Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 61851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
He wasn’t a guy who believed in insta-love or love at first sight, but he did believe in fate . . . and there was no doubt in his mind that everything in his life had led up to this moment with her. That Jessica was always meant to be his.
Now, he just needed to convince her.
Chapter Seventeen
“What would you like for breakfast?” Jessica asked Derek after they’d shared a shower, dressed for the day—him in his shirt and slacks from the night before and her in a denim skirt and a sweater top—and were heading down to the kitchen together the following morning.
“How about you take me to one of your favorite nearby restaurants so neither one of us has to cook?” he suggested. “One that we can walk to since it’s such a nice morning.”
She turned and smiled at Derek, feeling like she was glowing from head to toe after her fantastic night with him. “That sounds like a great idea. There’s a café close by that I like to go to on the weekends. Millie’s. You probably saw it on your morning run last week while you were here.”
“Yep, I did,” he said with a nod that caused a lock of damp hair to fall across his forehead, making him look adorably boyish. “Let’s do it.”
They set out, walking along the neighborhood sidewalk toward the small shops and restaurants just outside the residential area, the early-morning sun warming up the October day. Derek took her hand in his, and it all felt so normal, like they were a true couple and this was something they did all the time. Realistically, she knew that this fling between her and Derek wouldn’t last forever, not when she knew what he envisioned for his future, and she couldn’t guarantee the type of life he pictured for himself. So, for now, she allowed herself to enjoy his company for as long as it lasted, even if it meant her heart and emotions were going to take a hard hit when it all ended.
As they strolled past a house about a block away from hers, Derek lifted his hand and waved at the couple sitting on their porch, each drinking a cup of coffee.
“Hi, George, Maryann,” Derek greeted them, surprising Jessica since she didn’t even know those neighbors yet.
“Hi, Derek,” the older man said jovially. “No run this morning?”
Derek shook his head and grinned. “No, I’ve got a hungry woman to feed.”
“I hope you’re heading to Millie’s,” the woman—Maryann, Jessica assumed—said. “Best breakfast around.”
“We are,” Derek said cheerfully. “You two have a nice day.”
George lifted his coffee mug. “Same to you and your girl.”
Jessica gave them a wave, making a mental note to introduce herself to them at another time. Once they were a few houses away, she glanced at Derek curiously. “How do you know them?”
“I introduced myself to them last Sunday while I was jogging around the neighborhood,” he said with a shrug. “They waved, and so I stopped and chatted with them for a few minutes. Super nice people.”
She laughed as they crossed the street on a green light and headed toward the shops and restaurants. “You know my neighbors better than I do.”
“I told you I love your neighborhood,” he said, reminding her of their conversation last weekend, which had led to a discussion about him wanting to raise kids in an environment like this.
Not wanting to repeat that painful chat about his desire to have a family and kids, she pointed to Millie’s, and they walked in that direction. When they arrived, they were early enough that the place wasn’t filled yet, and they were seated at an outdoor table in the pleasantly warm sun.
Coffee was a priority, then they ordered their meals—a quiche for her and the lumberjack breakfast for him. The next hour passed with effortless conversation, easy laughter, and flirtatious banter. By the time they returned to her place, Jessica felt as though she’d been given a glimpse of what life and a Sunday morning could be like with Derek.
It was a fantasy she didn’t indulge in too deeply.
As they walked into her house, Derek surprised her by taking her hand and leading her to the couch, where they sat down side by side, his now serious gaze replacing his earlier easygoing demeanor. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but the abrupt shift in his mood caused a trickle of unease to course through her.
“Is everything okay?” she asked hesitantly.
He exhaled a deep breath, still holding her hand. “So, before I call an Uber and head home, there’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about . . .and it has to do with Claire.”
That was the last thing Jessica expected, and just the mention of her nemesis’s name made her tense up. “Okay.”