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Kendra searched her memory for her name. “Holly, right?” She’d seen Holly and her friends at Alvin’s Burgers a few times, now that she thought about it.
He nodded.
“So…you still live at home?”
“Where else would I live?” Then he got it, and burst out laughing. “You mean with my parents. No. They moved to Minneapolis. My sister lives with me. Her and a rotating cast of about ten of her friends.”
Now that surprised her. Taking responsibility for an entire sister, that didn’t fit with the carefree Jason she remembered.
“And she tells them what to do?”
“She does. For some reason they listen to her.”
“Does she give good advice? Maybe she has some for me.”
“Oh, no doubt. If you’re really lucky, she’ll do one of her interventions and really whip your life into shape.”
“Hard pass.”
After a laugh, he sat back in his chair and gave her a thoughtful stare. “Maybe it’s just me, but you don’t seem as torn up about losing your relationship as about the rest of it.”
“You don’t know me like that,” she protested. “I don’t show my business to everyone.”
“Fair. Sorry.”
His quick apology took the sting out of his observation. Enough so that she didn’t mind sharing more. “I was crushed. I couldn’t believe it. It took me days to realize it wasn’t just a big prank. Then I was stuck in Minneapolis with an apartment I couldn’t afford and a business I couldn’t do anything with. Alone. That’s why I came back here. Running home to daddy.” She rolled her eyes a little.
His eyes softened with sympathy. “Who better to get you through a breakup than a blues legend? Alvin could write you a whole album about it.”
“My dad is like…my security blanket. I knew I could come back and he wouldn’t judge. He’s happy I’m back. But…”
“But what?” he prompted. He was such a good listener, and questioner.
“I feel like I disappointed him. I was supposed to go off and set the world on fire. Instead I’m back here working for him.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Is he disappointed, or you?”
Ohh, good point. She laughed ruefully. “Me. Pop would be happy if I stayed forever.”
“You wouldn’t want that?”
Their eyes met, and she couldn’t quite read his expression. Jason had never left Lake Bittersweet, and probably had no intention of leaving.
She let out a long sigh. “To be honest, Jason, I don’t know anything anymore. I’m a damn mess, but no one seems to realize it. And you can’t tell anyone,” she added quickly.
“No one would believe me anyway. Kendra Carter, a mess? That’s more of a Jason thing.”
“Maybe we’re trading places.”
“You’re saying that because you’ve always wanted to drive a fire truck, aren’t you?”
She laughed, already feeling lighter. Jason always had that effect. “No thank you.”
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment. “Thanks for telling me what’s going on in your life,” he said finally. “I felt like something was off. I wasn’t sure what.”
“Well, thanks for listening. My friends know about the breakup with Dom, but I haven’t told them all the gory details about the business. It’s humiliating. But I know you can keep things to yourself.” Her gaze dropped to his upper lip, and lingered. His mouth had a nice shape to it, she noticed. The scar just enhanced his firm, full lines. No thin lips on Jason Mosedale.
“I won’t say anything. It’s your life.”
