Chapter 14

On Wednesday after school, I dropped Owen off to work on the farm. It was opening day, and I was worried about him. But Jameson assured me he would be fine.

When I left, Jameson had steered him to the area where they secured trees to the vehicles. I was positive he wouldn't get hurt doing that. And there was always someone else there to handle the machine that wrapped the tree.

I didn't think I was ready for him to operate that yet. With an unexpected night off, I went out with a friend, Violet. She ran the ice cream shop downtown, so we rarely got to see each other. But she'd recently hired an employee to cover some evenings for her.

I arrived early at a wine bar in Annapolis. It had large windows that overlooked the water and the boats that turned around in Ego Alley. Soon they'd be decorated with holiday lights.

A few minutes later, Violet rushed in. "Hey, sorry I'm late."

I stood to hug her. "I'm just happy to see you. When was the last time we were able to get together?"

"I think it was to celebrate your divorce." Violet shrugged off her coat and sat across from me.

I gestured at the glass on the table in front of her. "I ordered your favorite wine."

"Perfect," Violet said as she sipped it.

"The divorce was good but awful at the same time. I felt guilty taking Owen away from his father."

"Eric made you feel that way. He was never there for Owen, and this is your chance to start over to meet someone new who could be amazing for you."

"I love that you're a romantic, but I'm not. I have a lot of baggage. There aren't guys lining up to date me."

Violet leaned in. "Whatever happened with that firefighter who came by after the fire to check on you?"

"He showed us how to use the fire extinguisher. But I hope I never need it again."

She tipped her head to the side. "That was nice of him. Is that something the fire department does?"

"Apparently, they'll ensure fire detectors are installed or batteries replaced after a fire. Jameson loves to do the house calls."

Violet fluttered her eyelashes. "Oh, his name is Jameson. He sounds attractive."

"You can tell that from a name?" I asked dubiously.

Violet nodded. "And the way you talk about him."

"That night, Owen's friend was busy, and Jameson offered to throw the football with him. You know Eric never did it no matter how many times Owen asked."

Her brow furrowed. "I never liked him."

"I know." We'd met after I'd already married Eric, so Violet held her tongue until I asked her opinion on what she thought of me leaving him. She was all for it and helped me get a good attorney.

"You deserve so much better."

I sipped my wine, needing something to soothe my dry throat. "What about you? Have you met anyone?"

She laughed. "Most of the guys that come into the shop are with their wife, girlfriend, and/or their kids."

"You chose your profession. You could have done a barbershop. One that only caters to men."

Violet's eyes widened. "I like how you think, but I have no interest in cutting hair."

"What other male-dominated businesses are there? Mechanic. I bet there are some hot guys who work there too."

"You're forgetting that I already own one business that takes up all my time."

"But you love it."

"I love being my own boss. I just hope it's successful so I never have to work for anyone else again." Violet shuddered.

She'd had some issue with her last job. She wouldn't talk about it, other than to say she was happier working for herself.

We sipped our wine and watched a boat slowly motor into the alleyway, turn around, and head back into the harbor.

"How's Owen enjoying football?" Even though she didn't have kids, she seemed to adore them. She always asked after Owen.

"He loves it, and in a surprising twist, Jameson is his coach."

Violet blinked. "The fireman?"

"That's right."

"That's quite a coincidence."

"He substitute teaches at the middle schools on his days off too."

Violet's eyes widened. "This just keeps getting better and better. A fireman and a teacher. The important thing is that you still see him."

"Just at pickup. Not so much around the school. He doesn't hang out in the staff lounge. I heard that he eats and plays basketball with the kids at lunch and recess."

Violet frowned. "Is he a big kid, or is he trying to bond with them?"

"I haven't asked him about it. But he seems to enjoy bonding with kids."

"I think you've got a winner there." When I fiddled with my glass, Violet asked innocently, "Are you seeing him? Why didn't you lead with that?"

"We're not. He used to help Owen with football and his workouts. He knew Owen was nervous about cooking, so he offered to be in the kitchen the first time he attempted a recipe."

Violet touched her chest with her hand. "Be still my beating heart. Could he be any more attractive?"

I rolled my eyes. "That night I walked him outside, and we kissed."

Violet snapped her fingers. "Just like that. You kissed? There has to be something more. A lead-up."

My face flushed.

Violet leaned in, her cheeks flushed with excitement. "Claire Coleman, tell me everything."

I sighed. "It was cold, so he gave me his sweatshirt. We were standing close, and it just happened. There was always this underlying attraction, at least on my end. I wasn't sure if he felt the same way."

She gestured for me to continue. "Obviously, he does."

"I told him I didn't want anything serious."

Violet's face fell. "You're being cautious. I get it. But don't push him away before you know what it could be."

"Then he started texting me later that night."

"Oh, this is getting good."

I looked around to ensure no one was listening to us, then lowered my voice, "I sent him a picture of me in his sweatshirt."

