Second Chance at the Orchard Inn, page 13
Except this time, he didn’t know if he could.
Chapter 13
Beth was tapping the side of her tablet with her stylus, the sound creating a rhythm in Aurora’s head.
Kissed. Jude. Kissed. Jude.
She’d kissed Jude last night.
Aurora pulled her knees up to her chest, adjusting her weight on the living room couch. Just kissing her high school sweetheart, all impulsively and thoughtlessly, like she didn’t know better. Nothing to worry about here, folks.
She was certain the admission was written on her forehead for her sisters to see.
I kissed Jude last night.
She’d clearly lost her mind. It couldn’t happen again. Correction. It wouldn’t happen again, so there was no need to tell Beth and Cece.
Aurora eyed them suspiciously. Could they tell? Did they already know?
Beth studied the notes on her tablet, oblivious to everything except the plans in front of her face. “Okay, listen up. Erica said she wanted simple and understated when it comes to both menu and décor for the wedding and reception. It’s going to be a small ceremony with a limited guest list.”
Aurora bit her tongue, figuring the less she said this morning, the better. But the fact remained, the Erica she’d known was the exact opposite of understated.
“What’s that look for?” Beth had stopped studying her notes and was staring at her.
Uh-oh. Had her face betrayed her? It was always doing that. “What look?” she asked, hoping she sounded innocent.
“You rolled your eyes.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yeah, you did,” Cece added.
Ugh.
She was trying to be the bigger person here, regardless of the past. Lift one another up, women supporting women, and all that. Besides, all their drama was ages ago. She should just let it go.
“I just…understated and Erica?” Aurora quirked her eyebrows. “Are we sure this is the same woman? Because the Erica I went to school with rented a pink stretch Hummer for homecoming. The dance where a few of our classmates wore denim, and everyone drove their own cars. It was at the Lion’s Club for crying out loud.”
“I’m telling you, I’ve heard she’s changed,” Cece insisted.
Did people change that much?
“Maybe. But I can’t grasp her having thirty people at her wedding. She’d be more likely to have three hundred. She also would never have her wedding here.”
Beth, bless her heart, looked offended.
“No, not because there’s anything wrong with the Orchard Inn,” Aurora clarified. “But that’s how snooty she was. First, she would’ve never lowered herself to get married somewhere that involved me. Second, she’d want this huge ordeal at the finest hotel in Dallas. Or, better yet, a destination wedding in, I don’t know, Hawaii. Then all of her guests would be expected to shell out thousands of dollars to see her on her big day because she’s just soooo important.”
Her sisters were quiet, staring at her.
“What?”
Cece whistled quietly.
Okay, maybe she wasn’t quite ready to be the bigger person yet.
Beth stepped closer, sympathy all over her face.
“Don’t give me that look.” Aurora crossed her arms.
“You don’t have to help with any of this, okay? I know it’s weird and she was awful to you. You’re being gracious enough by not insisting I tell her to hit the bricks.”
Aurora chuckled despite herself. “I know, but I’m not that wounded.”
Truthfully, she wasn’t sure why all of this was spewing out now. Probably because she’d dug up old bones last night with Jude. And then kissed him.
Erica Burr had used Jude, and Aurora’s relationship with him, to hurt her. Getting close to him again brought up a lot of old memories.
So this was kind of Jude’s fault.
“I’m a grown woman and I’m a professional,” Aurora told her sisters—and herself. “I just needed to get that off my chest. Please, continue with the plans for this intimate affair to remember.”
“Hello?” a voice called from the foyer.
Aurora and her sisters stared at one another. They weren’t expecting anyone to visit this morning.
“Hello?” Aurora called out.
“It’s Jenna and Max.” The voice got closer. “Oh, hey, here y’all are.” Jenna and her husband, Max, rounded the corner into the inn’s sitting room.
