Chapter 5

“Here you go,” Jubilee said as she handed the Americano and blueberry muffin to a woman not much younger than her. “Is that all?”

“I haven’t had a muffin in six months.” The girl inhaled the scent of sugar and blueberries and moaned aloud. “I’m tempted to buy all of them and eat them in one go.”

Jubilee laughed. “Maybe just start with one. Although our pumpkin spice muffin is really good, too.”

The girl groaned, paid for her food, and left before she could be tempted further. It was mid-morning, and the early morning rush had petered out.

Jubilee drummed her fingers against the counter. She’d already wiped down all the tables and organized the baked goods in the glass case after the usual morning depletion. Megan was currently in the back finishing up a batch of bread, and Jubilee could smell it baking. Even though she’d been working here for two years now, her stomach still rumbled at how amazing it always smelled.

Had it really been two years since she’d moved out of her parents’ house and started this job? It was hard to believe sometimes, while other times, Jubilee itched to do something else. Go somewhere else.

And maybe leave someone behind once and for all.

She blew out a breath. Her acceptance to Avila College remained a secret. She had until the week before Christmas to commit. She hadn’t even chosen a major yet, since she’d be taking general education classes at first. Jubilee had considered going into marketing or business, but neither had appealed to her very much.

When she’d been a child, Jubilee had dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. She’d loved animals—dogs, cats, birds, even snakes, to her mother’s horror—but when she’d relapsed at age thirteen with another bout of leukemia, that dream had been set aside. Lisa had also never allowed any animals in the home, and by the time Jubilee had moved out, she’d thought that that dream had been put to rest.

But why couldn’t she go to veterinary school? The very thought of it sent a thrill through her. To be doing something real, to do something that would truly help animals and the people who loved them?

Maybe I should adopt an animal, at least to start. She wasn’t home enough for a dog, but maybe she could adopt a cat.

The bell by the front door of the bakery jingled, and in walked a man Jubilee had seen a few times in town recently. He was tall, with sandy-blond hair and a nice smile, although his hair was already thinning on top. He also tended to wear shirts that were a size too small, to the point that if you looked at him from the side, you could see his undershirt through the gaps in between the placket of buttons on his shirt.

“Hi there,” Jubilee said. “How can I help you?”

“I’ve never been here before. What do you recommend?” The man had a bit of a twang, his vowels elongated with each word.

“What do you like? Our cinnamon rolls are pretty amazing, I have to say.”

“That’s not the only amazing thing in here, I’m thinking.”

Jubilee blushed. She thought of Heath’s “lesson” a few days ago, and she knew she’d be a fool not to put his advice to good use right now. Didn’t she want to date around? Maybe find a boyfriend?

She smiled, making a point to keep eye contact with this latest possible date. “What’s your name?” she asked him. It felt strange to flirt with someone whose name you didn’t know. “I’m Jubilee.”

“That’s a pretty name. Mine’s not that interesting, I’m afraid. I’m Brian.” His eyes gleamed as they scanned her face before landing on her breasts for a long moment.

“Brian’s not a bad name. At least you aren’t Mortimer. That’s a terrible name,” she joked.

His lips twisted, and she could’ve bitten her tongue. “That’s my middle name.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” When he started laughing, she blushed. “Wait, are you joking?”

“How about you go out with me and find out?”

She didn’t know what to say to that. Say yes, say yes! her mind screamed. Yet she found herself hesitating. Brian seemed perfectly nice, but he wasn’t—

No, she refused to go there. This had nothing to do with him.

“How about you tell me your order first?” she replied.

“You choose for me. I trust you.”

“All right.”

Jubilee pushed her hair away from her neck, just like Heath had told her. Brian licked his lips, which made her feel slightly ill. She grabbed the tongs to choose something—anything—from the food case. In her haste, she knocked a plate of croissants off the shelf onto the bottom of the case, where they covered everything with flakes of pastry.

“Dammit,” she muttered. She grabbed one of the pumpkin spice muffins, but not before she hit her head on the edge of the case. Her eyes blurred with tears. “Dammit!”

Brian laughed. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.” She practically tossed the muffin onto a plate and handed it to him. “That’ll be five fifty.”

Brian decided to order a cortado before he went to sit down to eat his muffin. Jubilee tried not to dissolve into a puddle of humiliation as she made his drink. Smooth, Jubilee. Smooth.

When she gave him his drink a few minutes later, he gestured at her to sit down. “There’s no one here, so your boss won’t get mad.”

“I can’t, although I’d like to.” She batted her eyelashes, determined that this encounter wouldn’t end up another failure. “Does your offer still stand?”

“Of course. I’m new in town, so you should show me around.”

She pulled out her notepad and scribbled her number down onto it. “Text me. And I’ll try not to bash my head on anything, either.”

“Excellent.”

As she handed him the note, she made a point to brush her fingers against his. Brian’s eyes lit up. Jubilee did a mental happy dance.

Heath was right. Men are simple.

