Sweet Dreams (Sunset Dreams Series Book 1) (28 page)

“Look who’s being stubborn now.”

This brings a small smile to my face. I love it when she’s snarky.

“So, it’s Sunday, what are you up to today? I was thinking, since you’re here, I could take you up on that ride?”

She’s flirting with you, take her for a ride you idiot!

“Sorry, Jen, I don’t really have time,” I say, knowing I have to go and this would make it harder.

Smiling she says, “That’s okay, maybe another day. See ya around?”

That’s our thing.

Why does my chest hurt?

Because you like her.

Instead of responding, I carry my coffee outside and get on my bike as she watches me through the window. As I take a sip, I realize I never said goodbye or told her I was leaving. Looking at her through the glass, I feel sick to my stomach all of a sudden. I’ve lost my Coffee Girl. She was never really mine, but I thought maybe.

Now, it’s over.

I missed my chance.

Goodbye Jen.

Choosing to Dream

Chapter 1

One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes…and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility. Eleanor Roosevelt.

T
he waiting is torture, the reward is bliss. Jake and I spend an amazing week together, barely leaving bed to find nourishment. After Jake came to confront me about leaving him in Italy, we fought, we cleared the air, and we made up─ big time.

Turns out, I thought he was engaged to his best friend and he thought I was in a serious relationship with one of mine. We were both wrong. Briefly, I tried dating my good friend Jerry, when I believed anything more than a friendship with Jake was a pipe dream. After the one night we slept together, I accepted that Jerry and I’d only ever be friends. We have a lot in common, but there’s no chemistry.

My friendship with Jake was long distance and he’s, how should I put this, one of the hottest, most famous actors on the planet. I thought it was never a possibility. Boy was I wrong. Thank God.

Let me give you a brief summary of how we became friends.

We shared an elevator. A month later, he came into my café, Sweet Dreams, and bam! He became my regular morning customer. Jake had come to town to shoot one of his films and stumbled into my life. Well, I stumbled when he gracefully entered. Anyway, we became friends over coffee and conversation until the filming wrapped and it was time for him to go.

I’d thought that was it, I’d never see him again, but he called me and pursued a long distance friendship. It was tough, but during that time, we got to know each other really well. He came back to town for a brief visit and then left again. Stupidly believing celebrity gossip, I thought he was involved with actress Amy Warren. They were constantly in the news together and so instead of asking him about it, I tried to convince myself a relationship with my good friend Jerry was best.

Turns out, I was wrong again. Jerry and I click really well, just not on a romantic level. In a moment of jealousy, I basically threw myself at Jerry and hoped for the best, but there was no heat between us. The next day, I had a talk with Jerry and let him know I only wanted to be friends. Ouch, yeah, I know. I felt terrible, but Jerry eventually forgave me. Jake, on the other hand, with his perfect timing, happened to call me the one and only morning Jerry slept over to declare his feelings for me. Jerry answered my phone, still sleepy, and advised the mystery caller his girlfriend was in the shower.

Needless to say, Jake and I lost touch after that. I thought he was involved and he thought I was involved and even though we both wanted more between us, unbeknownst to the other, we went our separate ways. Months later, it all came to a head when Jake and I serendipitously ran into each other on a small road in Italy, literally. He ran me and my bike off the road with his motorcycle and we ended up spending two and a half days together.

I’ll never forget the night Jake kissed me for the first time. We were dancing at a wedding in the courtyard of my
pensione
in Amalfi. It was explosive. We practically ripped each other’s clothes off. Sigh… If you want the juicy details, you’ll have to read that story first, but it was hot. The best kiss ever.

Due to a small (read big) misunderstanding, the next morning, after the best sex anyone has ever had, I fled back to Maple Grove on the first plane out of Italy with a broken heart. Celebrity gossip magazines were running breaking news of his engagement to Amy Warren and I assumed that made me his last fling. Again, I was wrong. Thank God Jake had the balls to track me down at home and confront me about it or we wouldn’t be here today.

We figured out we’d both misunderstood each other’s relationship status. We made love and declarations and have been in bed ever since, which brings us to the present.

