The Truest Thing - Hart's Boardwalk

“So?”

“So that means we can talk.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“You’re still loyal to him?”

“So loyal that if you don’t get your ass off that stool I’m going to make you.”

Jack would like to see that. Laughing inwardly and feeling fucking pleased for his friend, he glanced around the bar as he tried to work out how to warn Jessica about his father. And then a woman with Dana’s coloring threw him a smile across the bar, reminding him of something else Cooper and Jessica needed warned about.

Dana Kellerman.

That selfish cow was also working behind the scenes to fuck things up for Cooper.

That was, if Cooper and his woman hadn’t already fucked things up for themselves.

Maybe giving Jessica a reason to see Cooper would help things along in that department.

He looked back at the doc and found her glowering fiercely as ever. It was hot. He absolutely understood what Cooper saw in her. “You know, Dana came to me awhile ago. Just after the music festival actually.”

She wrinkled her nose in disgust. It was cute. “I don’t care what you and Dana get up to.”

“Just thought you might find it interesting that the reason she came to me was you.”

“Oh?”

“She wanted me to seduce you.” Jack wasn’t even lying. The bitch had come to him at the festival and proposed he break up Jess and Cooper. She really was dumb as a post. “Seduce you. Those were the exact words she used.”

He knew by the furious flash in her eyes that Jessica understood what he was trying to tell her.

Watch out for Dana Kellerman.

Seeing she got him, he moved on. Beckwith would be back any second, and he didn’t need anyone witnessing this conversation with Jessica in case it got back to Ian. “My father isn’t going to use what he knows about you.”

The color leached out of Jessica’s face, and Jack instantly felt like a prick. When he saw her fingers tremble around her glass, it took a lot not to place a comforting hand over hers. He wanted to tell her she had nothing to be ashamed of, not like Ian was making out.

She wouldn’t invite that, though. What Jack really wanted to do was shake her and tell her to stop being stupid and tell his old friend the truth. Cooper was not a guy who would judge her for that shit.

Instead, he waited impatiently for her reaction.

“And why is that?” she asked, not looking him in the eye.

“You broke up with Cooper. You’re no longer of any use. That doesn’t mean my father doesn’t know a good resource when he sees it. He’ll keep that information on a back burner until it proves useful again.” So, fucking tell Cooper the truth.

“You son of a bitch. Both of you.”

Yup. No arguments there. He shrugged as if her words didn’t touch him, and then he caught sight of Beckwith making a return.

Time to go.

Jack slid off the stool but rounded the table so all Jessica could see and focus on was him. “Cooper’s liquor license,” he warned.

She frowned in obvious confusion. “What?”

Frustrated, Jack bit back a curse. “Cooper’s. Liquor. License.”

Jack watched the understanding dawn on Jessica’s face and relief moved through him.

He’d leave it up to the doc now to take care of his old friend.

10

Emery

One year ago

While the rain came down in sheets outside the store, the fire in the grate crackled, giving the space the cozy vibe I’d always hoped for. A few years ago, I’d made the bold decision to repaint the store in a rich teal that made all the white wood stand out in stark relief. I thought it looked great.

It looked particularly great right now because my friends were sitting around the fire eating the lunch I’d prepared for them.

My friends.

Who would have thought it?

But meeting Jessica Huntington had changed my life.

The doctor came to Hartwell for vacation, fell in love with Cooper, and stayed, and along the way, we’d connected. From the moment we met, I’d sensed a rare kinship. Her presence was soothing, she was unintimidating, and she didn’t push for details of my past. Maybe that was why I’d let her in. Jess was almost as private as I was, and she explored a friendship with me without treating me like I owed her details about my life in exchange for her companionship.

My relationship with Jessica wasn’t the biggest surprise. With Jess came Bailey and Dahlia. Bailey was Jess’s best friend and Dahlia was Bailey’s. They were a package deal. But the best thing was, they took their cues from Jess and never pushed me for information about my life before Hartwell.

Well, not too much.

I’d spent the last year getting to know all three women better. Bailey stopped by the store every morning to pick up coffee for Jess and Dahlia, and we’d chat. We were at a point now where I was almost as comfortable around Bailey as I was around Jess.