Jubilee returned to the register as more customers came in. Megan bustled in and out with more baked goods, her cheeks flushed but her expression happy. There were few things—and even people—that Megan loved as much as she loved her bakery. Her husband Caleb sometimes joked that he was secondary to The Rise and Shine, at which Megan would joke that as long as he behaved, she’d love him more than baking cinnamon rolls.

Brian gave Jubilee a wave when he left, which prompted Megan to ask her about the gesture when they took a break for lunch.

“His name is Brian. He just moved here,” Jubilee explained. “He asked me out.”

“He did? He looked kind of old.”

“I think his hair is just thinning early.”

“Hmm.” Megan took a large bite of her sandwich. “Well, he’s no Ash Younger, but he’ll be good practice. Maybe you can help him with his fashion choices. That shirt was unfortunate.”

“Oh, hush!” Jubilee laughed. “This is all part of the plan. Date lots of men for the experience.”

Megan grinned. “Sure, but some experiences aren’t too exciting at the end of the day.”

They chatted after they finished eating. Megan talked about the ultrasound she’d have soon, and how she wanted to find out the gender but Caleb didn’t.

“He wants it to be a surprise.” Megan rolled her eyes. “But do you know how hard it is to find baby clothes that aren’t pink or blue? Besides, I want to be prepared as much as possible. Oh, that reminds me. I’ll need to hire someone to help in the next few months, especially when I’m on maternity leave. I want you to be the person in charge, of course.”

Jubilee’s eyes widened. “Really? Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. You know this place as well as I do. I might still come in to bake, although Caleb might tie me down if I do.” She smiled. “Your brother is a pain in the ass, you know.”

Jubilee knew she couldn’t keep her going to college a secret now, not if Megan expected her to stay to manage the bakery. “I’ve been meaning to tell you. I got into Avila. I’d start after the New Year.”

Megan’s eyes widened. “What? Seriously? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because I’m not sure if I’m going or not.”

“Why the hell not? Do you not want to?”

“No, I do, it’s just…” Jubilee sighed. “I’ve never lived anywhere but here, you know? I think I’m afraid it’ll be a disaster.”

“Now, that’s ridiculous. You’ll do great.”

“What about the bakery? I don’t want to leave you high and dry.”

Megan patted her on the arm. “Jubi, I’m so glad you’re doing this. I’ve loved having you work here, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve always hoped you’d get out of here. You need to stretch your wings. Seattle will be perfect. Sure, it’ll be a lot at the beginning, but you’re strong. You’ve beaten cancer twice. If anyone could succeed, you will.”

Jubilee was close to tears. She sniffled. “Thank you. Oh, and you’re the only person I’ve told. So don’t tell anyone yet?”

“Cross my heart, hope to die.” The front doorbell jingled as a customer came in, and then within another moment, they rang the bell at the front. “We better get out there before there’s a riot. People need their coffee, dammit.”

Jubilee laughed, feeling like a huge load had been lifted off her shoulders for once.

When’s our next lesson? Jubilee texted that afternoon.

Heath had gotten the text while at work, and he’d ignored it until he’d gone home. He then ignored it some more as he made dinner. When he received a second text that simply said, Stop ignoring me, he couldn’t help but smile.

Not ignoring you, he replied. How about tomorrow night?

That works. I have a date this Saturday, so I need some practice.

Heath’s initial amusement faded, and he was in a black mood the rest of the evening. Restless, he decided to take a jog around his neighborhood in the hopes that he could burn off whatever this was. Even though it was already dark and cold, the chill felt invigorating.

At least for the first few laps. By the time he returned home, his nose was red and half-frozen, his eyes watering from the blustery weather. Autumn would soon be at an end, and the infamous rainy season in the Pacific Northwest would begin. Days of gray, rain, drizzle, and cold until May.

And soon he’d have to testify against Johnny. Rich hadn’t contacted Heath since that first call, but that didn’t mean Rich wasn’t watching—and waiting. Heath knew his type: they used any weakness you had to get you to bend to their will.

His head pounding and exhaustion swamping his limbs, he went up to bed, only to wake up even more tired in the morning.

The school day passed painfully slow: two of his students got into a fight at recess that resulted in both of them getting suspended for the rest of the week, while he caught more than one student cheating on the spelling test that day. He also had to deal with Jessie’s mom, Lana, stopping by to apologize for Jessie asking him to date her after he’d contacted her about having a parent-teacher meeting. I don’t generally ask my kids to pick up men for me, she’d joked, although Heath had detected a note of flirtation in her voice. He’d had to shut that down quickly, and Lana had reacted coldly. The encounter hadn’t improved his mood one bit. By the time the bell rang, Heath almost bolted from his classroom before his students had even packed up.

When he heard a knock on his front door, it took Heath a second to remember that Jubilee was coming over. His heart did that annoying flip-flop in his chest as he let her inside. Lately, she’d been letting her hair go wavy, and he fought the urge to run his fingers through the silken locks.

“Hi,” Jubilee said, her cheeks rosy. “Long time no see.”

“Can I get you anything? Let me take your coat.”

“Thank you. And no, I’m fine.” Jubilee fidgeted, and it melted Heath’s frustrated mood to see her. She was like a candle in the darkness, always bright and shining and beautiful. Every time he was around her, he felt like the world could be good and right and lovely. That wasn’t something he could say about any other person, except maybe his sister Rose.

