was about longing. Yearning. Love.

Fuck me. I needed to ask her, talk it out, but I’d lost my courage when she’d stolen my breath with her voice. Plus, I was certain I didn’t want to know the answer.

To add more holy shit to the mix, just as she had been winding down and announcing last call, Joe had rung my cell again. I hadn’t answered, but he’d left another voicemail asking me to call. Said it was important. What the hell could be so important Cara’s brother needed to seek me out after two years? Another answer I didn’t want.

“Don’t you like it?”

My gaze flicked to Amber, and I forced a smile. “The food? It’s very good. This was a great suggestion.” I looked down to see what was on my plate because I sure as hell couldn’t remember.

Sole Meunière
. Ah, yes. Fish in a light lemon sauce. Seemed I hadn’t taken so much as a bite.

Because I was being rude, I broke off a piece and brought it to my mouth. Chewed. Swallowed. Tasted nothing. “Very good. Guess I was too intent on listening to you.”

Her sweet smile shone in her blue eyes. At least I salvaged her pride.

I took a few more forkfuls before wiping my mouth. “Jenny gave me this invite to an Alzheimers benefit for Friday.” I’d come out of a meeting to find my office decorated. Once again, Jenny had come through. Personal touches that were perfect for an office. For her sake, I’d try very hard not to kill the cactus. “Would you like to attend with me?”

Nodding, she dabbed at her mouth. Excellent manners, this one. “Our support group started the benefit, actually. We all volunteer, though Jen-Jen does most of the work. I was planning to attend. I run the bake sale portion. I’d love to go with you.”

Jenny had organized the event? Just when you think you know someone for more than a decade, they throw you a one-two punch to the face. Not that she wasn’t organized or beyond dedicated to her grandfather, but I just couldn’t picture her getting involved with a charity.

“I can pick you up that morning.”

I forced my way through the rest of our dinner and drove Amber home. We parted without a kiss, but I did lean in for a hug. I just wasn’t feeling it, yet I needed to get my head screwed on right. After our next date, I’d kiss her. Surely, my interest would spark then.

With Thanksgiving on Thursday, the shortened work week flew by. True to her word, things were not awkward at the office with Amber. Jenny didn’t come for dinner on Wednesday because of the holiday. I wanted to talk to her alone, but my folks would be here.

Turkey in the oven and side dishes ready to be heated, I sat at the counter and scrolled through my phone, rechecking the recipes to be certain I didn’t give anyone food poisoning. The plan was to eat midday so Jenny could have dinner at the nursing home with her grandfather. I’d been up since before dawn and I was wiped. It would be great seeing my parents, though.

An hour later, Jenny strode through the front door wearing black leggings and a blue sweater that hit mid-thigh. Her dark hair was loose down her back, makeup light. This. This was the girl I’d grown up knowing. My best friend. Not the woman from the bar or even the one Amber had relayed to me. Still, everything I’d learned since I’d moved to Myrtle permanently shifted inside my skull.

She set her jacket and scarf aside. “It smells orgasmic in here.”

I laughed and pulled her in for a hug. “God, I missed you this week. Love my office, by the way. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. When do the parental units arrive?”

I glanced at the clock. “Anytime now.”

We sat on the couch facing each other, sipping wine. She seemed as distracted as me and the silence felt more uncomfortable than compatible. I asked if she was all right.

Gaze on her wineglass, she nodded. “You left the bar rather abruptly on Friday.”

Shit. We were going to talk about it. “I got a phone call I had to take.” Not a complete lie. I hedged how to approach the issue of her song, and decided to just spit it the hell out. “What you sang? It was really beautiful.”

She stared at me, wounded heart in her eyes, and I knew. The song wasn’t about Ian. I didn’t have time to analyze it just now or dissect how I felt on the matter. Her and I had never been a possibility before. Plus, all the why nots were still prevalent. Diversion might be a good plan for the time being until we could really have it out. This was not a conversation to be had in passing.

I took a sip of wine, gaze dipping to the musical note tattoo on her inner wrist. “Does Ian know you had such strong feelings for him?” Hell. I was a goddamn coward.

Her lips parted to respond, but my parents chose that moment to arrive. We both stood to greet them, the awkward discussion forgotten for now.

My mother gushed over the changes to the house, and I pointed at Jenny. “All her brilliance.”

Dad gave me a hug while Mom patted Jenny’s cheek. My folks loved her to damn death, thus pre-dinner catching up involved mostly her. Fine with that, I rose to finish up in the kitchen, then hollered for them to eat.

“How’s your grandpa, Jenny?” Mom loaded Jenny’s plate with more food than an army would require.

“Physically, he’s okay. His mind is gone, though. He doesn’t recognize me anymore.”

Dad patted her hand. “That’s hard, kiddo.”

She nodded. Stared at her plate. “You can stop with the stuffing now.”

Mom laughed. “Sorry. You’re just so dang skinny. Makes me want to feed you all the time.”

Grinning, Jenny speared a green bean and pointedly glared at me while she chewed as if to say,
See? I ate my veggies
.

Eyeing the two of us, Dad laughed. “What’s going on? You two are using your secret language again.”

“Your son threatened to not give me pumpkin pie if I didn’t eat the green stuff first.”

Sweet Lord, this woman. “I did no such thing.” Laughing, I shook my head. “You’ll get me in trouble.”

Mom patted my cheek. “You’ll give her an extra slice.” She turned to Jenny. “You don’t have to eat anything you don’t want to.”

