Emma held his gaze, and the world around her slowed down again. “No, I guess not.”
Silence stretched between them.
“You should drop by later so I can give you a tour of the town.” Jack tucked the menus underneath his arms, the scent of his woodsy cologne wafting over her. “Everything is pretty much the same except for the roof of the library.”
Emma gave him a half-smile. “They finally fixed that, huh?”
“And there’s Wi-Fi almost everywhere now,” Jack added with a chuckle. “Took a few town meetings to get that off the ground, but here we are. The old seats at the theater were even upgraded.”
“It’s like a different town,” Emma joked, her chest tightening and her head feeling light. “Are you sure I’ll be able to recognize anything?”
Jack laughed, a deep rumbling sound that stirred something within her. “I’m sure you’ll manage. You know what they say about taking the town out of the girl…”
Emma cleared her throat. “Yeah, I guess.”
“So, you got some big client in town that you’re defending or something?”
“Or something,” Emma responded, pausing to glance over his shoulder at Jules, who had a smattering of flour on her nose and a dusting of sugar on her apron after joining in the competition. “We’re just here for a little while. You know, doing this and that.”
Jack took a step back and shot her another smile. “Well, when you’re done with this and that, you should stop by for a cup of coffee when it’s quieter. I’d love to catch up.”
Emma’s cheeks burned red. “I’d like that.”
“See you around, Sullivan.” He spun on his heel and strolled off, each step measured and brimming with confidence and surety. As soon as he reached the bar and greeted the people leaning over the table, a cheer rose through the crowd, and Emma found herself staring at him.
Same old Jack.
He still knew how to charm and work a crowd like it was nobody’s business, but only she knew the kind of person he was underneath the mask.
Jack was the boy she’d fallen in love with during high school, who had seen her exactly for who she was and hadn’t bolted in the opposite direction.
Seeing him again after all this time was a little like being off-kilter while the rest of the world spun on its axis.
When a blond waitress with a bright smile brought their order over, Jules came back with a ribbon and a plate of cookies, which she set in the middle with a triumphant smile.
In the background, Christmas songs continued to play on a loop, encasing Emma in a bubble, the same one that had always surrounded Rockport.
But she knew it wouldn’t last long.
Chapter Four
Jules clapped her hands together and blew on them. “Come on, stop stalling. I’m sure Grandma and Grandpa won’t mind that your hair is a little frizzy.”
Emma leaned against the car, heart thumping a million miles a minute. “The day is young. We can go for another walk or something. What do you say?”
Jules let her hands fall to her sides and raised an eyebrow. “Why are you acting like…”
Emma swung her gaze to Jules and paused. “Like what?”
Jules sighed, her breath appearing in a white puff in front of her. “You did tell them we were coming, right?”
“To town, or…?”
Jules groaned. “Mom, I can’t believe you didn’t tell them we were coming to visit. Didn’t you say Grandpa sent you that letter?”
Emma looked away and shifted from one foot to the other. “Yes, but it all happened so quickly, and I didn’t get the chance to call.”
Jules gave her a pointed look. “You couldn’t make time for one phone call?”
