Page 12 of Under the Ink

“I can make Ginny’s too if you want.”

“Nah. I’ve already started,” he said as he began steaming the milk. “Vanilla latte on the house.”

“Oh, I’ll pay for it.”

“Like hell you will. I keep telling Dan we need a frequent customer card. Until he does, I give out freebies to regulars once in a while.”

“Well…thanks.” As if to make up for it, Ginny dropped a ten-dollar bill in the tip jar.

“No. Thankyou.”

Naomi refrained from rolling her eyes while she poured herself a plain black coffee. Not long after, she and her bestie were seated and spending a few minutes together. And Naomi felt relief when a couple of high school kids came in asking for frappés. That’d keep Kevin busy so he wouldn’t feel the need to visit with them.

No matter what Naomi decided, this moment would probably be one of the last times she and Ginny would get to spend with her friend being single. Even though the wedding was still three months away, Ginny’s time was getting eaten up with planning and doing all kinds of wedding things. Naomi wanted to relish their short time together.

Unfortunately, she had to bring up the sore spot again. “IfI took this job, would you be able to keep a box or two of mine…just while I’m gone?”

“Yeah, sure. Of course.” The way Ginny’s brows knitted together told Naomi she wouldn’t like what came out of Ginny’s mouth next.

And she was right.

“Have you told your parents?”

“Why the hell would I do that?”

Ginny’s pale face grew all the more ashen. “I don’t know. But if you’re going to be gone for a while, I just thought maybe—”

Naomi instantly felt like a jerk. Ginny, her sweet empathetic friend, was just trying to be kind and thoughtful. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

But probably not. It was hard enough grappling with herself, trying to make the decision. Would this be the stupidest, craziest thing she’d ever done? She didn’t know any of the people in the band and had never traveled much before. Although Winchester sucked…at least it was the devil she knew. She had a decent job and her best friend was here.

If she were to talk to her mother and father, they knew all her buttons. They would have her do exactly whattheywanted and make her feel like it had been her own decision. If she was going to do this…she had to just jump in with both feet.

Eyes closed.

“Tell me about your wedding cake. Have you picked what you want?” These days, Naomi knew how easily she could distract her friend—and she was right. While she heard all the details about cake toppers and American buttercream, Naomi was lost in thought.

It would be easy enough to stay here, wouldn’t it?

The tinkle of the bell at the door made Naomi turn, even though she wasn’t on the clock. Of all people to walk in, why did it have to be Jacob Goodman? Until him, Naomi’s life had been fun and free, and she’d been optimistic, light, full of hope and dreams. That guy had ruined everything.

And as long as she stayed in this God-forsaken town, she’d keep seeing him everywhere. She had to get the hell out of here.

But…there was no guarantee there wouldn’t be a million other Jacobs out there.

“Three tiers—and maybe more,” Ginny gushed, lifting her cup to her lips.

“Ginny, I think I’m going.”

“What?”

“I think I want to take the job.”

“Did my wedding cake help you decide that?”

“Yep. It sure did.” Ginny hadn’t noticed Jacob walk in. If she had, she would’ve known why Naomi was leaning that way.

Would leaving help her breathe again? Would she stop keeping people at arm’s length? Or would her life be the same…just in a different place?

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