Sweet Dreams (Sunset Dreams Series Book 1) (7 page)

Chapter Eleven

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. Buddha

A
fter cursing Jake out in my head all week for being an insensitive jerk, then chastising myself for continuing to think about him in the first place, I decide Linkin Park’s “Numb” is in order this morning. Turning the volume up loud, I set up the café for the day. I want to feel numb, but I’m angry.

The espresso machine better look out today if it knows what’s good for it.

Forty-five minutes until opening and I think I hear the phone ring. I look at it with a scowl, almost daring it to ring again.

I hope it’s a telemarketer so I can let them have it.

“Sweet Dreams, this is Jen, how can I help you?”

Jake’s voice spills into my ear and I turn down the music to hear him say, “Sorry I didn’t say goodbye.”

This is not what I was expecting and the anger drains out of me. My breath catches and a lump forms in my throat. “Jake, I need to get ready to open up. You know what a rush I’m in in the morning.”

“Yeah, I do. Just wanted to say sorry.”

Oh God, this is worse than being angry. Now I don’t know what to be.

Happy he called and apologized, sad he called and apologized, angry, because he had the nerve to call and apologize.

“K, I gotta go, Jake.”

“We still friends, Jen?”

Oh he asks me, like I know…

“Were we friends Jake?” I say hesitantly.

“I thought so,” he responds.

I can’t handle this right now, it’s too much. “I gotta go.” I hang up before he can say anything else and let my head fall into my hands.

Chapter Twelve

Listen once in a while. It’s amazing what you can hear. Russell Baker

July

I
’m drained after the week I’ve had. “Sail” by Awolnation plays while I set up and the phone rings.

“Sweet Dreams, this is Jen,” I huff.

“Morning, sunshine. You sound grumpy today.”

“Jake, I’m really busy, what do you want?” He has me so confused I feel like I’m on an emotional roller coaster.

“I want to talk to my friend.”

“I’m busy, I can’t talk right now. I gotta go…”

“Wait! What time is a good time to call?”

I take a breath and say, “I can’t talk on the phone while I’m working.”

“How about I call you when you’re not working?” he asks innocently.

He’s making this difficult.

“That doesn’t make any sense. How will I answer the phone if I’m not here?”

“Give me your cell number.”

I pause to think about it. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Come on, please?”

Wow, he’s pulling out the big guns now.

I can picture a little boy’s pout on his face.

It’s too early for this.

Unable to resist him I huff, “Gotta pen?”

“Yep, ready.” He takes down my number. “What time?”

“What time what?”

I feel a headache coming on.

“What time will you not be working?”

“Most days I take off between three and nine p.m.”

“Talk to you later then?”

“Maybe, gotta go. Bye.” I hang up feeling more confused than ever.

Later that day, at 3 p.m. on the dot, my cell phone buzzes in my pocket with a number I don’t recognize. I don’t answer. At 4 p.m. it buzzes again and I push ignore. I check for a voicemail and there are no new messages.

At 4:30 it rings again and I decide to pick up. “Hello?”

“Whatcha doin?”

“Who is this?” I’m sure it’s Jake, but I don’t want him to know that.

“It’s Jake.” It worked. He sounds taken aback that I don’t recognize his voice. I smile a little at this small victory.

“Oh, hey. Why are you calling me?”

“I need advice,” he says with a serious tone.

I take a seat at my kitchen table. “What about?”

“I met this woman.”

“Stop! I don’t want to hear this.” I really don’t want to be the friend that gives advice about other women. I can’t put myself through that.

“Wait, I really want to be friends with this woman, but I messed up.”

I stay silent waiting to see what he says next.

Is he talking about me?

“Sorry… Jen, I want us to be friends.”

“Why?” I don’t get it. He isn’t here anymore.

Doesn’t he have other friends he can talk to?

“I got used to seeing you every day, I’m experiencing withdrawal.”

“Are you sure it’s not the coffee? You’ll get over it.”

“Come on, you know me. I won’t.”

