Sprinkled with Love

Jillian stifled a groan and nodded. She had no idea what she’d just gotten herself into. “What should I wear?”

“Whatever. I just need your advice on something.”

“Advice? I guess I could try. What is it?”

“You’ll have to wait and see. You might want to bundle up. I’ll pick you up at, say, six. We can grab some dinner at FlintWorks.”

Was this really happening? Avery was asking her on a date? But then she recalled that he mentioned something about advice. Perhaps she’d once again let her hopes get the better of her.

He quickly departed and Jillian refused to discuss it with Suzanna. She didn’t need anyone else putting ideas in her head. She had enough of her own.

*

There was a heap of clothes on the bed.

Jillian had changed outfits five times until she settled on faded jeans and a light pink button top that Suzanna had given her for Christmas. Jillian had been saving it for a special occasion. She wore her hair straight down and she’d paid particular attention to her makeup, even adding some mascara, which she only did for special occasions.

She grabbed her white winter coat with the big faux-fur-trimmed hood, lined boots, and pink gloves. That should keep her warm and the combination didn’t look bad together either. Not that she was trying to impress Avery or anything.

Knock. Knock.

He was early again. She started to rush to the door, but then slowed herself, not wanting him to think she was too eager about their plans.

When she pulled the door open, the smile slipped from her face. “Mom, what are you doing here?”

Her mother’s brows drew together. “Who exactly were you expecting?”

Busted. “Avery.”

Her mother’s eyes widened. “You’re certainly seeing a lot of him these days. Do you think that’s a good idea?”

Jillian retraced her steps away from the cold air and away from her mother’s comments that had dampened her good mood. Her mother followed her, sending the door shut behind her. Jillian made a point of not arguing with her mother, but this was different. She didn’t understand why her mother was always down on Avery.

Jillian turned to her mother. “Why is it that you can like Glenn but not Avery?”

“It’s not a matter of liking one man more than the other.” Her mother pressed her lips together and glanced away.

“Why are you so against Avery? This isn’t new. You’ve been this way even when I worked for him. What did he ever do to you?”

“It’s not what he did to me. It’s what he did to you.”

Jillian pressed a hand to her chest. “To me?”

Her mother nodded.

“But I don’t understand. What did he do to me?”

Her mother frowned at her. “You surely don’t think he didn’t notice how crazy you were for him. No man is that oblivious.”

Jillian had the same thoughts, but she always shoved them aside or told herself she was letting her imagination get the better of her. “So what are you saying?”

“That if you are going to let yourself get pulled back into his world, you need to know his intentions upfront.”

Jillian didn’t want to hear this again. She’d been telling herself that she was over him—that she had nothing to worry about.

“You’re worried about nothing,” Jillian told her mother in what she hoped was a reassuring tone. “I already told you, I’m over him.”

Her mother sent her an I-don’t-believe-you look. “Jillian, I wouldn’t say this if I didn’t love you. I just don’t want you to set yourself up to get hurt again.”