Page 6 of Lovesick
“Much, thank you.”
“Have a seat.” He nodded to the couch. “The hot chocolate is almost ready.”
“Thanks.”
Instead of sitting, I perused a bookshelf against the far wall.Death on the MountainandA Climber’s Guide to Everythingdrew my attention. I pulled them down, my thoughts wandering. Surely these were JJ’s. Likelyallthese books were JJ’s. Mark didn’t strike me as a reader.
By the time I finished my brief perusal, JJ had returned, a mug of hot chocolate in hand. He passed it to me, then sat on a nearby chair to nurse what appeared to be tea.
“Thank you,” I said.
The sweet warmth calmed my stomach. I took another eager sip, suddenly ravenous. It seemed to expand in the hollow part of my body. I peered at him over the top of the cup.
“And thank you for ... you know.”
He shrugged. “Don’t mention it.”
“But you could have—”
“And didn’t.” He finished firmly. “I’m grateful I was there to help. You would have done the same. You just came back to Pineville this summer, didn’t you?”
Grateful for the change in subject, I let out a long breath. “Yes. Around the same time as you. I graduated college in May. Since Bethany was pregnant all summer, and very sick, I’ve been running the coffee shop. I just came from the hospital, actually. She had a little boy.”
His eyes lit up. “Wow. Quite the day for you.”
“Yes. I’m a proud auntie—who’s alive, thanks to you.” I lifted my mug. “Here’s to several new beginnings.”
He clinked his mug against mine with a witty smile.
“What did you graduate in?” he asked.
“Bachelor’s in Computer Science.”
“Impressive.”
“Thanks.”
“You should fix Adventura’s website,” he said. “Mark attempted it last winter. It’s absolutely hideous.”
“I’d love to look at it.”
Website makeovers were a fun part of what I could do, but the idea of working with the Bailey boys was too unreal to think about. Besides, the warm purl of heat in my stomach surely had nothing to do with the curious expression on his face. I curled deeper into the couch, feeling drowsy after the shower.
“What are you going to do next?” he asked.
Great question. “Um ... there are job options.”
“Ah. I know that hesitation.”
He sat halfway on the couch, elbows resting on his knees. There was something sexy about the way he held the cup of tea in his whole hand, the palm cupping the bottom. Although tempted to drop my gaze, I didn’t.
“I just needed a break for a year,” I said. “College was hardcore for me. Nonstop. So when I finished, I just ... I needed some time to figure out what I wanted to do. Running the Frolicking Moose and paying down some debt was ideal.”
A grimace crossed his face. “Adulting stuff.”
“Unfortunately. There’s also this job Ireallywant.”
“Oh?”
