(Jessamine’s POV)“Good?” I raised my eyebrows, forcing a half-smile as I reached for my coffee.Look down. Look down! But I couldn’t. I found myself staring thoughtfully back at him while my heart and mind were dwelling on why I had broken up with Luke. If not for the table between us, he might have kissed me and…Charlie barked, probably reminding me why I was here in the first place. My puppy might have accepted that Aiden and I had broken up… as best friends, but his loyalty would still be on his Daddy.I cleared my throat and sighed, successfully escaping from his gaze.“I’m sorry, Jess. I got overexcited seeing you again,” he muttered truthfully and smiled apologetically.“The interview?” I lifted my cup, sipping coffee, hoping it would calm my heart instead of accelerating its beating.Right now, it was my brain that I needed to be quick in thinking and picking up the words to get Luke onto the ship without complicating my life. I didn’t want Aiden to believe I was getting back
(Jessamine’s POV)After a long pause, I nodded.Luke blinked, then stared at me with confusion and excitement in his eyes. “Does that mean I get the job, Jess?” He asked, clarifying what my gesture meant. “Are you giving me a chance?”Like him, I was confused about giving the job to him. Deborah might be right; I was getting back at Aiden.“Don’t be excited much, Luke, because I am only giving you a month,” I answered, swallowing hard before I continued, “and if you cross the line, I’m replacing you immediately.”He knitted his eyebrows and pursed his lips. “That I cannot promise you, Jess.” Then he smiled, “But I’ll deal with my heart later.” His lips curved into a triumphant smile.My heart pounded, realizing Luke had changed. He seemed more determined now than he was four years ago.“Let’s celebrate.” Luke gazed at me, melting me again.I lifted an eyebrow and scoffed. “Celebrate? You know that I don’t celebrate my birthday.”He chuckled nervously, glancing at Charlie, sitting besi
(Jessamine’s POV)“This is your dream,” Luke smiled when we returned to the garden; his eyes were on the two-floor restaurant.“My dream?” I lifted an eyebrow, glancing at him and then at the construction.Morris told me Aaron wanted the production area done in three months to have the business running while waiting for the restaurant, which should be done in six months. Aaron and Sasha were throwing a lot of money into Adilene’s, which pressured me because anyone could tell it would take time before this place became profitable.Luke nodded. “Yeah. Do you remember the project you wrote for our entrepreneurship class? This was quite similar to that.”“Really?” I narrowed my eyes, trying to remember it, then shook my head. “I wrote about an ice cream shop business, Luke,” I corrected him.He glanced at me, smiling as he nodded. “Yep… and I remember telling you it should be a coffee shop instead of an ice cream shop since you wanted people to read and relax.” He laughed, raising his han
(Jessamine’s POV)“Adam Knight?”Adam Knight? I heard about it when Deborah and Xavier argued about him. Like my friend, I checked on this guy and was surprised he looked like him. But at that time, Aiden was with me, and this Adam guy was spotted abroad. As if playing a spot-the-difference game, I could list many similarities, but there were also many differences. Maybe this Adam Knight, being young and wealthy, made a big distinction. Adam looked powerful, genius, focused, and aloof, unlike my Aiden. If he was Adam Knight, it was something Aiden would never keep from me.I raised my eyebrows, switching glances to Luke and Aiden. The way Luke narrowed his eyes as he stared at Aiden, I knew he was unsure.“He’s a doppelganger,” I joked.“I’m the doppelganger?” Aiden scoffed, rolling his eyes.“Yeah,” I sneered, then turned to Luke and forced a smile. “He gets that a lot. I mean, not the doppelganger… Umm… He looks like Adam, but he’s not.” I explained to Luke.Aiden grabbed my hand,