Violet's eyes widened. "Tell me you were naked under his hoodie."

I nodded. I'd wanted to feel his scent on my skin. The picture was an impulse after we started texting. It was reckless and crazy. If the image got out, I could lose my job. But I couldn't help teasing him.

Violet waved a hand for me to continue. "And?"

"One thing led to the other, and he asked me to touch myself."

Violet closed her eyes and dipped her head back. "You've gotten more action in one night than I've had in about a year." Then she opened her eyes. "I'm living vicariously through you. It's your duty as my best friend to share."

"I was going to anyway because I need your opinion." I had to talk to someone outside of school.

Violet sobered. "First, tell me if Jameson has any brothers."

I couldn't stop the grin that spread over my face. "Five."

Violet sucked in a breath. "Can you introduce me?"

I shook my head. "Not yet."

Violet's face fell. "I get it that you want Jameson all to yourself. But once you've locked him down tight, you'll introduce me?"

I sighed. "I don't think this is a long-term thing but sure."

Violet's forehead wrinkled. "Why not? He sounds amazing: mature, protective, hot."

I leaned on my elbows. "How do you know he's hot?"

Violet ticked his jobs off on her fingers. "He's a firefighter who substitute teaches on his days off. He plays basketball with kids at recess. And to up his hotness factor, he makes house calls as a firefighter and offered to help Owen cook so he could get over his fear of fires. But more importantly, he has to be smoking hot to convince you to have phone sex with him."

I frowned. "Is that what it's called?"

Violet smiled and nodded. "Yep."

"It was mostly texting. We didn't call each other until the end—" I flushed at the memory of how hard I orgasmed to the sound of his voice—"and there was no video." Jameson was protecting me then too.

"When are you going to do it again? This time in person?" Violet asked eagerly.

The waitress stopped at our table. "Would you like a second glass?"

"Yes," Violet said for both of us.

We'd both taken a car service to get here and would share one on the way home. "Jameson invited me to Thanksgiving dinner with his family."

"Oh, this is serious."

My forehead wrinkled. "I hung out with his family last weekend. They played football with Owen and probably only invited us because they felt bad for us. We didn't have anyone to spend the holiday with."

"Yeah, what happened to your parents?" Violet asked.

I gave her a look. "They decided to go on vacation."

"On Thanksgiving? Your favorite holiday of the year."

I shook my head. "It's fine."

"It's not fine. They've never put you first. You're an afterthought to them."

"I don't know about that." Violet didn't know me growing up. My parents were always there. Maybe a little wrapped up in work and their own love life. But I wasn't lacking for anything except maybe attention.

"How did you leave things with Jameson?"

"We didn't really talk about it. We said goodnight and went to sleep."

"You had to talk about it at some point. Not even after the kiss?"

Something was niggling my brain. "I think before the kiss I said something like it didn't have to mean anything. Or I didn't want a relationship kind of thing. I can't quite remember. I was just desperate for him to kiss me, and I got the impression he was trying to be noble by holding back. Before that, I wasn't even sure he felt the same attraction I did. So when we finally kissed, it was explosive."

"Why would he be noble?" Violet asked, confusion lacing her tone.

"Because I just got divorced."

Violet waved a hand to the side. "It was six months ago, and you were separated for a year before that. It's hardly recent."

"I guess not, but I haven't dated much since then."

The waitress stopped by with our drinks, and we thanked her before turning our attention back to each other.

"You have to get out there at some point, and Jameson seems like the perfect guy for it. He doesn't have to be your forever guy or even someone you date long-term. You can just have fun."

Why did it feel so empty when Violet said it? I thought she'd want me to take it more seriously since she was a romantic. "Are you encouraging me to have a fling with him?"

Violet rolled her eyes. "A fling? How old-fashioned. No. Just have fun."

"Have fun." Could I do that? Could I take this thing with Jameson and keep it light? It already felt like it had weight to it. I'd trusted Jameson the other night on the phone to not only take care of me but not to share what we did with any else.

Violet fixed her gaze on me. "Yeah, you remember what that is, don't you?"

My phone buzzed.

Your boy's doing great.

"What is it?" Violet asked.

"Jameson sent me a picture of Owen working on the farm. He's doing it for volunteer hours." I tipped my screen so she could see the picture of Owen standing in the doorway of a van, securing a tree to the top.

"Does Jameson work on a Christmas tree farm or something?" Violet asked after she'd seen the picture.

"His family owns Pine Valley Farms."

Violet's eyes widened. "Oh, I know them. I partnered with Daphne Calloway to carry her pies in my ice cream shop." Then she paused. "Wait. Are you dating one of her brothers?"

I nodded. "Daphne's the youngest, and Jameson is the one closest in age to her."

"Wow. It's a small world."

"It sure is." I wasn't sure how I felt about Violet having a connection to the Calloways. I hadn't spent any time with Daphne, so it shouldn't bother me.

A smile spread over her face. "And you're spending Thanksgiving with them."