Smug, Jenny looked at me. “Neener.”

Praises went around about the cooking, and I had to admit, it wasn’t half bad. Not something I’d want to do all the time, but rewarding watching my family enjoy themselves. Jenny, despite arguments, nearly cleaned her plate, green beans and all. We talked about the Panthers chances for the playoffs and my job. By the time I served dessert, my folks were ready to dig into the inevitable questions.

“You seeing anyone, Jenny?” Mom took a bite of pie like that would make the query unobtrusive.

“Nope. Why? Are you worried the IRS is starting to feel bad about how long I’ve been single?”

I choked on my wine.

With a dramatic sigh, my mother doled
the
head shake. The one that said
you poor dear
and
bless your heart
at the same time. “When are you gonna bring a nice guy home?”

Pretending to think it over, she pursed her lips. “I’m thinking sometime between when pigs fly and when hell freezes over. And you have a nice guy right here.” She jerked her thumb at me. “I’ll even make him go home for Christmas.”

Dad, always under Jenny’s spell, chuckled. “Leave her alone. She’ll date when she wants to.”

“Leave it alone? Look at her. She’s gorgeous.” Mom glanced at Jenny. “You need to find a man, baby.”

“Meh.” She pointed to me. “Matt’s dating someone new.”

Narrowing my eyes, I promised to dish painful payback later. “You are evil.”

“What’s her name, son?” Dad pushed his plate away.

Tipping my face up, I eyed the ceiling. “We’ve only gone out once thus far. It’s too new to talk about.” I shrugged. “I’m not certain it’ll stick, anyway.”

“Why not?”

“Yeah, why not?” Jenny wanted to know.

For once in my life, I toyed with Jenny. Call it irritation for putting me on the spot or flat out confusion over where things stood with us. I was at my wit’s end with wanting her and knowing I shouldn’t have her. Looking directly in her eyes, I threw her words from the other night back at her. “There’s a distinctive lack of passion.”

Her lips parted with a slow inhale. A blush rose from her neck to her cheeks.

That’s right, darlin’
. Think about that.

Dad cleared his throat. “Um, we’re going to head to Charlestown with the Memmers tomorrow, since we’re in town visiting.”

Grinning at the topic change, I forced my gaze off Jenny’s and rose to clear the plates.

Shortly after, Jenny took off to be with her grandfather and, later, when my parents had settled in for the night and I lay in bed with too many thoughts running rampant, my cell chimed a text from Jenny.

The song wasn’t about Ian.

M
y folks were with Ian’s parents in Charlestown and would be driving straight home to Greensboro afterward, since there was some ugly weather headed our way starting tomorrow. For the moment, the news reports just had it listed as a storm system coming in from the Gulf, yet that could change quickly on the coast. We were out of hurricane season, but that didn’t mean the risk wasn’t there.

Alas, my house would be my own again this weekend. My plan was to have this day with Amber, kiss her at the end, and if there was nothing, I’d call things off. Jenny had been right on that account. I was doing the same thing with Amber that I’d done with Summer.

There had to be some medium between falling batshit in lust over a woman and feeling nothing at all. Attraction deep enough to satisfy and shoot toward a future without losing myself in the process. Somehow, I’d find that place and grow roots.

But Jenny and I were going to clear the air. Battle it out. I couldn’t keep going on like this. I needed her. She needed me. Our friendship was growing more strained with every innuendo and heated stare. We were going to talk if I had to tie her down.

Holding Amber’s hand, I walked into the church’s community room where the Alzheimers benefit was taking place. We’d come thirty minutes early in order for Amber to set up her table, so the place was pretty quiet aside from volunteers.

The room connected to the school next door through a long hallway and, by the look of things, the gym had more activities. Several tables were lined up along all four walls. Baked goods. Books. Crafts. Jenny was in the back talking to...a priest. And smiling, at that. She wore slim khakis and a pink blouse with capped sleeves. Pink. I’d never seen her in that color before. Ever. It somehow softened her tone and brought out the warmness of her skin.

“That’s Father Mike. We have our support group here the first Sunday of every month after mass. He’s really nice.”

My gaze flicked to Amber and back to Jenny. As we walked closer, her laughter rose over the bustle of voices. The fact I was holding Amber’s hand didn’t escape Jenny’s attention. Her gaze lingered until we were stationed next to them.

Jenny offered introductions, and I shook Father Mike’s hand. He was roughly sixty, hair more salt than pepper, and looked like he could run circles around me on a track.

“Quite the set up,” I commented.

Father Mike dropped a hand on Jenny’s shoulder. “A fine way to get our girl in church, I think.”

“Hardy-har.” Jenny brushed a few strands of hair away from her face that had escaped her ponytail. “You know I have to show up at least once a month so I don’t, you know, burst into flames driving by or something.”

Hold the phone. Back up. Jenny attended church?

A robust chuckle emerged from the priest. “You’re too good a soul for damnation, but it’s pleasure to see you in my pews, I tell you.”

Amber squeezed my hand and let go, her focus on Jenny. “I’ll set up the bake sale table, but do you need help with anything else?”

Jenny consulted a clipboard.
A clipboard
! “Uh, no. We’re good.” She rattled off a bunch of names and their designated jobs. Apparently, there was a rather large raffle with donations from local businesses in addition to the sales tables. “I have some junk to finish up. Father Mike, can you show Matt around?”

Now she was passing me off to the priest? “Will you be at Winter’s Den tonight?”