Sweet Dreams (Sunset Dreams Series Book 1) (4 page)

Chapter Five

I never sing in the shower. It’s very dangerous. Jimmy Fallon

A
nother week passes, and Jake comes in everyday for coffee and a pastry. I convince him to try different ones each time. He always arrives early, right after I open, with a smile on his face and a “Good Morning, Jen,” on his lips. He never stays more than the time it takes to grab a coffee and a pastry and a few minutes of chit chat, but seeing him every morning puts me in a good mood for the rest of the day.

I don’t see him on Saturday and Sunday.

I wonder where he goes on the weekends?

The following Monday morning, at 6 a.m., I set up as I listen to Pitbull’s “International Love.” I woke up in a great mood today. I had a dream where I think I was traveling abroad, I can’t really remember, but I know it was a good one.

I grab oranges from the fridge behind the counter as I sing and dance along.

A deep voice behind me chimes in on the last verse and scares me silly.

“Ahhhhhhhh!!!”

I swing around and throw an orange in the direction of the voice and Jake ducks out of the way just in time.

Turning down the stereo, I scold, “Geez Louise, I thought I told you not to sneak up on me!” I’m breathing hard and my face is red from the embarrassment of being caught singing again.

Jake takes a step, picks up the orange and says, as he bounces the orange off his forearm, “I thought I told you to lock the door so some weirdo doesn’t creep up on you.”

Catching my breath, I say, “Well, I guess you were right. Exhibit A; weirdo creeping up on me.”

He places the orange on the counter. “So, Pitbull today, huh? Different from your New Politics rock out I caught you in last time.”

“What can I say, I like lots of music.”

He tilts his head to the side. “That’s a very general statement.” He pulls out his stool and takes a seat.

I look at the clock on the wall. “You’re early today.”

“Yeah, I didn’t want to be in a rush this morning.” Jake’s eyes sparkle and I smile at him.

Ivy green? No.

“Well, let me put these down and I’ll get you some coffee.” I gather the rest of the oranges and place them in the bin next to the juicer. “I’ll be right back.” I leave him sitting at the counter and go back into the kitchen to get clean pitchers for the milk and bring them back out front. When I get there, Jake isn’t on his stool. I don’t see him and call his name.

“Yeah, over here, just looking at what’s going on in the world.”

I find him standing in the news and book section, on the other side of the café, glancing down at the morning paper. I stroll back behind the counter and brew the coffee as he wanders around the café looking over the books and periodicals I have on hand.

“So, the reading selection, how do you decide what to carry?”

I respond as I fill the coffee supplies. “I stock the daily paper, the standard fashion magazines, Time, National Geographic. I try to stay away from the tabloids.” I glance at him to see his reaction.

“Yeah, I see that. Ninety-nine percent of what they write is BS anyway,” he comments while continuing to look around.

Prepping the coffee bar I add, “As for books, I try to keep up on the best sellers and carry what I like.”

Jake picks up a book. Reading the jacket he asks, “Do you read all of these?”

“No, not as fast as they come in, but I choose what I want to read and carry those until I have a chance to. Do you like to read?”

He looks up, and puts the book back on the shelf. “Yes, I do, but I do so much reading for work that I rarely read for pleasure anymore.” Motioning to the collection on the shelf he notes, “The variety here seems to match your music tastes. Suspense, Romance, Sci-fi, very diverse.”

“What do you like, when you have time?” Maybe this will give me a peek into the mystery that is Jacob Walker.

He looks over at me and smiles. “Lots of things.”

Taking his cue I say, “Well, that is a very general statement.” I finish pouring out a cup of coffee and put a pastry in a bag.

Jake comes over and points to the frame behind the counter. “What is that?”

“Oh these are ticket stubs from concerts I’ve been to.”

Jake reads some of them. “Eric Clapton, Earth Wind and Fire, Cheb Mami, Imagine Dragons, Dave Matthews, 30 Seconds to Mars, Gypsy Kings, One Republic…you really do like lots of different music.”

“I do. How about you? Do you like going to concerts?”

“I can’t, too many people. But I’ve seen The Killers from backstage a few times.”

“Oh really, I love them, never had a chance to see them though.”

“Yeah, I met them when I was on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. They’re really cool.”

“Jimmy Fallon is hilarious. I think my favorite skit on SNL is when he does the Barry Gibb Talk Show with Justin Timberlake. It makes me laugh so hard I start crying.”

“Yeah, he’s funny and actually a really nice guy.”

“He seems like he would be a cool guy to hang out with.”

He looks at his watch. “I better go. It’s getting late. See ya around?”

“See ya around, Jake.”

I follow him to the door and turn on the sign after he leaves and for the rest of the morning I’m left wondering what Jacob Walker does in his spare time.

Chapter Six

Have you ever gotten the feeling that you aren’t embarrassed yet, but you glimpse tomorrow’s embarrassment? Tom Cruise

March

J
ake is my first customer every morning as I open up with a quick “good morning” and “have a good day” before he goes to work. We have a routine now, and I find myself looking forward to seeing him every day when I get up.

Over the weekend, I see my dad and my stepmom Nina on Saturday for my thirtieth birthday.

Thirty, how am I thirty?

