Page 26 of Barefoot Dreams
“Oh, thank God, I thought I’d have to hold my breath waiting for you to ask forever.”
“Jacob,” I warn.
“She’s not dating me. But she is dating.”
Fuck…
“So, you just lived at the base this whole time?” Alec asks after taking a sip of his beer.
We finally make it to LPs, the only decent bar in our town, and as soon as we sit at one of the booths lining the back wall, Alec starts his inquisition. He might be worse than my mother, but for once I’m not so eager to switch the subject.
She’s dating someone. Of course she is. But for some reason, knowing it’s not Jacob made it more real. More terrifying and that notion is terrifying all on its own.
I don’t care.I don’t care. Don’t care at all, I keep playing the mantra on repeat inside my head while nursing my beer and contemplating how much will it hurt tomorrow if I move up the alcohol ladder.
Love and Peace hasn’t change at all since we lived here. Sure, we couldn’t actually drink back then but all the kids growing up in LC made their way here almost daily what with our parents practically worshiping the place.
Willa Loverson—the owner who was known for her special brews my mom likes so much and wearing more handmade jewelry than one can count—has a special menu with shakes and non-alcoholic drinks for underage guests, and it was nice to see it still intact on the wall above the long L-shaped bar. But that’s about the only normal thing you’ll find here because there are no cosmopolitans, martinis, old-fashions or all the rest of your usual drinks.
Oh no, in Loverly Cave we serve Cupid’s Arrow, Downer’s Luck, Groovy Sip, Fry, Mellow-yellow, Free Love, Eros Spell, and others along the same line. In hindsight, I shouldn’t be surprised at Julie’s coffee-less coffee shop when the bar doesn’t serve normal cocktails.
The décor in here is another story. No two pieces of furniture are the same, the walls are covered with hippy art, the outdoorpatio is covered with heart-shaped string lights, and inside there is a large stage for karaoke nights.
It’s as eclectic as they come but it also feels like home. Just how it’s meant to be in Loverly Cave.
I field a few more questions about my time at Air Force from Alec and get ready to order Downer’s Luck when all of the sudden Jacob speaks up with this pensive look on his face. “So, what’s the plan?”
“The plan?” Alec furrows his brows. “What plan?”
“That’s what I’d like to know. What is our plan to get Griffin his girl?” Jacob asks in all seriousness.
“Oh yes! We need a plan! You are so smart, Jackie,” Alec coos.
“Nope, no, no, no, and no again. No plans.” I lift both my index fingers to point at them. “I may’ve been gone for a long time and don’t know how you two operate but I’ll bet my left kidney it’s not on the smart, cautious and most importantly, mature, side. There will be no plans. There is nomygirl. Julie is a grown woman and can date whomever she likes. I didn’t come here to infiltrate her life.”
“You’ve got nothing to worry about.” Alec grins, slapping my back and effectively ignoring all I just said. “We got you.” He turns to Jacob. “So, what do we know about the other guy?”
“Didn’t you just hear what I said? I don’t want you guys to make any plans!”
“He’s a Loverly Cave native. She told me they went to school together and it was very surprising when he asked her out. He’s been generally good to her from what she’s told me. But he did take her to a car show last week.” Jacob lists random facts, and despite my insistence that I want nothing to do with this, I’m taking it all down.
“A car show?” Alec screws up his face. “The dude tookJulieto a car show?”
“I know.” The other twin to this crazy combo bulges his eyes in agreement. “That was my reaction as well, but Jules said that was fine since he did go to yoga with her the previous time.”
“Hmm, so he’s smart and compromising. Damn, he’s actually putting in an effort, huh?”
Screw compromising, if he’s not worshiping the ground she walks on, he’s an idiot. Effort my ass. Try learning the names to all the herbs she grows…
“Yep.” They keep talking to each other while I’m growing restless here.
Name.What is his name, Jacob?I’m screaming on the inside but hell if I’ll show my cards to these two. I don’t even want to show them to myself.
“How long has this been going on for?” Alec asks.
Mm-hmm, exactly how far gone is Julie for him?
“They’ve been on like four-five dates, I believe.”