The sisters rose to their feet to greet the couple. Aurora had only heard about Jenna’s husband recently, from Cece. He worked on an oil rig offshore and was often gone for weeks, even months, at a time.
“I hope it’s okay that we came by.”
“Of course.” Cece hugged Jenna in greeting. “I told you y’all could come by.”
“My mom is keeping Wyatt today, so we have a little time to ourselves. Thought we’d visit on our way into town.”
“That’s great. You deserve some couple time, just the two of you,” Beth said. “Come on in. We’ll show you around.”
As Beth and Cece gave the couple the tour, Aurora went to work on her form of hospitality. She made fresh lemonade and little chicken salad and pimento cheese finger sandwiches to have ready for afterward.
You never left guests or friends unfed.
“Come on out to the gazebo when you’re done,” she called to the group.
She arranged the tray of sandwiches on the table in the center of the gazebo and set up five glasses full of ice next to a large pitcher of fresh-squeezed lemonade.
Her strengths might not include the attention to detail of Beth or the natural welcoming nature of Cece, but by gosh, she could put together some tasty food in a snap.
“My goodness, Aurora. You didn’t need to do this.” Jenna’s delighted expression said she was glad she did though.
“I know, but I thought everyone might be getting peckish, and it’s nice out here. An added touch for your day date.” Aurora quickly filled each glass with lemonade before she sat down.
“You’re so considerate. You always have been.” Jenna sat down right beside Aurora, with Max on her other side.
Beth joined them, but it was Sawyer with her and not Cece.
“Look who showed up at the back door.” Beth took her fiancé’s hand. “Cece had a phone call, but she said she’d join us in a sec.”
So, just Aurora and the couples?
Normally, she’d think nothing of it, but after yesterday, she wasn’t feeling as fabulous about being the fifth wheel. She’d been single forever—it seemed—and that had never bothered her. Why did it matter now?
“How was the tour?” she asked, trying to wipe such thoughts from her mind.
“Amazing. You guys have such a great place here. We’re so impressed.”
“I’ve heard you put on quite the shindig too.” Max picked up a napkin and a sandwich. “A buddy of mine came to the Silva-Meyers wedding and couldn’t stop talking about how much fun he had.”
Beth and Sawyer exchanged glances.
“That was a special night indeed.” Sawyer grinned.
“That’s right. You two got engaged that night. I heard your brother is very happy now too.”
“He is. He takes Shelby riding now on the weekends. Easy trails only. They’re doing great.”
“Aw.” Jenna tilted her head. “Good for them. Have you two picked a wedding date yet?”
Aurora took in the sight of Beth and Sawyer.
So obviously in love, happy, and content. Sure, they probably had their moments, like all couples, but the minor irritations, the tedious spats, were nothing next to the support, trust, and unconditional love and connection they’d obviously found in each other.
She’d never seen Beth so happy, so anchored, and yet so free to soar.
Her sister had found the kind of love people dreamed of, and Aurora was happy for her and so thankful that she’d found someone like Sawyer. Still, she’d be lying if she said there was no bittersweetness to seeing other people’s happily ever after.
At eighteen, she’d been silly enough to think she’d found hers in high school. Life had taught her that people and relationships were way more complicated than teenage love. True, enduring love was hard won, and elusive, but she still believed in it.
When the time was right, when she was ready, love would find her again. And this time, she’d know how to handle it.
Aurora came back to earth and took a sip of her lemonade. “So, what’s new with you guys?” she asked Jenna, ready to steer the conversation away from weddings and relationship bliss.
“Working, working, working. We’re busier than ever.” Jenna’s smile appeared strained. “It’s been…well, with a baby, it’s been a lot.”
Max placed a hand on her leg, patting as if to comfort. “Things are going well at the farm, but I’ve missed out on a lot on the rig.”
Jenna nodded. “And we’ve been missing him. Today has been nice, having some time together. But…” She shared a quick glance with her husband, before shifting to face Aurora. “I have a confession. Wanting to see the inn wasn’t our only reason for coming here today.”
