Chapter 2

It had been two weeks since the wedding and there was no sign of trouble. Isabella was relieved but also a bit disappointed.

She stopped making the latte the mayor had ordered and looked up at that realization. She was disappointed she hadn’t seen Jack again. No, don’t think thoughts like that. Bad Izzy!

That kiss had been in her dreams every night for the past two weeks. She couldn’t get him out of her head and it was beginning to put her in a bad mood, not that she would let anybody know that.

She shook her head and refocused on her work. It would do her no good to daydream about a man she had briefly met and would rarely see again. Isabella let her assistant go on break and she took over the order desk.

“What can I get started for you this morning?” she asked without looking up.

“An Americano. To go,” a deep voice said with an intimate note in it.

She froze as she wrote the previous order on a cup and placed it in line on the rustic wooden countertop to be made. And then she looked up and saw those gray eyes she had seen every night in her dreams. Jack Grayson.

“Marc told me this place was yours and has the best coffee,” he said.

“Oh, um, yeah. Yeah, we do,” she managed to say after gaping at him for a moment and wrote his order on the plain white to-go coffee cup with an coffee bean emblem on the front.

They made small talk as he paid for his coffee and then moved off to the side to wait for it at the other end of the long counter. All the while, she felt his eyes on her as she helped other customers. Soon enough, her assistant came back and Isabella went to the coffee machines to start making his coffee. She took a deep breath to settle herself and let the smell of coffee grinds soothe her.

“Here you go, Jack. An Americano to go,” she said with a friendly smile. She wouldn’t be rude, but she wouldn’t be outright inviting, either.

“Thanks, Isabella,” he said in his low voice as he took the cup from her. Her skin tingled from where his fingers had brushed against her and she clenched her hand into a fist in an attempt to ignore the feeling.

“So, are you here for business or something?” she asked. Isabella knew full well that she would see him again. After all, he was Marc’s best friend. So she didn’t want to make him feel unwelcome. And small talk never hurt, did it?

“Just moved here, actually,” he said with a grin as he looked down at her.

“You moved here?” she echoed as her mind tried to move past the shock and catch up with what he said. Whatever she had expected, it wasn’t that.

“Marc suggested it. Mother hen that he is, he’s worried about my health.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn't know you’re ill. Let me remake your coffee with less espresso,” she said as she reached out for his coffee, truly worried now that her coffee might induce a heart attack as her mind immediately jumped to conclusions. After all, caffeine could kill people.

“No, no, I’m fine. But the big city comes with certain stress and Marc felt I would be able to slow down and enjoy life more if I lived here,” he said as he grabbed her hand with his free one.

“Are you sure?” she asked, concern in her hazel eyes.

“Positive. I’m completely healthy, Isabella. Your coffee won’t kill me,” he said, in an oddly gentle voice.

“Okay. If you’re sure,” she said as she looked up at him.

“I am. You’d better get back to work. And so had I.”

“Right. Thanks for stopping by,” she said as she backed away.

“I have a feeling I’ll be back,” he said with a smirk.

The first hints of panic crept into her heart at the look in his gray eyes. She hadn’t forgotten their kiss.

“For the coffee, of course.”

“Of course,” she said with a nervous smile.

“I have to finish setting up my office today, but maybe you could help me with a few things later on,” he suggested. “I’m still finding my way around town, and it’s nice to have a friendly face while I’m adjusting.”

“Sure. I’ll be happy to help,” she said after a moment of hesitation. He was Marc’s friend and she didn’t think she had to worry. At least, she hoped she didn’t. Lucy had told her as much at the wedding and she trusted her sister implicitly.

“Great. See you later, Isabella,” he said, low and deep, just for her ears.

“See you,” she said and walked back to the counter where coffee was waiting to be made.

She saw her friend, Jessica, waiting in line and she waved to her quickly before she started the next coffee. Isabella could hear Jack’s deep voice talking with the mayor by the cozy overstuffed chairs in the corner by the door and just wished he would leave. She needed peace and time to figure out what to do. He was back. For good. And she didn’t know what to do about it.

“Hey, Izzy. Is that Marc’s friend from out of town?” Jessica asked while she waited for her coffee, her hands tucked into the pockets of her nursing scrubs. Her green eyes were bright in curiosity and not a strand of her brown hair was out of place.

“Yeah. But he just moved here, so I guess he’s a local now,” said Isabella.

“Well, he’s certainly handsome, isn’t he?”

“Don’t. I’m not looking for a whirlwind romance, Jess.”

“Are you sure? He seems nice enough.”

“I’m sure, Jess,” said Isabella with a roll of her eyes. “You know I’m not interested, not after what happened with David.”

“I know, Izzy. I just don’t want you to get stuck in that place,” Jessica said truly worried for her friend.

“What place?”

“The past. It’s bound to destroy all the good things that might come.”

“I’ll make a deal with you,” said Isabella as she handed Jessica her coffee. “You solve your love life and I’ll solve mine. Deal?”

Jessica squinted at Isabella before looking away and studied the paintings from local artists and school kids that Isabella displayed on the walls. “Not going to happen. You know it’s complicated.”

“Isn’t love always?” asked Isabella with a wide smile. She had turned the tables and deflected attention off herself, so she was happy.

“Fine. I’ll let you off the hook for now. But he seems like a good egg,” said Jessica as she leaned over to give Isabella a hug. “Maybe he’ll make everything right this time.”

“Or maybe he’ll make it all worse. We don’t know enough about him to guess which way it’ll go. See? He even gets along with Mayor Matilda” said Isabella with a shake of her head as she looked over and saw Jack laughing with the mayor. Everyone called her Mayor Matilda, surpassing the formality of using last names, and that’s how the mayor liked it.

He must have felt her eyes on him because he glanced over at her and winked.

“Oh, be still my heart,” whispered Jessica. “He’s got it bad for you.”

“Don’t you have sick kiddos to look after?” Isabella asked as she turned away from Jack, the blood rushing to her cheeks.

“Right you are. Off I go. Thanks for the coffee, Izzy,” Jessica said before she left.

“Anytime,” Isabella shouted after her with a smile.

And then she saw Jack still focused on her, that unreadable smile on his face and an invitation in his eyes. He raised his coffee in a salute and then said goodbye to the mayor as he walked out the door.

Isabella knew one thing for certain. Trouble was back. And her heart might not survive.