(Aiden’s POV)“Did you tell her?” Sasha asked.I walked toward the balcony, sighing as I watched Jessamine talk to Luke. Besides Xavier, whom she had always considered her brother, I had never seen my best friend, now officially my girlfriend, be comfortable with another man. It should be comforting, her trusting a college friend to run the business, but knowing he was an ex, her first boyfriend, and the first man who claimed her territory, jealousy squeezed my heart.“How can I tell her, Sasha, when I saw her crying when she thought she lost Charlie?” I muttered, gritting my teeth, hating Luke as he raised his hand to take off the leaf“Charlie’s missing? She lost Charlie?” There was panic in her voice.“Sasha, you’re not listening. She thought she lost Charlie,” I corrected. Although it worried me too when she told me our puppy was missing, I knew we would find him. He is a smart dog, just like his mother.“So, when are you going to tell her?” She asked, back to her old agenda. “I’
(Aiden’s POV) I opened my mouth to answer, but then Jessamine shook her head, rolled her eyes, and laughed. “You can’t be Adam Knight,” Jessamine muttered, narrowing her eyes as she studied my face. Her lips twitched, then she shook her head again. “I saw him once on the Internet. ‘Got curious, but… nah!” Although she let go of the topic easily, my heart still pounded wildly. “I could be him.” I should have said I am him, not could be. This was my chance to tell her everything, especially about my father, Naomi, and the child she was carrying. But Jessamine shrugged, grinning as she turned around, facing the coffee table. “Cake?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder. When I didn’t answer, she turned to me and grabbed my hands, leading me to the couch. “I’ve been eating cake alone for nine years, Aiden. This year, I’m finally sharing it with you.” I nodded, gazing at her lovingly, forgetting about everything else. What mattered now was the present… Just Jessamine. “Make a wish
(Aiden’s POV)“You planned this all along,” Jessamine murmured, covering her mouth as it remained open after seeing what was set up near the lake.A picnic basket and another bouquet of red roses sat prettily on the red picnic mat. Nearby, wood sticks stood in a pyramid, ready for the bonfire. Solar string lights were decorated on the trees, and a pellet grill was a few steps away from the tent.“I asked for Morris’ help,” I grinned, taking the cake box from her and placing it on the mat. “He and his men were sure fast.”Jessamine was still standing, gaping in surprise. She blinked, glancing at our excited dog when it saw the peaceful lake. She took off the leash, letting Charlie run happily to the shoreline. He looked in our direction, barking as if calling her, and when she didn’t move, he didn’t attempt to go deeper. Our dog was simply happy and contented with his paws wet, then ran back to us.“Aiden,” she blinked, breathing shakily as she turned her head on me. “Why did you spen
(Jessamine’s POV)“Aiden, are you okay?”I asked Aiden as he was only staring at me, scanning my body like his eyes were looking for something valuable inside me. I knew he never liked me teasing him, and my plan of swimming naked failed. He must have thanked the god of the rain for hearing his prayer!“I’ll go get towels upstairs,” I muttered, stepping toward the stairs, but I stopped when he grabbed my wrist.I lifted an eyebrow, asking him silently what he wanted when he gripped harder.“I promised to go slowly in everything, Jess,” he muttered, not blinking when our eyes met.“Then… let’s… take… it… slowly,” I joked, speaking each word bit by bit.My heart pounded when he didn’t laugh. Instead, he pulled me closer to him and slid his hand on my neck, dipping his head to catch my lips, blazing mine with his scorching kisses. I slid my arms around his waist, clutching the hem of his wet T-shirt as he thrust his tongue deeper into my mouth, melting me. As our tongues entangled, desi
