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“What are you doing?” She laughed, shutting the car door.
“Four hundred ninety eight, four hundred ninety nine, five-hundred,” I groaned, then pushed to my feet. “Just getting a light workout in while I waited for you.”
“Five hundred pushups?”
“Eh,” I shrugged, “Didn’t think you’d want to wait while I got to one-thousand.”
Giggling, she walked up to unlock the door and I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. I kissed her neck, loving the way she shuddered under my touch.
“I should quit my job so I can kiss you every day,” I smiled.
“I can’t pay your bills,” she laughed. “Keep your job.”
“Fine,” I pouted, then followed her into the house.
I made my way straight to her kitchen, pouring myself a cup of coffee before settling on the couch. She went to her computer, getting it started up before she sat down next to me.
For a few hours, she showed me her new label ideas, the colors her manufacturer had started offering, and her ideas for scent samples. It was fascinating watching her work and it felt good that we had fallen into a place where she was comfortable enough to share it with me.
“You ever miss making the candles by hand?”
“Always!”
“You should,” I suggested. “Even if it's just a few that you keep for yourself, or give to friends.”
“When I get the time and space, count on it,” she nudged me. “You can make some too.”
“Oh you can count on that.”
It got quiet for a while as she continued to type away and I just watched in awe. My mind started to think about how easy things were between us, and how much closer we got every single day.
But then, in true Jesse fashion, she reminded me I didn’t need to think too deeply.
“You know we can’t do this forever, right?”
“You know I’m not listening to you, right?”
She laughed and playfully swatted at me. I knew she was still trying to convince herself that we were a bad idea, but she’d have to dig a whole lot deeper if she thought I’d just give up and leave. I refused to make it easy on her. Until I was sure she was serious, I’d keep showing up and showing her how much she and Max meant to me.
Chapter Thirty-One
JESSE
Every day,I woke up with a smile on my face, yet I still looked for reasons why Easton and I wouldn’t work. We were close and comfortable with each other, but that didn’t do anything to ease my anxiety over how it would all end. I just kept taking the risk, never able to pull away, still thinking I'd get a clear sign when it was time to pull away.
Trust me, I was annoying myself as much as I was anyone else. But I had never been in such a delicate situation. It wasn’t what I was looking for, it wasn’t what I had planned.
Then I got that sign.
After another week of making love, playing house, and acting like a couple, Easton decided to head home for a night. He had to work at his parent’s house the next morning and I had an early online meeting.
But at the last minute, the Zoom meeting I had expected to have got turned into a face to face request, and I made the decision to head to Atlanta for the day while Max was in school.It was only an hour's drive; I knew I could make it happen. I’d even let Max’s teachers know where I’d be.
My instinct was to call Easton to also tell him where I’d be. And I probably should have. We weren’t together, but we kind of were, no matter how much I denied it. Even if we weren’t, we were close enough to let the other know if we were headed out of town. But I needed gas in the car and a drink of water first, so I decided to call Easton once I was a little bit down the road.
While making a stop at the small gas station on Main Street, those signs I’d been waiting for finally slapped me in my face. And boy did it hurt.
Two gossiping women sat at the counter, drinking coffee and watching everyone go in and out. They whispered but everyone could hear what they were saying and as I walked past to get water from the cooler, I realized I was the subject of their chatter.
