Page 13 of Only This Once
“Okay.” He let out another laugh. “Would I sound pathetic if I said I was looking forward to it?”
“I mean, who wouldn’t look forward to hanging out with me?” she teased, even though the answer wasn’t a pleasant one to consider. Her temple throbbed.
His breath fanned the phone. “I really did miss you.”
The tension in her head faded. “Me too. So, I’ll see you tomorrow around four thirty?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
She listened to his breaths for a few seconds. “Not going to hang up first?”
“No,” he said.
She didn’t want to hang up either, but her sisters were waiting in the dining room. “I should get back to dinner. Bye, Jinx.”
“Bye, Jules.”
She stared down at her phone after, then walked back to the table. When she looked up, she found her sisters staring at her.
“You’re smiling,” Maria said, with a smile of her own.
Heather laughed. “I have a feeling this phone call is your something good.”
She wanted to deny it, but every time she thought about Jinx, she felt happy. “Yeah. I think so.”
“Did I hear you say Jinx?” Maria asked.
“I haven’t heard that name in a while.” Rachel’s expression turned thoughtful.
“He just moved back. I ran into him last night when Phoebe ditched me at the bar.” She rolled her eyes when Rachel’s frown formed. “Don’t start.”
Rachel’s lips pressed together.
“If she won’t say it, I will.” Heather leaned forward. “Do you think it was a setup?”
“That’s—” It was Julia’s turn to frown. Phoebe had known there was no way Julia would have gone to that bar if she hadn’t pushed her. “Completely possible, actually. If so, I’m grateful. I had no idea Jinx was back in town.”
“So Jinx is your something good?” Maria asked.
“He is. I’m meeting him for coffee tomorrow to catch up.”
“That sounds like a date,” Heather said.
Julia scoffed. “No. It’s Jinx.” She turned toward Rachel. “What’s your something good this month?”
Rachel took a deep breath. “I’m going on a date,” she rushed out on the exhale.
Julia was instantly drawn in, just like her other sisters, asking for all the details. Rachel hadn’t tried dating again for a while.
She pushed away the small whisper telling her that the coffee shop meetup with Jinx really did sound similar to her sister’s date.
Chapter 4
Jesse gripped the steering wheel hard, staring at the side of the building and reminding himself that it was Julia he was meeting up with. Bubbles floated in his stomach but also twisted and popped. Once he saw her, his nerves would settle, if it was really nerves at all.
Was it possible to be so excited you wanted to throw up?
He told himself to get going. Julia was waiting for him. She tended to show up early. The reminder let him release the steering wheel, but it still took three more deep breaths and another mental nudge to climb out of his Jeep.