"That's the plan. I'm bringing a green-bean casserole." I'd asked Jameson to let his sister know so she wouldn't make the same thing. He'd said I didn't need to bring anything, but I couldn't come empty-handed.

"So is this a date kind of thing?"

I shook my head. "They asked what I was doing for the holiday, and I mentioned my parents were out of town. They were just being nice. I would have turned them down, but I don't want to face a holiday with just me and Owen."

Violet covered my hand with hers. "That's completely understandable. I'd invite you to my parents', but I don't even want to go."

"You know you don't have to go home for anything. You can set that boundary."

Violet grimaced. "I wish I could. I'd much rather eat take-out and binge watch holiday movies."

"Or you could come to the Calloways."

"It's too late to get out of it now. I've already said I'll be there, and it would be rude to back out."

"Promise me you'll consider going somewhere else for Christmas."

Violet sighed. "I'll consider it if you give Jameson a real chance. None of this ‘we're having fun' stuff."

The idea of pursuing something with Jameson was attractive. "I'm just not sure I'm what he wants long-term. I'm a few years older than him, I'm divorced, and I have Owen."

"He's already proved that he enjoys spending time with kids."

I chewed my lip. "He even helped him with his math homework the other night."

"That's a sure-fire way to your heart. This guy obviously knows what he's doing."

"That's the other thing. He puts on this persona. Like he can be really charming. He's quick with a panty-melting smile or a wink, but he's not like that with me. I get to see the real him."

"Then what's the problem? That sounds great."

"Why does he feel the need to put on a mask? Why does he have to be the easy-going guy when he feels so much? He wants to help others. He enjoys being a mentor to kids. Why hide that?"

"Is he hiding it?"

"I think he was from his family. Although they showed up at his first football game and were supportive. As far as I could tell." He'd mentioned spending time with his brothers that night and how he'd enjoyed it.

"I think he and his brothers are very competitive with each other. He feels like he doesn't measure up to them in some way. That's my guess. He hasn't opened up about that." His mother died when he was younger and that had to have affected him too.

"It sounds like you care about him. If you just wanted to get back to dating, you'd be telling me about his hot body."

"We've only kissed."

"Surely you know if he's built. Doesn't he have to be strong to carry all that firefighter equipment?"

I thought it was cute that Violet's mind went there. "He is hard all over."

Violet raised a brow.

"He's attractive, okay? I just don't know if he wants me. I feel a bit insecure after the divorce. Eric pursued me, but then when we were married, he lost interest. He buried himself in work like he couldn't stand to be home."

"If you think back on your relationship, you met when you were so young. You got pregnant and then married. You probably grew apart as you got older and more mature."

"You're probably right."

"You weren't right for each other. But maybe you and Jameson are."

"I don't want to put any pressure on the situation. That's why I suggested we keep it light."

Violet leaned in and whispered, "I don't think phone sex is keeping it light."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, my gosh. You're too much."

"I wish I had a hot firefighter stopping by my house to give me a few pointers. What did you say his brothers did for work?"

"They are all in law enforcement. Teddy is a police officer, Wes is a Department of Natural Resources officer, Axel's in the military, and Ryder is something federal. FBI, CIA? Something like that."

"Oh, secretive, I like that. They all sound hot."

I rolled my eyes. "Just because of their professions?"

"That and I bet they're all protective. You'd have to be in those fields."

"Jameson definitely is." In a way that made me feel all melty inside. Not in an overbearing way.

"Let me know how Thanksgiving dinner goes."

"I'm a little nervous. It will be most of his family. Will they think something is going on between us? His brothers talked to me about it, and I insisted we were friends."

Violet grinned. "Was that before or after the phone sex?"

"Not so loud." I looked around, but no one was paying any attention to us. There was an after-work crowd of people dressed in suits and dresses. "It was before."

"Ah. So you were telling the truth then, but now you're worried that everyone will know that Jameson's sexy voice got you off."

I snorted. "You're unbelievable."

Violet sobered. "Listen, I'm in a serious drought right now. I'm busy with the business, and whenever I try to date on an app, I get guys who think I'm not a real business owner because I own an ice cream shop. Like it's easy to create my own ice cream flavors. Why don't people understand it's an art form?"

"I've tasted your ice cream. It's incredible."

"Right? But everyone thinks I'm just another tourist shop."

"You'll get there. Businesses take time."

"I hope so. In the meantime, I'm going to live vicariously through you. So enjoy your time at the Calloways', and be sure to call me with all the details. Hopefully you'll be too busy in his bed to call right away though."

I laughed. "You realize I'm taking Owen, right? Eric was too busy working to take his son for any part of the holiday weekend."

"He's such a douchebag. I don't know how you stayed with him so long."

"I didn't want to take Owen away from his father."

"It doesn't sound like he's missing anything." Then Violet lowered her voice and held my gaze. "But now you have a shot at true happiness. Don't screw it up."