Page 35 of Snowflakes Over Starr's Fall
“So this barn dance,” he remarked. “It’s a new thing?”
“Yes.” Jenna was studying her menu with what felt like unnecessary concentration. “The whole Winter Wonderland thing was shelved for years because some city type had objected to the Christmas tree, saying it was a hazard. We only brought it back last year, and I guess it’s still evolving.”
Some city type?Why did that feel personal? “And so now Lizzy wants to make it an even bigger deal?”
“I guess.” She shrugged, deliberately not meeting his gaze. At least that’s what it felt like.
Suddenly impatient, Jack put a hand over the laminated menu that hid her face and deliberately drew it down. “Jenna, what’s going on?” he asked, quietly enough so no one nearby could hear, or so he hoped. “Why are you acting like you’re angry with me?”
She shrugged, a twitch of a shoulder. “I’m not.” So unconvincing.
“Yes,” he told her, trying to smile, “you are.” He willed her to meet his gaze, but she wouldn’t, keeping it firmly fixed on the table. “Jenna… did I do something to offend you? Have I been too over-the-top with the store? I’m sorry if I took too much control. I guess I’m used to being in charge?—”
Jenna sighed and glanced up, meeting his gaze with the resolution of someone facing a firing squad. “It’s not that,” she said, and then did not elaborate.
Okay. But her tone suggested it wassomething. “What is it, then?” he asked.
Another sigh, this one more angsty. “Look, Jack, can we… not do this?” she asked in a pleading voice. “Let’s just focus on the barn dance, okay? I’m thinking Christmas lights strung among the hay bales… not that we have hay bales, because we don’t have any animals, but I’m sure one of the local farmers might have some and we could decorate with some evergreen and holly as well…”
“I don’t want to talk about hay bales,” Jack said. “Or holly.” Jenna seemed agitated, and he wanted to know why. Was she mad at him? She didn’t seem mad, not exactly, but there was definitely something going on that she didn’t want to talk about… So what was it?
“Jack,” she said quietly. She was looking down at the table, her hair falling in front of her face. She didn’t say anything more.
“Jenna…” he answered back, and then fell silent, because he wasn’t sure what to say. What he wanted to say. He’d spent the last month focused on helping her, totally committed to her store, trying to be purposeful and professional and not to notice how her hair smelled like strawberries, or how the freckles on her nose seemed to dance when she laughed, or that he actually liked her overalls with the purple patches. No, he had definitely not noticed any of those things. Much.
And now… now she didn’t want to tell him why she was annoyed with him? Jenna, who always seemed willing to tell him, or anyone, why she was annoyed? Was that a good thing, or a really bad thing? He really wasn’t sure what was going on, and he had a seriously sneaking suspicion that he might be reading this situation completely wrong. In which case…
“Okay,” he said at last. “Let’s talk hay bales.”
Before Jenna could reply, Rhonda sashayed over to them, a smirking smile on her thin face as she flicked her thin blonde ponytail over one bony shoulder. “All right, lovebirds, what can I get you?”
“Rhonda.” Jenna shook her head, seeming despairing. “Come on.”
Rhonda’s pencil-thin eyebrows rose. “What?”
Jenna just shook her head again. “My usual, please.”
“I’ll have whatever’s on tap,” Jack said, only for Rhonda to roll her eyes.
“This is a diner, not a bar,” she said as she wagged a finger in front of his nose. “There’s nothing on tap.”
Of course there wasn’t. “I’ll have a Heineken, please.”
“Good choice,” Rhonda approved. “Anything to eat?”
Mutely Jenna and Jack both shook their heads, and Rhonda whisked the menus away before heading back to the kitchen.
Jenna sighed. It was the kind of sigh that suggested she’d rather be doing anything else than sitting in The Starr Light with him, and Jack didn’t know whether to be hurt or hopeful. He was kind of both, at the same time, which didn’t make sense, but…
Nothing about right now made sense. He really hadn’t expected this, althoughwhathe expected he couldn’t have said. The last month had been enjoyable, invigorating,fun. He had thought things between them had been going well, but clearly he had not been picking up all the signals.
“Okay,” he said at last. “If you want to talk about the barn dance, let’s talk about the barn dance, but…” He hesitated before finishing with a wry smile. “It would be nice if you didn’t act as if you were being tortured while we were doing it.”
“I’ve hardly been acting like that,” Jenna protested. Feebly.
“You’ve been annoyed, though,” Jack replied, fixing her with a level stare. “Sorry to keep harping on about it, but why won’t you tell me why?”
Jenna was starting to look as tortured as she’d sounded. “I thought we were talking about hay bales.”
