“Something flickered,” Jude added.
“Like a light bulb?”
“No. Something like a flash, like that of a keychain or something. I thought someone was standing behind a bush, searching the ground or something.” She let out a shaky breath. “Just weird.”
It was.
I frowned as my mind flicked through various explanations. “Maybe a cigarette lighter, or someone opened a window and the streetlamp reflected in it.” It wouldn’t have been the first time, though it usually happened in the stifling summer heat, when the relentless sun stood high in the sky, its light unobstructed by clouds.
“Probably.” She still didn’t sound convinced, but she was ready to drop it. She got up and pulled me with her to the kitchen. “It doesn’t matter anyway. What matters is that you had your first official date today, and your fiancé is gorgeous.” She drew the word out in a singsong, making me cringe. “A hot fiancé. Come on, we have to celebrate.”
“He’s not my fiancé, Jude,” I said for the umpteenth time, only to be brushed off with a wave of her hand.
“Semantics, Laurie. Semantics. You know how I feel about your quibbling over them.”
I did.
Whenever I said something she didn’t agree with, it was always open to her interpretation.
She retrieved a wine bottle from the upper shelf and poured it into two glasses, then handed me one. Her eyes twinkled as she raised her glass.
“To you for having met your gorgeous fiancé. And to me for being the perfect matchmaker ever,” she said. “And here’s to me again because I’m awesome.”
I narrowed my eyes at her as she took a sip and raised her hand to stop me before I had a chance to reply.
“Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. I have great news.” She sat up straight and brushed her hair back, suddenly nervous. “I am going to expand my business. My blog has caught the interest of a major TV network, and now they want me to appear in one of their morning shows once a week.”
“Are you serious?”
She nodded, moisture glinting in her eyes. “It’s a dream come true.”
“Wow. That’s huge.” I clapped my hand over my mouth in surprise. “Which one?” I asked, surprised, genuinely happy for her.
“The one about unusual home decorating ideas.” She squealed with delight. “I’m so glad you insisted I give it a try. I would never have done it, were it not for you.”
“Jude, you’re going to be a celebrity,” I said, proud of her. She even looked the part, with her tall, toned body, blue eyes, and dark blonde hair. “You deserve everything. I’m so…so proud of you. Give me a hug.”
I pulled her to me and engulfed her in a tight embrace.
“Yeah.” She hesitated. “I don’t mind being a celebrity as long as people see my talent because, one day, I want to furnish all the big department stores, TV studios, and maybe even the President’s home.”
I laughed at her enthusiasm. “Yeah, why not? You have what it takes.” And I meant every word of it.
If someone could do it, then that person was Jude. The moment I saw her, I knew she was a star in the making, and now this was the proof I’ been waiting for all along.
“You know what? We’re not celebrating with this cheap wine.” I took her glass away and put it back on the kitchen table. “This is the day you will always remember. You deserve the best cocktail in town. We should go out and really celebrate. My treat,” I offered, even though my last money was being wasted on Chase’s services. With no job prospects on the horizon, I’d be cleaned out in a month. But, damn, I wasn’t going to crawl back to Waterfront Shore, even if it meant taking a job as a dog sitter.
“Love you. You’re the best.” Jude wrapped her arms around me and placed a hard kiss on my cheek, then jumped up to get dressed. The moment she disappeared, my phone beeped with a text message from Chase.
I had fun today. We should do it again. What’s the next step?
I smiled.
He had fun today. He wants to do it again.
My heart fluttered like a wild hummingbird at the prospect of seeing him again, of hearing his deep voice, and proceeding to the next step. Never mind the fact that I was scared to death of what that next step might be.
Under different circumstances, I would have run. But not from Chase. Even though I didn’t know him, I could feel his charm and ability to make everything sound intriguing working on me.
And intrigued I was.
A second later, Jude’s statement about his interest in me echoed in the back of my mind. I shook it off, refusing to think about whatever that might mean and whether there might just be a trace of truth to it. There was no need to become obsessive about what he really thought of me, of whether he liked me more than just a friend would. And there was certainly not going to be any obsessing about whether Chase thought I was relationship material—