All week Jake and I have been hiding out in my cottage in Maple Grove. The aforementioned Jerry is now one of my two business partners; Laney, the manager of the café, is the other. They’ve been calling for the last five days asking if I’m getting any better.

Cough…cough…yeah.
I’ve been calling in sick to my own business, but I can’t find it in me to feel bad about it. Jake and I haven’t figured out how we’re going to deal with the press yet, once we go public. So for now, it’s all on the down low. I know, I can’t believe I said that either, but we’re basically hiding out.

Jake has been getting calls since last Monday from the director of the new film he’s supposed to be working on. Today is Monday, so he’s officially a week late. His agent calls at least ten times a day, and yesterday he said the producers were threatening to fine him. So he leaves tomorrow. He’s going to be filming
All Grown Up
, a romantic comedy, which is a departure from his normal action-packed thrillers. I’m excited for him, but he’s filming in Denver, Colorado. I live in Maple Grove, California. I don’t want him to leave, but I’m also the one who encouraged him to take the role in the first place. I wish we had more time.

Jer and Laney are likely to show up here any minute if I don’t show my face at Sweet Dreams soon and I only assume they haven’t yet because they’re busy at work or with each other.

Supposedly, Jerry and Laney have been doing some sneaking around of their own. I should confront them, but I’m so happy for them I’ll wait and let them go public in their own time. Hopefully, they’ll feel the same about me and Jake when they find out.

Even though I’m not a morning person, I always wake up early, my internal clock set for having to get up to open the café every day.

Turning to my right, I find Jake sleeping next to me in all his sexy glory. The man has stamina, boy does he, but when he sleeps, he sleeps like the dead. I want to wake him up so we don’t lose any more time together. He’s leaving today, but he’s so darling I can’t bring myself to disturb him.

With a kiss to his chest and a quick peek under the sheet,
gah,
I giggle, throw on a tank top and sweats and make my way to the kitchen to brew some coffee.

Music in Sweet Dreams

La Tortura- Shakira and Alejandro Sanz

La Camisa Negra- Juanes

Suavemente- Elvis Crespo

Harlem- New Politics

I Love Rock and Roll- Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

International Love- Pitbull

Crash Into Me- Dave Matthews Band

Fade Into You- Mazzy Star

Three Little Birds- Bob Marley & The Wailers

Son of a Preacher Man- Dusty Springfield

Numb- Linkin Park

Sail- Awolnation

Wave of Mutilation- Pixies

Mambo Italiano- Dean Martin

Con Te Partiro- Andrea Bocelli

Soul Meets Body- Death Cab for Cutie

Somebody That I Used To Know- Gotye

Sweet Surrender- Sarah McLachlan

Ho Hey- Lumineers

Do I Wanna Know- Arctic Monkeys

Danza Kuduro- Don Omar

La Vida Es Un Carnaval- Celia Cruz

Anything, Anything- Dramarama

Sultans of Swing- Dire Straits

Gratitude

T
hank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, won’t you please take a moment to leave a review for Sweet Dreams at your favorite retailer? Authors love reviews. It’s the only way we know you enjoyed our work.

I would like to thank my family for helping me realize this dream.

To the Writing Wenches, thank you for making me laugh, giving me a safe space, teaching me, and loving me.

Special thank you to Patricia. Every time you sent me edits I actually squealed. Some writers may hate the editing process, but I love it. I want to grow with each book I write. Thank you for helping me become a better writer.

Dear reader, thank you again for taking the time to read. I truly hope you enjoyed it.

Jennifer Senhaji

About the Author

I
was born and raised in San Francisco, CA, and have a husband and two children. Music is an addiction. I can often be found in the car, singing along at the top of my lungs to whatever is playing. I work full time, and I split my spare time between family, reading, blogging, and writing. I’m a habitual quoter. Lines from films and TV shows constantly pop into my head—my kids are the only ones that really get it. I’m an only child, and so of course I married a man who is one of ten children. Other than English, I speak Spanish, Moroccan, and a little French. I love to travel, but don’t do enough of it. Reading has been a passion for most of my life and I now love writing. I’m klutz, and in my own mind, I’m hilarious. Sweet Dreams is my first novel.