Page 73 of Tides of Discovery
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of Valentine’s Day customers and nervous energy. By the time we reached closing, I was exhausted but elated. Jack flipped the sign toClosedand leaned against the door with a dramatic sigh.
“We did it.” He straightened his glasses.
“We did it,” I echoed and surveyed the aftermath. Despite the mess of empty cups and scattered napkins, the event had been an unqualified success. “I can’t believe how many people came.”
Jack pushed off from the door and walked toward me. “I can. This place is special, Cooper. You’ve made it special.”
“Wemade today special,” I corrected him and held his gaze. “I couldn’t have done this without you. Not just the work—though God knows I needed the extra hands—but the ideas, taking down the counterfeit health inspection report and the negative reviews, all of it.”
Something shifted in Jack’s expression—a vulnerability I’d been catching glimpses of more and more lately. “I’m glad I could help.”
On impulse, I pulled him into a hug. Jack’s arms came around me instantly and held me tight. He buried his face inthe crook of my neck. We stood like that for a long moment and swayed slightly in the middle of my shop.
When we finally pulled apart, I caught it: that unguarded look in Jack’s eyes, a depth of emotion that made my heart stutter. It was gone in an instant, replaced by his usual warm grin, but I knew what I’d seen. The raw emotion there mirrored what I felt growing in my own chest, giving me hope for the conversation we would have.
“We should probably start cleaning up.” He stepped back. “Otherwise, we won’t have time to get ready for the dance tonight.”
“Right.” I struggled to refocus. “Aaron and I can clean up if you want to go home and change.”
“I don’t mind staying,” Jack said, already gathering discarded cups. “Three pairs of hands will make it go faster.”
Aaron emerged from the back room with cleaning supplies. “This place is a disaster.” He shook his head. “I’ve never seen it so busy.”
We worked together and restored the shop to order. As we moved around each other in the familiar space, a certainty was growing inside me, impossible to ignore.
I didn’t want this to end.
Not just the day, but everything: the way we’d been growing together these past four weeks, the easy companionship, the shared moments both public and private.
And it wouldn’t, if I had anything to say about it.
“Good day?” Jack jolted me out of my reverie. He held out a cup of our house blend, his expression curious.
“The best.” I took the mug gratefully. “Beyond my expectations.”
“Mine too.” He leaned against the counter beside me. Our shoulders touched, and his warmth seeped through my shirt. “Your mom seemed to come around a bit.”
I snorted. “That was unexpected. It’s the first time she’s acknowledged that the coffee shop might not be a complete waste of my time.” I turned to him. “And she seemed more accepting of my having a boyfriend.”
“Progress,” Jack said with a slight smile. “Baby steps.”
“Progress,” I said, my thoughts already turning to the evening ahead. “Are you ready for the dance tonight?”
Jack winced. “As ready as I’ll ever be. What if we’re crowned king and king of the dance?” A flush rose in his cheeks.
I chuckled. “Then we’ll be gracious,” I said. “A good way to cap off the day as the couple the town expects.”
Jack’s grin returned. “It will be. We’ll make it memorable.”
As we finished cleaning and I locked the shop behind us, I felt a strange mix of exhaustion, satisfaction, and anticipation. The day had been a triumph. The event was a hit, the air was cleared between Jack and me, and Shaw was in jail. Tonight would be our grand finale as a temporary couple.
But after that? After that, I hoped for a beginning—a real one, with no boundaries or bargains or expiration dates. Just Jack and me, figuring it out together.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Jack
I stood in front of the mirror and adjusted my tie for the third time. Dark gray suit, burgundy tie that matched the shirt I’d worn earlier at the coffee shop—Cooper’s favorite color on me, though I doubted he realized his gaze lingered whenever I wore it.