(Aiden’s POV) Two years later… “Go!” Deborah chuckled and gestured her hand, telling me it was okay to leave. “We’ll bring Kyle to the hospital later,” she promised. I nodded, picking up the bag Jessamine and I prepared last night. I walked toward the couch, kissed my son, sleeping soundly on the seat, and patted Charlie’s head. He wagged his tail but didn’t bother to follow me. Kyle and Xyla had become his new best friends. Wherever they were, he would be there. Xavier brought Deborah and their daughter, Xyla, last night when Jessamine told them she was in labor. I didn’t know if it was because Jessamine was carrying our second child that everyone seemed relaxed. Only I was panicking, unsure what to bring or how to take my wife to the hospital. “We have a driver, Aiden. Why are you panicking?” Jessamine asked calmly last night as she climbed the bed. Benedict and Xavier raised the same question. Perhaps it was not the reason why my heartbeat was pounding fast. I would love to h
(Aiden’s POV) “I don’t know, Aiden,” Jessamine murmured sadly. “You love lying to me.”I shook my head and lifted my hand, gently wiping the tears on her cheeks. “I was honest when I told you I broke up with every girlfriend I had in the past, including my engagement to Naomi. Our dads set our marriage up, not me.”If I had to choose freely whom I wanted to be with for the rest of my life, Naomi would never be on my list. She was part of my rebellion, which I regretted when she got pregnant.“Eliza,” The tears streamed down my face as I struggled to speak through the lump in my throat.My heart ached for the little one when I heard her call Jessamine ‘momma’. Eliza didn’t deserve a mother like Naomi. I opened my mouth to explain but closed it again. “You named her after your grandma’s name,” she said.I shook my head. “She named her after my grandma’s name. Not me,” I corrected.If only Jessamine knew how we fought that day but gave in because Naomi was still weak in the hospital.“
(Jessamine’s POV) “Ha! Ha!” I raised my eyebrows and glared at Aiden. “You know what? It’s too late for that. Whatever you want to say, I don’t care.”I could walk away, but I didn’t move.“Jess, please,” Aiden begged.“Fine! Go ahead with your confession. Let’s get this over with. I just want to go home.”Yet, it would be my biggest lie. For almost a month of staying here in Adilene’s, I knew I was home. Leaving here would scar my heart. Forgetting Aiden would be hell. However, he is getting married, and I don’t want to be the best friend in his love story who hinders his happiness. My sarcasm didn't appear to bother Aiden. He inhaled deeply and fixed his gaze on me. It was for a while, then he turned around, pointing at the lake.“On the other side of the lake is St. Rose Property. I bought it and opened a new business there, a law firm, and I invited Xavier to head the company,” he said, ignoring what I said. He turned to me, blinking once while waiting for my answer.I opened my
(Jessamine’s POV) Awkward? Yes. Angry? No. Maybe.I stood on the porch, staring at Aiden as he kissed our son. He took him from my arms, and my trusting son didn’t even cry. My baby continued to babble ‘Ba-ba’ba’, and guess what? Everyone found it adorable. “Yes, he’s Dada!” Mom muttered excitedly, not considering the feeling of her hurt daughter.I was invincible to Sasha and Aaron. I wanted to scream that it wasn’t their house, but they greeted Deborah and my mom, said something nice to Kyle, and eagerly went inside when my friend invited them for a coffee. They should have at least waited for me, and then I pouted, remembering it wasn’t mine either.Aiden turned to my mother. “Is it okay if I talk to Jessamine alone?”“Of course,” she muttered. “You have all day,” she chuckled with her joke.I opened my mouth, wanting to protest, but I closed it again because it was also the same thing I wanted. Deborah was right. Every time he returned, something happened. He would sweep me of
(Jessamine’s POV) I inhaled to smell the sweet scent of fresh air in Adilene’s from the porch, but instead, I caught the whiff of the aroma of the coffee bean Mom was grinding from her hand-cranked grinder. I glanced at the crib, checking on Kyle. A while ago, he played with his toes, putting them in his mouth. Perhaps he thought of them as built-in toys. This time, he rolled over, reaching the tail of the giraffe stuffed toy.Kyle just turned four months, but he could do many things—normal baby stuff. He could bear weight on his legs when sitting upright, rolling over, grabbing toys or Charlie’s fur, and babbling a combo of vowel and consonant letters. When I asked him something, and he didn’t cry, it was up to me to decide what it meant. Deborah and my mom thought differently. My friend bet that when Kyle reached the age of six months, he could count numbers and recite the alphabet. Mom proudly told her he was probably like me, a history of my life she now loved to retell.‘Jess
