Page 12 of As Long As You Kiss Me

“I take it the girls told you who I am?”

“They did. Sorry to make that so awkward just now.”

“It’s okay.”

“For the record, I agree with those girls. You’re definitely one hot teacher,” she blurted.

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”

Was she just making thing stranger between them? Sometimes she could be the queen of awkwardness. “Come on, you have to know you’re attractive.”

He just kept licking at his ice cream cone. She stared, mesmerized by the action. But then she looked away. She couldn’t let her mind go places it shouldn’t. It was bad enough that she was running her mouth about how good looking she thought he was. Hopefully, she hadn’t just made things weird between them.

A long, awkward silence stretched between them. Sully had made such a fool of herself. Jackson probably thought she was nuts.

“This ice cream is pretty good,” he said, breaking the silence.

“Mmhmm.” She didn’t know what else to say. Her cheeks were still burning from when she’d made a fool of herself.

He continued talking, like he was trying to find a way to fill the lull in the conversation. “So, as you now know, I’m teaching school. I got injured in the military and couldn’t really pursue a career there anymore.”

“Is that the limp you have?” She hadn’t heard much about his injury.

“You noticed?”

She nodded. “I saw it when we were at the bar the other night.”

“I’d tried to hide it. I guess you’re more perceptive than I expected.” He looked around the room. “I like what you’ve done with the place,” he said changing the subject like he didn’t want to talk about his limp. “It’s brighter in here, but still has that same charm it always had.”

“Thanks. I’ve always loved this place,” she replied. Was his injury a touchy subject?

“I remember you worked here when you were younger.”

“Yes. All through high school. I got close to my boss, and when he wanted to retire years later, he sold it to me.”

“That’s a cool story.”

“Why did you decide to come back to Maple Creek?” Sully asked.

Jackson ate the last bite of his cone. “I missed my family. I was all done with school, and the time seemed right.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re back. It’s been good to see you again.”

He took her hand and squeezed it, his fingers warm and strong around hers. She wanted to hold on and entwine her fingers with his, but she had to remember that he didn’t feel that way about her. He probably still saw her as Tyson’s little sister and not someone he could ever have a romantic interest in.

“I’m glad to be back for good.”

“Is it hard to be back here without Tyson being around?” she asked.

He straightened his spine and didn’t answer her at first. Maybe he didn’t want to answer her question. But then he spoke. “It’s not the same here without him.”

“I miss him too. Every day.”

He locked gazes with her. There was a tortured look on his face. He must have been taking Tyson’s death harder than she’d realized. But then the look was quickly gone, replaced by an emotionless mask.

Some customers came in the door, and a line formed at the counter. “I should probably get back to work.”

“Of course.” There he was again with that straight back. Maybe it was left over from his time in the military. She couldn’t fathom what that life must have been like for him. When Tyson had come home on leave the month before he died, he’d been a lot different. War changed a man. He’d been a lot more reserved and seemed like he was holding some darkness inside himself that she could never understand. Was that what Jackson was going through too?

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