“You’ve always been prone to bumping into things.”
“So true. What’s going on up there? I miss you,” she said with a wistful tone in her voice.
Jamie started to tell her about last night, but something stopped her. She didn’t know what to say, or frankly, why she needed to talk about it. She’d already decided Smith was a one-time-only thing, so there was no need to rehash him. Chin up, move on, keep on keeping on.
“You should come back to Hidden Oaks then,” she said, shifting gears away from last night.
“I’ve been thinking about it. Things with Jason suck.”
“Oh no. I’m so sorry. Is it more of the same?” She asked carefully because last she heard, Megan’s boyfriend had been hitting the bottle a few too many times.
“Yeah. I never see him anymore. All he cares about is partying. I swear, I don’t know what I ever saw in him or why I moved here. We have nothing in common,” Megan said, frustration etched in her words. Jamie wanted to reach out and hug her, and tell her that somehow it was all going to work out. Not with Jason, but in general. They chatted some more, and Jamie checked her watch, realizing she needed to head to work.
“Okay sweets. Call me if you need to talk more,” she said, and even though they hadn’t chatted about Smith, somehow she felt better for that. Maybe this was the clear evidence that she wasn’t thinking about him—she didn’t need to discuss him.
She slipped her bag over her shoulder, locked the door, and walked to work, several blocks from her small bungalow. She wore a jean skirt, a short sleeve top, and ankle boots on her bare legs, the perfect ensemble for the warm spring day.
She walked past the local hair salon and the coffee shop, spotting a familiar face up ahead. Cara was walking her adorable black and white border collie mix in a perfect heel by her side. She was the best dog trainer in town, with a client list who adored her. Including Jamie’s sister.
She was about to say hello, when she remembered that Smith had once dated Cara. But who cared? She wasn’t dating Smith, and she certainly wasn’t so petty that she wouldn’t say hello for that reason. Besides, she was a dog person through and through, and she wanted to say hello to the pooch too.
“Hey Cara,” she called out with a wave. “How’s Violet?”
“She is excellent. A good girl as always,” Cara said and Violet sat by her owner’s side as soon as Cara stopped walking.
Jamie bent down to pet the collie mix. The dog lifted her snout, giving her more room to scratch between her ears. “She’s so cute,” she said.
“How’s Henrietta? Is she keeping Diane good company?”
A flush crept across her cheeks again as she remembered her excuse last night. But she sucked down her embarrassment. “She’s the best dog.”
“Diane said you were thinking about getting a puppy. A German shepherd?”
Jamie nodded. “If I can find one. I’ve been looking for one in a rescue. I’m on a waiting list.”
“I’ll keep my eyes open for you. They’re good dogs.”
“Thanks for doing that. I better get going into work. Don’t want to be late,” she said.
“See you around.”
“You too,” Jamie said with a cheerful wave. As she walked off, she was ready to pat herself on the back. She truly must have gotten Smith out of her system if it didn’t bother her to run into an ex. Her plan had worked and had cured her of all her feelings for him.
Jamie held her head up high as she walked into the bar, ready to focus on work and prep for the wine tasting she was hosting in an hour.
“Hey, Jamie.”
She was greeted by Becker—tall, broad, brooding, and the owner of the bar. He was with the fire department too, running the volunteer force. She was grateful to have a boss like Becker. He was a cool guy, only a few years older than her twenty-six years. Even though the bar was a microbrewery, he let her bring in some of her favorite wines for the grape lovers who flocked to town, and she’d also urged him to throw the kickoff party for the festival. He was eager to make his mark in town, and since she knew this town inside and out, he’d often turned to her for input on how to grow and expand the bar’s presence. “So what’s the verdict? How was the party you convinced me to have?”
“It went so well. Everyone had a good time,” she offered with a cheery smile, forcing her brain to stay focused on the party itself, not what happened in the back of the bar as the event was winding down.
“Glad to hear that,” he said, then asked with a wry smile, “Are you going to convince me to throw a party every month now?”