Chapter Two
“I’m all right. Really. You can let go of my arm now,” Jessie said, refusing to make any further eye contact with Jason. What was he doing back in Snowy Ridge? Once someone left they rarely came back. It took a certain kind of person to love living in a small town in Northern Wisconsin and that person wasn’t Jason. Never was. Jason was always all about adventure. Base jumping off tall buildings, mountain biking down a mountain, swimming with sharks. Not hanging out at the Starlight Pub in the cozy snowmobile town of 1000. Last she’d heard he was teaching English to children somewhere in Africa.
“Here, let me help you over to a chair,” he said, trying to wrap an arm around her waist.
She pushed his hand away, hard. “Seriously, I’m fine. Please stop.”
Jason held his hands up in surrender. “Fine, I won’t help you. But tell me how you are. What’ve you been up to? It’s been so long since I’ve last seen you.”
And it’s going to be even longer before I tell you anything about myself, Jessie thought. There was no way she was going to sit around talking about the good ole days with Jason Kirkland. No rehashing the past for her. He’d hurt her badly, no scratch that. He’d killed her. And she wasn’t about to be kind or talk to him now, no matter how long he stood there with that goofy smile on his face.
“You’ll have to excuse me,” Jessie said. “My boyfriend is waiting for me.” She turned her head and scanned the room, looking for anyone Jason might buy as her other half. Bingo. “He’s that hot rich guy at the table in the corner over there, by the window.” She pointed to a broad-shouldered guy with wavy jet black hair, intensely staring at some paperwork laying open in front of him. His long jean clad legs crossed at the ankles under the table. “He’ll make sure I’m okay. Don’t you worry.”
Jessie walked toward the man in the corner, conscious that Jason was likely staring at her backside and wishing she had worn her good ass-hugging jeans today. She slid into the seat opposite the good-looking stranger.
He looked up, startled.
Jessie talked fast. “Help me out, will you? See that guy behind me, near the fire place, probably looking over here now?”
The man glanced over her shoulder and then returned his gaze to her face.
“Well,” Jessie continued, “I dated him about a million years ago and thought he was the love of my life and that we’d eventually marry. Then the asshole slept with my sister.”
The stranger cleared his voice and leaned in toward Jessie. “Who do I look like, Dr. Phil? Tell someone else your story.”
Jessie gasped. Who was this rude guy? “Hey buddy,” she said, “I’m not asking for a kidney here, okay? Just let me sit with you for a minute and act like the sun rises and sets on my very existence, all right?”
The man sighed, looking more annoyed the enamored with her. “Listen ma’am.”
“You did not just call me ma’am,” Jessie interrupted.
“I apologize,” he said. “Listen lady, I don’t know who you are but I’m busy. I’ve got a ton of work to do and just want to get back to it and eat my dinner in peace. So, take a walk, would you? Find some other guy to make your old boy jealous.”
Jessie stood slowly, smoothing down her jeans. “Dude, you’re a dick,” she told him.
Refusing to see if Jason caught the scene between her and Mr. Asshole, Jessie made her way to the cash register where her mom stood with a big grin on her face.
“Who’s the ass-hat at table five?” she asked her mom.
“One of the Stone boys,” her mom answered. “Three of them just moved to town and opened a snowmobile repair shop down a ways here on Main Street. All of them single, just saying.”
“Color me shocked. Can’t imagine why with the sparkling personality that one has.”
“Is that your old boyfriend Jason over there by the fireplace, staring at you?” her mom asked.
Jessie scoffed. “Yeah. I don’t know what he wants but I’m hoping he leaves soon.”
“Maybe I should go over and say hello,” her mom teased.
“Don’t you dare!” she snapped.
The bell from the kitchen signaling an order was up sounded and Jessie’s mom retrieved it. “Well, here,” she said pushing the plate into Jessie’s hands. “Bring Mr. Stone his dinner and beer, then.”
“Can I make him wear it?” Jessie mumbled, eying the loaded plate full of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn, and biscuits.
“Only if he requests it to be served that way,” her mom countered.
Jessie pursed her lips and looked over at the newcomer, who’s head was still buried in his work. He did have some pretty amazing hair, the kind you want to run your hands through. And he had a nice strong jaw with a dimple in his chin. She’d always been a sucker for chin dimples. Too bad it belonged to such a class-A jerk.
She momentarily set the plate of food down on the counter next to his foamy beer and stepped a few feet away to hang up her fleece jacket on a hook just off of the bar. She gave her hair a shake. It was damp from the tumble in the snow she took. She absentmindedly tugged at her tight-fitting Starlight Pub t-shirt as she picked up the order and made her way back over to the pissy patron.
“My deepest heartfelt apologies for disturbing your work once again but your dinner’s here,” Jessie said. She slid the meal under his nose and plopped his Guinness on a cardboard coaster.
“You work here?” he asked, staring directly at the words “Starlight Pub” splayed across her breasts.
“Wow, you’re quick. What gave it away?”
“Certainly not your customer service skills,” he returned.
Jessie tossed a couple of napkins on the table. “Actually, I own the place tough guy. And I hear you just opened a shop down the street. Probably should play nice with the local commerce folk, eh? Do let me know if you need anything else,” she added. She turned on her heel and walked away before he could say anything else.
***
I hope you’ve enjoyed this preview of Coming Home, the first book in the Love at Starlight series. If you want to keep reading, find the full novel on Amazon: . Keep reading for a preview of Taking Chances.