“Okay…?” A sense of foreboding tunneled down to Aurora’s stomach.
“I wanted to talk to you about what I mentioned at the farm. The thing I wanted to pick your brain about. Jude said y’all talked about it a bit.”
“The restaurant?”
“Yeah.”
Aurora sighed and fought the urge to shake her head. “We talked about it briefly, but he made it clear your dad isn’t a fan of the idea. Plus, if you think you’re busy now, a restaurant will only make that worse.”
“I know but”—Jenna glanced at Max again—“we may get more help soon and this isn’t just about what my dad wants. This would be for our whole family. I’d like to know what you think.”
“I think it’s a good idea. I told Jude as much, but he made it seem like, without your father’s blessing, the whole thing is a nonstarter.”
Jenna nodded. “Jude’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. He’s the one who has to deal with Dad, and that’s never easy.”
“Does Jude really want to open a restaurant?” Because he’d seemed noncommittal to Aurora. He’d always had a lot of ideas for the farm, but that’s what most of them had remained.
“I know he does. Of all our ideas, having a restaurant is our favorite.”
This time, Aurora did shake her head. “Jenna—”
“I know what you’re going to say, but I definitely want to pursue this, and Jude does too. He only hesitates because of Dad. You know more about restaurants than anyone else I know, so I was hoping maybe you could talk to us sometime.”
Aurora could help, absolutely. But was this the best idea? Encourage your ex-boyfriend’s sister to consider something that he didn’t seem to be one hundred percent sold on and their father was one hundred percent against.
They all studied Aurora as she sat there in silence.
“I just want to pick your brain a little.” Jenna stared at her with big blue eyes like her brother’s, but nowhere near as mesmerizing.
Aurora was not about to get between Jude and his father again. No thank you.
“Jenna, I’m not sure I’m someone who should get involved with this.”
“I know what you’re thinking and it’s not like that. We’d just be talking. You don’t have to be involved involved.”
Aurora leveled a look at her friend. The line between talking and getting involved was thin.
“Okay, but we’re just talking. I can spitball some ideas with y’all, but first, I suggest you find out if Jude is completely on board.”
Everyone continued to stare, Jenna slowly lifting her eyebrows.
“Oh no.” Aurora sat up straighter. “No, no, no. I’m not talking to Jude for you.”
Jenna touched her arm. “Aurora, he’ll listen to you. He loves the idea of a restaurant; I know he does. Talk to him and you’ll see. He only hesitates because of Dad’s naysaying, and because Jude doesn’t know enough about the business to fight him on it. Jude respects you, and you do know the business. If you talk to him, it’ll give him the push he needs.”
She scoffed. “He isn’t going to listen to me. Jude makes up his own mind about things.”
Jenna shook her head, adamant. “He always listens to you. I came here today because he told me what you said about the old barn he remodeled, and how y’all discussed ideas for a restaurant. You should’ve seen how he lit up. I was ready to let the idea die a painful death, at least for the next few years, but when he told me how much you liked the barn and envisioned it making a great location…his excitement got me excited again.”
Aurora frowned. Why hadn’t he shared any of that excitement with her? “He told you about that?”
“He couldn’t wait to tell me.”
Aurora blinked back her surprise. Jude had listened to her ideas for the farm, even after that day ended awkwardly. Wonders never ceased.
“If you bring it up to Jude, he’ll talk your ear off, I promise.”
Aurora shook her head. She couldn’t believe she was considering this.
Then again, she did know restaurants. She’d not only studied culinary arts, but she’d taken business classes. She’d helped her sisters develop their business, and then come back home and saved the catering and food service side of the inn.
Come to think of it, Aurora might be the perfect person to help Jenna—outside of the whole ex-boyfriend-whom-she-kissed-last-night side of things.
