Page 74 of Dreams and Desires

My mom’s expression softens even more, and she steps forward with a warm smile. “It’s lovely to meet you, Juniper. Zade’s mentioned you a few times.”

Juniper offers a shy smile, her voice small as she replies, “Thank you, Mrs. Patterson. It’s nice to meet you too.”

My dad, though, hangs back a little. He just gives Juniper a quick nod, face blank, then turns back to me. "Zade, we need to talk," he tells me, sounding cold, detached even.

I feel Juniper tense beside me, and I know exactly what this is about. “Sure, Dad,” I reply evenly. “But first, why don’t we all have dinner together? We can talk after.”

Juniper glances up at me, clearly nervous, but she nods in agreement, and I can see she’s trying her best to hold it together.

We move to the dining room, the table already set with an array of dishes that my mom brought with her, prepared. As we sit down, I can sense Juniper’s discomfort, the way she fidgets slightly, her eyes darting around as if looking for an escape route. My dad remains quiet, his gaze occasionally flicking over to Juniper, assessing her, and I can tell he’s not entirely pleased with the situation.

As dinner progresses, the conversation naturally drifts to lighter topics. My mom, always the conversationalist, turns to Juniper with a warm smile. “So, Juniper, how did you and Zade meet?”

Juniper grins, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, it’s quite a story,” she begins, glancing at me with a playful smirk. “Zade was a real piece of work when we first crossed paths. All business, no fun, and absolutely convinced he was the smartest guy in the room.”

I raise an eyebrow, trying to keep the mood light. “Really? I don’t remember it that way.”

“Oh, trust me,” Juniper says, leaning in closer to my mom, like she’s sharing a juicy secret. “He chased me down after I moved back to Cody. I wanted nothing to do with him. But then I got a job at this hotel—The Opal, you know it—and wouldn’t you know it, Zade had just bought the place.”

My mom chuckles, clearly entertained. “Sounds like Zade—always one step ahead.”

Juniper nods, her smile widening as she continues. “Exactly! So, I start working there as a baker, and I’m trying to keep my head down. But Zade? Oh no, he had other plans. He kept trying to impress me, trying to win me over. I wasn’t having any of it. I mean, I was there to do my job, not deal with some hotshot businessman who thought he could buy everyone’s loyalty.”

I can’t help but grin at the memory, even though it’s a little embarrassing hearing it from her perspective. “I was just trying to help.”

“Oh, sure,” Juniper teases, her eyes twinkling. “You tried everything—flowers, fancy dinners, the whole nine yards. But then, just when I thought I had finally gotten rid of him, he vanished. And when he came back? Well, he was determined to win me over all over again.”

My mom leans in, clearly invested in the story now. “And did he?”

Juniper glances at me, a soft smile on her lips. “Let’s just say, he didn’t give up easily. He kept showing up, kept trying to prove that he was serious. And somewhere along the way... I started to believe him. But it wasn’t easy. He had to work for it.”

I feel a warmth spread through me as she speaks, grateful for the way she’s chosen to tell this part of our story. She’s skipping over the messy bits, the heartbreak, and focusing on how we eventually found our way back to each other.

“He showed me that he wasn’t just some businessman,” Juniper continues, her tone softening. “He cared about more than just numbers and deals. He cared about the people, about me. And that... well, that’s what finally won me over.”

My mom smiles, clearly touched by the story. “It sounds like you two were meant to find each other, even if it wasn’t in the most conventional way.”

Juniper nods, her eyes meeting mine with a mix of gratitude and something deeper. “Yeah, we’ve had our ups and downs, but I guess that’s what makes it all worth it in the end.”

My mom nods, completely oblivious to the more complicated layers of our relationship. “Absolutely. It’s those challenges that make the good times even better.”

Juniper gives her a warm smile, then looks back at me, and I can see the unspoken words in her eyes—acknowledgment of everything we’ve been through. She didn’t have to share such a positive version of our story, but she did. And for that, I’m more thankful than I can express.

Just as the conversation seems to settle, my mom leans forward, a curious glint in her eyes. “So, Juniper, what do you like to do when you’re not keeping Zade on his toes? Any hobbies?”

Juniper hesitates, glancing at me briefly, and I know exactly why. She’s not the kind of person who talks about herself easily, especially when it comes to something as personal as her love for books.

“Well,” she starts, clearly trying to find the right words. “I like to read. A lot, actually.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” my mom exclaims, genuinely interested. “What kind of books do you enjoy?”

I can see the slight panic in Juniper’s eyes as she tries to figure out how to answer that. I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing, knowing exactly what’s going through her mind. She’s probably trying to come up with a way to avoid admitting her favorite genre.

“Uh, mostly fiction,” she says quickly, but I can see the wheels turning in her head as she searches for something more specific that won’t raise any eyebrows.

“Fiction is great,” my mom replies, still smiling. “Any particular genre? Mystery? Historical fiction?”

I glance at Juniper, waiting for her to make the call, and just as I expect, she hesitates for a split second too long.

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