I was finally enjoying my twenties.

Ugh, I don’t want to think about it.

This morning, “Crash Into Me” by Dave Matthews Band keeps me company. My eyes watch the door constantly, but Jake doesn’t make it in. I’m disappointed and soon angry with myself for getting worked up about it.

I need to get a life.

Trying to think of something to occupy my time so I can stop obsessing about a certain someone, I have an epiphany.

It’s time to work on the back patio.

I’ve procrastinated way too long on this patio project and in the afternoon I walk over to the hardware store and pick up a few things. The patio isn’t set up the way I really want it yet and I know I need to put more effort into it.

Tonight, I finish cleaning up early and turn off the sign. Selecting one of my playlists and making sure the volume isn’t too loud, I carry the twinkle lights I bought earlier out to the back patio to hang them.

This will be good.

I know once the patio is set up the customers will love it, especially on sunny days and warm nights.

“Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star plays softly as I sing along, standing on a chair outside, stringing up the lights. I’m doing a pretty good job and am impressed by my work so far, when I hear someone call, “Jen?” from inside the café.

I yell, “Back here!” not worrying who it might be as they obviously know my name. Having trouble with this one string of lights, I stand up on the tabletop next to me to try and get it to wrap correctly around the clothesline I hung a few months ago.

“Back where?” The voice asks.

As I’m about to get the string just right, I see a ginormous green stick bug staring at me from the wall I’m leaning against. I freeze, not wanting to make any sudden moves that could cause it to jump and attack me.

The voice again calls, “Are you all right? Where are you?”

I’m paralyzed with fear, exactly like in my nightmares. I want to scream, but nothing will come out.

Calm down, calm down…

Finally finding my voice, I keep both eyes on the green goblin staring back at me, and squeak out, “I’m in the back.”

My heart pounds and I don’t know what to do. The door to the kitchen opens and shoes tap the floor coming toward me. The green goblin decides to make his move and starts to crawl closer to me.

“Ahhhhhhhh!!!!”

Someone crashes through the door. Turning to see who it is in my bug induced fear, I find Jake looking up at me with a relieved look on his face.

“Jake, what are you doing here?” I ask, panting.

He eyes me up and down. “This isn’t smart, someone could rob the place while you’re back here.”

With a wobble in my voice, I turn back to the wall and watch the ugly thing inch closer to me. “Rob me of what, paper cups? I already closed the register.”

Please don’t jump on me, please don’t jump on me.

He huffs and asks, “Do you want help? Why did you scream?”

I snap back. “Because the green goblin is going to get me, and no I don’t need any help!” I take a step down to the chair below, with my eyes on my enemy on the wall, lose my footing and start to fall.

In the time it takes for me to reach the ground, I catch Jake’s eye and see him realize I’m falling and position himself to try and catch me. It all happens in slow motion and in that time I imagine falling into Jake’s open arms and him romantically cradling me against his chest.

That is not what happens.

Nope. Of course not.

I let out a yelp as the chair goes out from under me, praying I don’t hit my head on the wall as I come down. Jake tries to catch me but fails and I end up landing on him, taking him down with me. We’re in an awkward heap on the cement floor, me on top, and he grunts as my full weight hits him and knocks the wind out of him.

Straining to speak he says, “Well, that didn’t work.”

I’m embarrassed, but also disappointed he didn’t come to my rescue like in the movies. “Thanks for catching me,” I say sarcastically. “Help me up please?”

Jake scoffs. “I can’t. You are crushing me!”

“Oh, fine, I was hoping you were a gentleman.” I start to get up and accidently knee him in the stomach. “Sorry.” I get my feet under me and offer him a hand to help him up.

Jake gets up slowly, takes a deep breath and says, “No problem.”

Embarrassed, I move to pick up the chair, feel my ankle give way and hiss. “Son of a Biscuit.” Holding onto the edge of the table, I rub my ankle while I stand on one foot.

“Serves you right, that was dangerous in so many ways!” He’s scolding me again.

The nerve!

“Nope, no gentleman here!” I say, glaring at him.

Wow, so not the poor baby I was looking for.

Slowly, I start to limp back into the café and I hear Jake say from behind me, “Oh for crying out loud.”

He sweeps me up and my arm automatically goes around his neck as he carries me into the café toward the counter.

All I can think as I look up at his profile is how good he smells and how strong his arms are around me. Feeling no pain, I gaze up at him as he slowly sets me down on the counter. I let go a beat too late and he looks me in the eye, clears his throat and then looks down at my foot. My chest heaves and my face must be the color of a ripe tomato.

Could I be more obvious?

Sweet buttercups, he smells good.

He stands in between my legs as they dangle from the counter while he examines my foot and I can’t help but notice what a perfect height he is to…
Stop!

I shake my head to clear those thoughts from continuing down that path and say, “Well, maybe there’s hope after all.”

With a little smirk he says, “Maybe.”

Laughing, I ask teasingly, “Didn’t hurt yourself carrying me over here, did you?”

Jake looks affronted. “Hey, I’m in great shape.”

“I know,” slips out of my lips with a sigh before I can stop it and Jake’s smile is full and cocky. “So how old are you anyway?” I ask to distract him.