Page 26 of Tides of Discovery
But the timing…the bitterness…the veiled threats…
I finished the next drink and placed it on the counter with a steady hand, even as my heart thudded painfully. All I could do was keep moving and keep smiling.
I wiped my hands on a towel, blinked hard—and when I looked up, Jack was there.
He’d abandoned his table and come to stand beside me, a silent force at my side.
And just like that, the tightness in my chest eased a fraction. “He’s bitter. He’s holding a grudge,” I said and frowned. “What did he say to you?”
Jack went rigid, and his shoulders tensed as his eyes slid away from mine. “Nothing important.” The words came out too quickly, and I could see the lie written all over his face.
I didn’t believe him for a second. Whatever Ben had whispered had shaken Jack to his core. “Jack?—”
“We’ll keep an eye on him,” Jack said, cutting me off.
I breathed a sigh of relief. I could count on Jack.
Around eleven, the bell jingled again, and Landon strode in, impeccably dressed as always. The manager of the town’s boutique hotel, Landon was well-connected.
“Cooper!” He approached the counter with a broad smile. “Just the man I wanted to see.”
“Let me guess,” I said dryly. “You heard about last night.”
“Darling, everyone heard about last night,” Landon drawled. “That kiss was the most exciting thing to happen in Seacliff Cove since Mrs. Peterson’s cat got stuck in the town Christmas tree.”
I sighed and steeled myself for another round of teasing. “Double espresso, Landon?”
“Yes, please.” He dropped his voice with a conspiratorial air. “And I wanted to offer you and Jack my congratulations. We’re all thrilled.”
I forced a smile and mumbled something that might have passed for thanks, even as panic clawed at my throat. How were Jack and I supposed to untangle ourselves from this mess?
Jack’s eyes briefly met mine across the room, a silent question in them.
What were we going to do?
I’d run away from that question last night. I’d made an excuse about early opening hours and practically sprinted back to my apartment, where I’d spent hours staring at the ceiling, replaying the kiss and the feelings it had stirred. Feelings of…attraction. To my best friend. The kiss had been a revelation.
As I surveyed the busy coffee shop—full of friends and neighbors who clearly expected Jack and me to be a couple—a possibility formed in my mind.
Maybe we could see where things took us and actually try being more than friends.
It made perfect sense. Jack and I already spent plenty of time together. It would just be a slight change in the dynamic between us as we explored a relationship. I began mentally outlining parameters—acceptable public displays of affection, restrictions on intimate behavior behind closed doors, remaining friends no matter what happened. We’d need boundaries to keep things from getting complicated.
By lunchtime, I’d made up my mind. I asked Jessica and my second daytime employee, Marco, to cover the front, then approached Jack’s table with two fresh coffees in hand.
“Got a minute?” I tried to keep my voice casual despite the nerves bubbling in my stomach.
Jack looked up from his phone, his blue eyes cautious. “For you? Always.”
I nodded toward the back. “In my office? It’s a bit more private.”
Curiosity flashed across his face, but he simply nodded, pocketed his phone, and followed me through the shop. I was acutely aware of the speculative glances from customers as we passed, and the way our friend Declan, the diner’s manager, winked at Jack.
I led Jack down the narrow hallway to my cramped office, tucked away behind the storeroom, and set the two coffee cups onto the tidy surface of my desk. Jack quietly closed the door behind us, sealing us into the tiny space where we could finally speak without the entire town listening in.
“So,” Jack said after a moment of silence. “That was an…interesting morning.”
“That’s one word for it.” I settled into my chair. “Apparently, we’re Seacliff Cove’s newest power couple.”