She could give Jude and his sisters information, inspiration, and some cold hard facts about what they needed to consider before going down this path. But these plans and getting involved wasn’t only about logic. There were emotions here, a history. And plenty of both to muddy the waters.
Aurora took a fortifying sip of her lemonade and set the glass down. “If I talk to Jude, and to you guys about restaurant basics, that does not mean I’m involved when it comes to your dad.”
Jenna tilted her head and scrunched her brow.
“I have to draw the line there. When it comes to John Jones, my involvement won’t benefit anyone.” Including herself. “Your father hates me.”
Jenna’s mouth fell open. “No, he does not.”
“Might want to check your math on that. He didn’t like me ten years ago, and it’s obvious he doesn’t like me now. I distracted Jude from his future, from the farm, from his obligations and opportunities. Your father wanted me gone so Jude could focus on what mattered.”
The crease between her brows deepened, but she nodded. “Dad was way too tough on Jude. Still is, really. I think he figured Jude was so into you that he was going to screw up his future. But I thought y’all broke up because you decided to go to culinary school out of state.”
Aurora shook her head. “We broke up weeks before I decided to go out of state.”
“Oh.” Jenna quirked her lips. “I…I didn’t know that.” She stared into her lemonade. “So my dad probably pressured Jude to—”
“Probably. But Jude made the decision to end things.” Aurora studied the top of Jenna’s head and felt the heat of everyone else’s gaze.
“That’s all in the past, of course,” she quickly added. “But you can see why it makes sense for me to not be involved when it comes to your dad.”
Jenna glanced up, her gaze soft with sympathy. “Yeah. Still, you’re the best person for us to talk with. You’re smart and talented, you know the industry, and, more importantly, you’ll be honest with us. There are always folks who tell you only what you want to hear. You’ll give it to us straight.”
This was also true. How was she supposed to say no? This was a childhood friend, asking for help. She couldn’t refuse.
“Fine. I’ll have a chat with Jude and tell y’all as much as I can about restaurants.”
Jenna smiled like Aurora had just promised her the world. “Thank you!”
Aurora nodded and changed the subject back to weddings and the inn.
They all polished off the sandwiches and lemonade, and at the top of the hour, Max stood up to stretch and announce the end of their visit. “Well, thank you so much for showing us around, and feeding us.”
Jenna thanked Aurora again, and they all said their goodbyes.
Once their guests were gone, Aurora retreated to her room, pondering when she’d see Jude again and have the opportunity to broach the subject of a restaurant at the farm.
She could simply call him up and ask him to hang out. Grab a coffee or something to eat.
Was that too much like a date?
If they were friends now, they could share a meal and it wouldn’t be a date, right? Even though they’d just kissed each other.
Aurora sat on the floor by her bed and buried her face in her hands. How had that become a thing that happened? She couldn’t casually kiss Jude Jones! She couldn’t casually anything Jude Jones.
Yet, the sun had been low, the evening gentle, and the moment intimate. He’d had that look in his eyes and being near him felt natural. The kiss felt right.
But it wasn’t.
There was no such thing as harmless flirtation when it came to him. There could be no trips down memory lane to see if the flame could still catch fire. No encore performance and no reunion tour.
“Don’t be a glutton for punishment,” she told herself.
Running her hands through her hair, she sat up straight and took a deep breath.
“Focus on the positives.” She and Jude were on better terms now. They’d made huge progress. They were going to be fine. Friendly.
She could ask him for coffee. No big deal, just buddies catching up while they still could.
Staring straight ahead, a shimmering title caught her eye: The Mesa.
Her senior yearbook.
With a snort of laughter, Aurora crawled over and pulled the book from her bookshelf.
The yearbook staff had gone with a modern look that year. Geometric patterns and funky, bold colors, even a paint splatter look on the inside cover. Not their finest creation over the years, but it did stand out on the shelf.
Aurora opened it, flipping through the first section of color photos. Pep rallies and ball games. Homecoming and pageants. Kids on campus being…kids.