This bothers me. “No, I don’t, Jake. I don’t know you and you don’t know me. I served you coffee every day.”

“Well, get to know me. I want to know you.”

I don’t know what to say and stay silent.

He changes the subject. “How’s the guitar going? Are you still taking lessons?”

With a sigh I say, “Yeah, I am. It’s fine. Learned a new song and everything.”

“Ya know, I play too,” Jake says with a smile in his voice as he reveals something new about himself.

I perk up. “Really? I didn’t know that. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m telling you now,” he says with a triumphant tone.

“Acoustic or electric?” Now I’m interested. This is something we have in common.

“Both, but I prefer acoustic. I always wanted to be one of those people who could just pick up and play, ya know?”

He’s quoting me back to me and it makes me smile. “Yes, I know what you mean.” He has me and he knows it.

“And now I am. So keep practicing, but if that so called teacher of yours isn’t doing a good job, I’m sure I can find you another one.”

“What do you mean, so called teacher? Jerry is fine and I am playing better.”

“Just a suggestion,” he says innocently. “I gotta go, but this is my cell number. Save it. Oh, and thanks for the advice.”

“I didn’t really give you any advice, Jake.”

“Well, thanks for listening.”

“K, bye.” I hang up and save the number into my contacts as J.

Chapter Thirteen

A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself. Jim Morrison

O
n Tuesday evening, I get a text.

Can u talk?-J

Not right now- Me

An hour later, he texts me again.

How about now?-J

What’s up?-Me

My phone rings. “Hey.” I can hear the smile in my own voice.

“Hey, so how was your day?” he inquires.

“Good, I still have to go back and close in a couple of hours.”

Jake huffs. “I still think you work too many hours.”

“Maybe. Lately I’ve been really tired. How is work for you? Any new projects in the works?”

“Been doing some post production, lots of promos and lots of new scripts being pushed at me right now.”

I decide this is a good time to quote him back to him. “I still think you work too many hours.”

“Smart ass!”

“Hey, not nice.” I laugh a little at myself.

“So any vacations this year?”

“I hope so. I went to Italy years ago and always wanted to go back. Maybe in the next year or so if I can and there are lots of other places on my list.”

“Good, I think you should. I love Italy. What parts do you want to see when you are there?”

“Well, definitely Florence again. I loved Florence. Then maybe head south, Naples, maybe Pisa.”

“All good. Italy is one of the most beautiful places. When you go, make sure to go to Positano and the Amalfi Coast.”

“Okay.” I make a note of that. “Are you still in New York?” I ask timidly.

“Yeah, for a few more days, then next week I go to LA to do some promoting.”

He sounds tired.

“Where exactly do you live?”

“Actually I have a couple of places, but I split most of my time between LA and New York.”

“Oh, that must be…”

Jake interrupts me. “Hey, can I call you later, someone walked in?”

“Sure.”

He doesn’t call back that night and I realize I’m starting to obsess with the phone like I did with him coming into the cafe.

This can’t be good.

A couple of days later I get a text from Jake.

Hey-J

Hey-Me

R u busy?-J

I have a few mins, what r u doing?-Me

My phone rings. “Hello?”

“I’m packing, getting ready to head to LA tomorrow.”

“So off to Lala land, huh?”

“Yep. How was your day?”

Sighing I explain the excitement that was my morning. “Good, except for the whole pitcher of OJ I spilled on myself this morning. Had to work until ten when Laney came in before I could go home and change. Orange juice is extremely sticky.”

“Jen, you know the juice is for drinking not bathing.”

“Ha ha! I should have thought of that.”

Jake hesitates for a bit then says, “So, I might be real busy while I’m in LA.”

I stay quiet, not sure if he expects me to say something.

“Anyway, I wanted to let you know in case I don’t have a chance to call for a few days.”

“Well, have a good flight, Jake.”

“Thanks Jen, goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

That was weird. I’m not really sure why he called.

Did he call to tell me he couldn’t call? I don’t get it.