Page 72 of You Had Me at Merlot

She had to agree, but that’s what Helen was. “I know. I haven’t had an actual girlfriend in a long time. It feels really nice, aside from the hiccups, which I imagine are to be expected.”

Jamie nodded. “You two are good together. I mean that.”

“It’s not weird for you, given our…” She trailed off on purpose and raised an exaggerated brow. “You know.”

Jamie laughed. “Maybe for the first five minutes.” She grabbed a rag and sprayed down the counters. “But now you’re just Leighton and Helen. It looks good on you.”

“Thank you. What about your love life? Anything on the horizon?”

She paused and looked up. “I have a date on Thursday.”

Leighton finished her sip of wine. “Well, well.” There was a time when that news would have slashed her in half. But she’d worked extra hard to head off romantic thoughts about Jamie and appreciated the other aspects of their relationship. “Who is this woman?”

“Another setup. Marjorie swears she’s met the perfect woman for me, so she brought her into the bar, and it turns out she’s really pretty and sweet. So, we’re going to a Broadway play together. A comedy about a play going wrong.”

Leighton gasped. “Jealous! I want to see that one.”

Jamie winked. “I’ll let you know if it’s any good.”

“Look at us. Such adults.” Leighton raised her glass and took a sip.

“Right? Who’d have thought?” Jamie said with a shake of her head. A pause. “If this goes well, maybe we could all get together sometime. A double date.”

“Hmm. Interesting idea.” Leighton refused to let her mind imagine that scenario in its entirety, but she’d work on warming up to the idea. The mature thing to do. Plus, Jamie apparently thought it would be great to go on a double date. With other people. The implication hit with a dull thud. Jamie was so far over them it was ridiculous. Why was Leighton holding on to this tiny thread of hope? No more. She set her glass down on the counter and straightened. “Yeah, okay. I think we’d love that. Helen and I.” Jamie’s suggestion was the last little nudgeLeighton needed to let go once and for all. She’d give a hundred and fifty percent effort in her relationship with Helen. Whatever small part of her had been clinging to the hope that there was a one day for her and Jamie snapped in half. Nothing holding her back now.

“Well, let me get through Thursday night first.”

“Not a problem,” Leighton said, eyes on the window. She needed some air.

She felt Jamie’s gaze on her. “You okay?”

“Never better.”

Chapter Twenty

Jamie was fine. Everything was fine. The evening before, her mother left a voicemail that she missed Jamie’s father more than she could stand, which led to a forty-minute cry-fest for the both of them. After that, she picked herself up and managed to go on a date with a very nice woman named Tegan, who had romantic potential, but who also probably saw her puffy eyes and clearly emotional demeanor as a red flag. And then, of course, Leo was sick this morning, and the part-timer they’d recently hired was apparently afraid of working near heat, so Jamie was riding the espresso machine train while still trying to run the place.

“I think it’s the idea of steam near my face that bothers me,” Brent told her through a squint. He came from California and his skater kid persona colored his speech.

“Yet you applied for a job as a barista?” she asked him as gently as she could.

“Sounded fun, bro, and like there might be free iced coffee.” He nodded. “Emphasis on iced.” He nodded again. “Should I just hand in my apron? I’m thinking best for all involved, bro.”

“Yeah, bro, probably.”

That left Jamie to cover the Chelsea bar on her own. Wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. It just meant she had to move fast and multitask like a squirrel preparing for winter. In between customers, a text from Leighton snagged her attention.Time for lunch?

She typed quickly in squirrel mode.On my own in Chelsea so no time for anything.

I have an easy day. Coming to you.

She couldn’t smother the burst of energy that hit. Of course Leighton would come. She’d become Jamie’s cheerleader. Her person. As she prepared a pumpkin chai latte, she reflected on the first day she’d seen Leighton in her line just a few feet away from where Jamie was standing now. She never would have imagined the ups and downs they would have ahead of them to wind up here. Her life had been changed forever that day. She wasn’t the same person, which meant maybe all that heartbreak was worth it, given where they’d landed.

“Teach me the machine,” Leighton said half an hour later, wearing a tan apron with a bottle of wine, a cup of coffee, and a doughnut on the front. Jamie had had them specially made for the staff. She’d never imagined them looking this good on any of them, however.

“You’re wearing a business suit under that apron. I don’t think this is the day.”

“Yes, it is. I’m ready.” She was adorable, was what she was, and it wasn’t fair she was Helen’s. Leighton lifted her heels, resulting in a small bouncing motion that made Jamie laugh.

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