“I used your tips a few days ago,” Jubilee said in a rush as they sat down in the living room. At his raised eyebrow, she added, “For flirting and catching a man’s interest.”

“Ah.”

“It worked. I have a date Saturday.”

“So you said.”

She tilted her head to the side, looking like a curious bird. “Is something the matter?”

Of course not. It’s not like I want to take whoever this guy is and pummel him for even thinking about going out with you, he thought darkly.

“No, it’s just been a long day.”

“Okay, well, I wanted to work on something specific. For my date.”

His lips twisted. “I figured as much.”

Her cheeks turned as red as cherries, and Heath was torn between being charmed and being twisted into knots. It didn’t help that Jubilee had put on some kind of perfume that wafted toward him every time she moved. It smelled like jasmine, and it only stoked his desire for her further.

“I need kissing lessons. I don’t know how to kiss.”

He stared at her, trying very hard to keep a straight face. “You were perfectly good at kissing when we did it,” he growled. He didn’t care that he shouldn’t bring up that night only a few weeks ago.

God, that kiss. That kiss had wrecked him. Jubilee hadn’t been experienced, yes, but she’d been eager. Nothing like enthusiasm to make up for any defects in technique.

“Um, thank you.” She swallowed. “But we didn’t go very far, right? I don’t know how to really kiss.”

Heath wondered if being boiled in hot oil would be less painful than this conversation. Maybe he should throw himself off of the nearest cliff to end this. It sounded preferable to kissing Jubilee so she could kiss another man that weekend.

You had your chance, he reminded himself. She’s not for you. If you weren’t such an idiot, you’d tell her to go home right now.

If he were wiser, stronger, better…except he was none of those things when it came to Jubilee Thornton. With her, he was weak. Desperate. Consumed.

And God Almighty, he wanted to kiss her right now more than he wanted anything else in his life.

“Well, then, I guess we better get started.” He turned so he faced her. “You’ll need to come closer than that.”

“Oh! Of course.” She scooted closer, their knees bumping. She licked her lips, which didn’t help his self-control at all. “Where should I put my hands?”

“How about on my shoulders?”

She settled her hands on his shoulders, her eyes wide. Her perfume enveloped his senses, and he couldn’t help but drink in the pale creaminess of her skin. The smattering of freckles on her nose, or how her lips were full and pink.

“Now, you’ll tilt your head to the left. Are you ready?”

She nodded, her fingers digging into his shoulders. “Yes.”

Heath touched her jaw and pressed his lips to hers. It was a light caress, barely a brush of his lips against hers. She inhaled, and when her eyelids fluttered closed, he smiled.

He didn’t deepen the kiss right then. He simply enjoyed the feeling of her lips under his, the way her breathing increased. His cock hardened with every brush of his lips, and it took all of his self-control not to thrust his tongue inside her mouth and have her writhing under him in ten seconds flat.

Steady, steady. He licked at the seam of her lips. When she didn’t open her mouth, he traced her cheek.

“Open for me,” he murmured.

Jubilee shivered. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” she complained.

“I’ll show you. Just let me lead for now, and then you can kiss me back when you want to. Okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

She closed her eyes, parting her lips, and Heath’s heart thrummed. It was hard to believe she couldn’t hear how hard his heart was pounding as he touched his tongue to hers. He tilted her head back as he deepened the kiss. He sucked her tongue and tasted her, loving the way her nails dug into his shoulders.

He just let himself feel: the taste of her, her scent. The silkiness of her lips. When she tentatively touched her tongue to his, he almost exploded. With a groan, he kissed her harder, that self-control snapping in an instant.

Heath tangled his fingers in her hair, and then Jubilee was under him on the couch as he kissed her like he’d wanted to kiss her for ages. That kiss on Halloween had been a cruel tease—he’d needed more. He’d needed everything.

He pressed his hips against her, wanting her to feel how much he wanted her. She shuddered, arching against him. The flames inside him grew and grew, especially as he pushed up her shirt to touch the skin above her jeans.

But then something in his brain told him that he was going too far, that this was way more than kissing. That she wasn’t his and never would be, and he was only making it harder for both himself and her.

With great reluctance, he ended the kiss, but he didn’t move off her for a long moment. Her eyes opened, and her pupils almost covered the green of her irises.

“Is it over?” she whispered.

He laughed, but it was a bitter sound. He sat up and tried—unsuccessfully—to cover his aching erection.

“I think that’s enough. You should go.”

Jubilee sat up, and Heath’s gut twisted at the hurt in her eyes. “Okay.” She pushed her hair off of her forehead. “I need to get up early for work anyway.”

It took everything in Heath not to yank her back into his arms and kiss her senseless. Her shirt was still rucked up slightly, and when she bent down to pick up her purse, he got a flash of cleavage that sent a lightning bolt of lust through him.

After they said goodbye, Heath bolted his front door and leaned his forehead against the cool wood.

He was fairly certain he was going to lose this battle against staying away from Jubilee.