(Jessamine’s POV) I caught Aiden wincing when I hissed, cringing as Colleen pressed her finger on my scalp. My sister must be waiting for us to be alone. I knew that my crying didn’t help, but she would understand why I wailed like a baby on the staircase. I would explain everything to her later.Colleen sighed and turned to Aiden.“Don’t worry, Aiden. She’ll live. Long enough that the two of you will probably see your ten to fifteen great-grandchildren, in case you get back together,” she muttered jokingly instead of giving him her prognosis of my condition.“When did you become a fortune teller?” I arched my head to see her face.Colleen shrugged and grinned. “It’s one of my many talents, you know,” she said, turning around and walking toward the crib. “Want to see the garden, Kyle? Let’s give mommy and daddy some privacy. What do you think?” she asked gently, scooping my son from the crib.As if it was Aiden’s cue, he held the door open and closed it gently as soon as my sister an
(Aiden’s POV) My heart was still racing, and my breaths came in ragged gasps after sprinting all the way from the driveway to reach Jessamine. My body was still buzzing with adrenaline, but when I saw her crying, I was like sucked into a vortex, returning me to the first time I saw my best friend.I was nine years old again for a split second, seeing a cute little girl in a braided pigtail, curled up in the swing, holding the same math book I had in her arms. At first, I thought she was hurt, but when I approached her, she was perfectly okay and told me, between hiccupping and crying, that she didn’t know how to answer her homework.Of course, she couldn’t. I doubted if she could even read the sentences in the book. She must be five or six years old. She should be in the preschool building, enjoying learning the alphabet or numbers instead of worrying about the word problems in the book.What was a little girl doing in front of the classroom of the third-grade class? She must have mi
(Jessamine’s POV) I reached for the doorknob, but before I could grasp the exquisitely crafted knob, I clenched my hand and immediately concealed it behind me as if opening the door was a sin. I was reluctant to leave the bedroom for a few reasons, but Anne informed me that Susan was waiting for me in the family room and wanted to speak with me.If only there were another way to the staircase without passing Naomi’s bedroom.“She went out to see her doctor,” Anne muttered.“Huh?” I turned around, lifting a brow, pretending not to understand what she said.Anne’s lips curved into a shy smile. “If you were worried about seeing Ms. Naomi outside, she left to see her doctor,” she said, repeating the message, perhaps thinking I didn’t hear her the first time.“Ah,” I chuckled and sighed in relief. “Thank you for telling me, Anne. I don’t want to have part two of our encounter in the garden,” I joked. Partly.She laughed briefly. “Don’t worry about Kyle. I’ll ask someone to get you if he c
(Jessamine’s POV) “Ouch!” I winced when Aiden pressed his finger on my scalp.It was a light touch, but the tingling on my scalp worried me that I would go home bald or I might be wearing a wig on my wedding day. Maybe my hair would have grown an inch or two at that time. Still, I would feel bad. I imagined having my hair loosely braided vertically and horizontally on that big day, but after what happened, I should think of another hairstyle.Aiden clucked his tongue, sighed, and sat on the edge of the bed, turning the chair I was sitting on to face him. I was still mad at him, but sometimes I tend to forget whenever I get stunned by his gorgeous face. I hissed, cursing inwardly and lowering my head to avoid his gaze.“Does it hurt?” He asked worriedly, lifting my chin to meet his eyes. “Tell me, Jess.” When I didn’t answer, he continued, “I’m bringing you to the hospital now.”I squinted, shaking my head. “I’m okay. This is nothing serious. Why don’t you check on Naomi?”He scoffed,