Page 26 of Mountain Bean Dream
“Yes, you’ve mentioned that.” His focus flew out the window before landing back on me. “It’s clear he’s jealous.”
“What? He is not.”
“Big time.” A soft snort fell out of Jeremy. “He’s not fooling anyone, least of all me.”
“Wow, really?” I whispered.
I fought the urge to see if Derek was outside, patiently waiting for me, but instead, my attention stayed fixed on Jeremy.
What had he meant by that? And why did the idea make my heart race?
Chapter Ten
As Jeremy walked me outside, I scanned the street, hopelessly searching for Derek, but it was fruitless. He was long gone.
“This way. Merlot awaits.” Jeremy led me toward his truck. “I can help you get in.”
He opened the passenger door and pointed to a handle. “Step on the running board and grab the handle.”
It was awkward, but it worked, and I positioned myself into the seat. It wasn’t even that hard to click the seatbelt in place, although it helped that Jeremy held the clip in place for it to be mated together.
The truck started with a rumble.
His shoulders rose and fell. “Tell me about this Derek. How long had you two been going out?”
“A couple of months. He was my first serious boyfriend since I moved here. All sweet and charming, after I literally bumped into him rounding a corner at full speed with a disposable cup of coffee. As we collided, it was icy, and he reached out to hold me up.” The memory of our first meeting replayed in my head. The snow was falling. The awkward meet-up. It was like something out of a Hallmark movie, which should’ve been my first clue that it wasn’t real and wasn’t going to last.
“You are a bit of a klutz, aren’t you?”
“Guilty as charged.”
“Should I have bubble wrap for you at this fundraiser?”
I chuckled. “Only if they make it in black. That’s what I must wear.”
“Perhaps that can be arranged.” There was a long side-eyed gaze.
Feeling a light flutter in my chest, I tried brushing it off.
“You sounded like you are a recent transplant to the Jasper area. Where’d you move from?”
“Vancouver.”
“And you came here?” There was so much questioning in his tone, but way more curiosity.
We drove down Connaught Drive, past Rocky Bear Gifts and Jasper Pizza, and I slumped further into the seat.
“I wasn’t happy where I was. It wasn’t what I wanted to do, but what I was forced to do.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “So you moved here?”
“Yep. I stopped in a few small towns and worked for a few months until the call to move overcame me.”
“And that makes you happy?”
The wildest part was, yes, it did. No more hours upon hours sitting in a chair getting makeup applied, no lines to remember, no more living in a trailer, although, to be honest, the motel wasn’t much better, but at least it wasn’t on the back lot of the studio.
“Crazy, right? To think that making latte art on people’s coffees and playing the flute in a small community jazz band would be the key, yet here I am living my best life.” The way I wanted.