Page 51 of Middle Ground
“My Pippa,” Meyer says, pointing to her.
“Hey, Meyer, we need—” Pippa’s eyes widen as she takes notice of my friend. “Oh.”
An amused smile stretches across his face. “Is that a goodohor a badoh?” Wells asks.
Pippa shakes her head. Her cheeks are already turning their usual shade of red. “Oh. Just…oh.”
Then her lips roll inward, and silence reigns. I can feel the awkwardness descending, and judging by the blush intensifying on Pippa’s face, she can, too. She looks ready to bolt when Wells takes a step in her direction.
“I’m Wells,” he says. “I’m a friend of Jackson’s.”
She nods, her chin tilting upwards to look at him. Pippa is on the taller side, but she’s still shorter than him.
“You apparently already know my name,” she replies. “I’m a friend of Meyer’s.”
Both Wells and Pippa stare at each other for a beat, silence descending over us yet again. All the while, Pippa’s blush gets more and more prominent. I wonder if maybe I should save her.
Meyer’s gaze meets mine, and her eyes widen pointedly. As if to ask,Are you seeing this?I shake my head in response. Whatever moment our two friends seem to be having, I’m not going to read into it.
Meyer clears her throat, drawing their attention away from each other. “So, Wells, what are you doing in Fraisier Creek?”
“Just wanted to check the place out.” He shrugs. “Plus, it’s a little lonely in the city when your best friend decides he likes living in the country better.”
I roll my eyes. That was a pointed dig if I’ve ever heard one. “Just admit you miss me, McKenna.”
“Meyer,” Pippa says again, “I’m really sorry to interrupt, but can I get your help out here? There’s a table that wants to speak to the manager, but apparently I’m not good enough.”
Meyer sobers at that. “Shit, yes. I’m coming!”
We both watch the two women leave, and though I’m certain Wells’s focus is on Pippa, mine is on Meyer. When the door shuts behind them, he turns back to me.
“Show me around?” he asks.
Judging by his tone, however, I can tell he wants more than a tour. He wants to talk. I don’t want any of the employees overhearing us, so outside it is.
I lead the way out of the office and start heading toward the front doors. He follows as we round the side of the building and come to a stop beside a small gazebo. It was in disrepair when I arrived, but now it looks brand new, with its fresh coat of paint and the flowers that have been planted around the outside.
I cross my arms over my chest. “What are you really doing here?”
Wells sighs. “You haven’t been returning your mother’s calls.”
“Are you fucking serious? My mother sent you to check on me? I don’t need a babysitter.”
“It’s not like that, Jackson. She’sworriedabout you and how you’re handling all of this.”
My jaw clenches as I turn, fixing my gaze on the trees lining the other side of the property.
I know I’ve been bad at returning Wells’s messages, andeven worse at responding to my mother’s. I could keep telling myself it’s because I’m busy with the inn, but truthfully, I’ve been enjoying the quiet.
Not quiet in the literal sense, but the break from the prying eyes, worrying over me.
Something in the trees flashes, catching the sunlight. I shift, and it glints again. My gaze narrows. The patch of trees is small, but it’s dense enough that I can’t see beyond the branches of the evergreens from here.
Curiosity gets the best of me, so I set off across the grass.
“Where are you going?” Wells calls from behind me. “We were kind of in the middle of something here!”
I don’t answer. I keep walking toward the trees, and Wells jogs to catch up.
