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I whip my head around at the sound of my name to see Madison, whom I met the other day at the school.
“Hey, Madison. How are you?”
“Great, thanks! I was going to text you, Shannon, and Brooke to see if you guys were free tonight. Maybe we could get together at Caitlyn’s next door.”
“Sure. I could use a girls’ night. Send it out. Looking forward to it!”
“Say, seven o’clock?”
“Perfect, see you then.”
“Enjoy the day. It’s beautiful,” Madison says and heads in the opposite direction.
Having a group of friends here makes a difference. I know Mia will visit when she can, but the distance between us is difficult.
I’m excited to go to Caitlyn’s tonight. It’s connected to Raubuchon’s—the two are housed in the same enormous old red barn. The hardware store occupies the main section, and the owners of Caitlyn’s remodeled the overhang and opened a restaurant. It’s been years since I’ve gone inside, but I remember its coziness, with an old wooden bar and a small concrete patio with a few tables and chairs. Only in New England can you find this combination of businesses.
As clueless as a plumber teaching third grade, I aimlessly search up and down the aisles for a new showerhead. There are so many sizes, speeds, and connection options. I’m in the middle of reading my third package and am contemplating that this may be a lost cause when I see Gerry walk toward me with a tilted grin. He can tell I’m in unfamiliar territory.
“Finding everything you need, young lady?” Gerry takes the box out of my hand.
“Hilarious. You know I’m treading water here. I need a new showerhead for my outdoor shower. Why are there so many options?”
“Here, you need to be over in this section.” I follow him toward the end of the aisle like a baby duck.
“Let’s see, we have a ten-speed, one that has several illumination options, and a few basic models with a variety of sprays.”
“Since I’m not having any disco parties in the shower yet, I don’t need the different light-up options. The idea of different sprays and the ability to adjust the pressure sounds appealing. I want something with more pressure. The one I have now is pathetic. It’s basically drizzling when I have it on.”
“You’ll want to pick one of these here.” Gerry holds two boxes, one in each hand, and faces me.
“Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,” I say, ultimately landing on the one in his left hand.
“Very educated decision, Solia.”
“Very funny, Gerry. Thanks for your help. Now, thanks to the virtual world, I’ll search up a video and install this baby.”
Gerry holds his stomach with both arms to contain his amusement. “No offense, Solia. I’m sure you’ll do just fine, but aren’t you seeing Jackson today? I’m sure he’d be happy to give you a hand.”
Seems my plans are public knowledge. I shouldn’t be surprised. “Jeez, Gerry. You’re taking this job of looking after me to a whole new level.”
“Well, now you’re just making me sound as if I’m a creepy old man, Solia. Jackson and I go way back. No better guy around these parts than him. But I do know you both are meeting today to discuss the wind farm. We’re going to fix this, Solia. Nobody is going to walk into this town and tell us what to do with our land. I’ll let Jackson fill you in, though.”
“I’m relieved to hear that, Gerry. I’ve been in a bit of denial. I came to Meriden to prove to my parents I could handle living here and take care of the cabin on my own. My plate was crowded before Green Breeze and now it seems overflowing. I appreciate Jackson reaching out.” At the mere mention of his name, my cheeks warm and I speak quickly. “I’ll take any help I can get. I haven’t even told my parents yet, so if you talk to them, give me a chance to break the news. I was planning on calling them after meeting with Jackson. Would you mind holding off mentioning it for now?”
“Sure thing, love. These guys are steamrollers, and your folks need to be in the loop as soon as possible. The more people crawling up these guys’ asses, the better. And remember, there are many properties on the list. Did you see how many people piled into town hall the other day? You can count on never being alone with this headache. You talk to Jackson. I’m sure he’ll fill you in on everything we’re planning, but if you need me, you know where to find me. Oh, and if you don’t have any luck with the showerhead, call me. I can always swing by the cabin, but I’m sure Jackson’s muscles are better suited for the job.”
I’m as transparent as lake water; Gerry is clearly aware of my interest in Jackson. My cheeks are still heated, so it’s obvious the mention of Jackson excites me. Thankfully, Gerry rolls with it, and I don’t mind him reading me like a book.
I arrive home with enough time to eat and get dressed to meet Jackson. This is the most anxious I’ve ever been before spending time with him, or with any man, for that matter. I’ll have Jackson alone, all to myself, and I need to tell him exactly what’s on my mind. The last time we spoke, he opened up and told me what happened to Trinity, and I never saw it coming. I was unprepared. His days here are numbered, but I’m not ready to begin the countdown.
A little before five o’clock, I back my truck into a parking spot behind the country store. The sun is dipping lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over my skin. Today has been beautiful. The temperature is a comfortable seventy-five degrees, not a drop of humidity.
Unable to contain my excitement, I unlock my tailgate and hoist myself up on the ledge. I toss my hair behind my shoulders and adjust the spaghetti straps of my white baby-doll sundress. I may appear to be trying a little too hard, but I don’t care. My dress allows for a healthy dose of cleavage to pour out the top, and I cross my legs to reveal considerable thigh. I let my tan flip-flops dangle off my toes as I scan for Jackson’s black pickup. If this is the last time he checks me out, I want it to be memorable.
A few customers look my way as they exit the store. I’ll admit I look a little out of place, but it’ll be worth the second glances. I’m sure they’re wondering what in the hell I’m doing, but no one says anything. Everyone just smiles and goes on their way. Except for one couple who politely say hello as they walk past me to the SUV alongside my truck.
Then I see Jackson. He’s wearing that damn backward hat, and his deep green eyes pierce through me as he pulls into the adjacent empty spot. His work boots hit the dirt and the distance between us shortens. He stands directly in front of me, looking every bit the farmer from head to toe, sexy as hell, and not saying a word.
