27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Jessica

"Congratulations, Jess!" Winnie laughs. "This is great!"

"Yes."

Winnie pauses. "You don't sound too excited. What's wrong?"

"What?" I ask, putting the phone on speaker so I can leave it on the counter while I check the fridge for breakfast. "I'm excited. You know how hard it is to prepare a manuscript. Of course, I'm excited to finish it without missing my deadline."

"Hmm." Winnie sighs. "But this isn't the first manuscript you're completing, and I know how excited you always are. I can tell something is wrong."

"Just a lot on my mind." I look over my bare shelves and realize between Sean and my manuscript that I have not been paying attention to my food shopping. I groan. "Winnie. Can I call you back?"

"Yes, sure. I'll forward the manuscript to the editor and get back to you later. I'll talk to you soon."

"Sounds good. Thanks, Winnie."

I sigh, glaring down at the empty fridge. My stomach growls in hunger, and I hate it when there's no quick meal to snack on. With another groan, I return to the living room to pout and close my eyes in frustration.

When I shut my eyes, Sean's image pops into my mind. He's been plaguing my thoughts and moments so much these days that it's becoming worrisome. There's no escaping the truth, I've fallen in love with him. It doesn't matter that I try to talk myself out of it, I can't. I am in love with Sean O'Connell.

On the other hand, Sean is making it impossible for me to stop thinking about him. Anytime I spend time with him he acts like the perfect boyfriend. Except he's not my boyfriend and he has never mentioned that he wants to be my boyfriend. Every day since we played bingo together, over two weeks ago, Sean has brought me breakfast every morning.

The only reason I won't be getting any today is that Sean spent the night at his parent's house and isn't back yet.

Not only does he take care of my breakfast, but he constantly checks up on me. His wanting to make sure that I am okay is adorable. He's been taking me out to dinner with his family, but I know the O'Connell's and my family are close so that doesn't mean anything. While I love feeling cared for, it confuses me even more.

Why does he go out of his way to do all this when he doesn't even want to be with me?

When my stomach growls again, I grab my car keys and leave the house. Bake My Day is always available for a quick snack, plus I get to spend time with my best friend while I'm at it. I need someone to talk to about this. Evie is the last person I want to confide in where Sean is concerned, but I need some perspective.

When I get to Bake My Day, I order snacks and a milkshake before heading to the office.

Evie smiles when I walk in, but it lacks its usual brightness. I can't help but wonder what that is about. Evie only looks like that is weighing on her mind. "I thought you would never visit me again," she teases.

"Why not?" I sit at the table and unwrap my snack.

"Because you and Sean decided to act like children the last time you were here."

I laugh because so many things have happened since then. "Well, lucky for you your brother came over and apologized the next day. Since then, Sean and I have gone on to play bingo together, did a few morning and evening runs together. And went out to dinner with your parents."

Evelyn's mouth falls open. "Are you being serious?"

"Not only that," I continue eating my meal. "He's brought me breakfast almost every morning for the past two weeks."

Evelyn shakes her head. "I can't believe you two! You said you didn't care!"

"Yes, I did. But when he apologized I realized that we all say things out of anger. Don't we?"

Evelyn leans forward. "So, what about Rick?"

I choke on the milkshake and start to cough. It felt like I knew Rick in a different lifetime, and Evelyn asking about him makes me feel guilty about it all. I would have never given Rick any chance at all if I knew I was so stuck on Sean.

"You must like him very much if he makes you choke," Evelyn says, and I roll my eyes.

"I haven't heard from Rick in forever. I think he can tell that I'm not interested in him."

"You're not?" Evelyn gasps. "Why?"

Our gazes meet, and she shakes her head at me. "Are you ready to tell yourself the truth?"

"What truth?" My heart rate picks up and I shift uncomfortably in my seat, the snack and drink forgotten. "What do you mean?"

"Jess," she calls softly. "You're in love with Sean."

I've admitted this to myself several times, but hearing someone else say it out loud sends shock into my system. "I'm your best friend," Evelyn continues. "I know these things. Trust me."

I take a deep breath. "As much as I want to argue this with you, Evie, I can't. I do. I love him." Tears burn the backs of my eyes, and my throat gets tight. "I'm not sure I want to though. How can I stop?"

"What?" Evelyn walks to me and perches herself on the table. "Why would you want to stop? Love is a beautiful thing."

"Not when it's unrequited," I snap. "Sean doesn't love me. Look at how hard he worked to get me a boyfriend. Would someone in love with me do that? I can't stay pining after him when he doesn't look my way."

"I see." Evelyn nods. "So Sean likes to spend all of this time with you, brings you breakfast, takes you to see his parents, and in all these, you think he doesn't have any feelings for you?"

"Your parents too," I say disconcerted with how Evie is breaking this all down. She raises her eyebrows and stares at me. I can't help but laugh.

I sigh. Evelyn's question makes my heart constrict. What if she's right? I feel butterflies take flight in my stomach at the idea Sean may be in love with me, but my brain immediately shuts it down.

"No. You're wrong. First, our families have been friends forever and are like a second family to me. Second, he's never mentioned anything to me. A man in love with you would tell you that he's in love with you, right?"

Evelyn crouches before me, her hands folded on my lap. "Sean is my brother," she says. "Trust me when I tell you that guy is into you."

"What?"

"Sean is into you. I'm not going to sit here and tell you categorically that he's in love with you, but I know he likes you very much, Jessica. It's in everything he does. How he looks at you when he thinks no one is looking. The smile that he gives to just you, the glint in his eyes when he's teasing you. Trust me when I tell you this, Jess."

"Evelyn," I smile. "You've got to stop putting ideas in my head. Okay? I'd hate to think Sean feels something for me only to end up disappointed. Please."

She stares at me for a long moment before rising and returning to her seat. "You've always been bad at picking up signals from men. Even when they are ridiculously obvious and in your face, you're oblivious to it. I can see the situation very clearly, and I know what I know."

I roll my eyes and focus on my snack. Evelyn shakes her head. "When you and Sean sat here, arguing about your date, it was because he was crazy with jealousy."

"What?"

"Yes." Evelyn nods. "He was jealous. You kept talking about how Rick was the perfect gentleman and the more you said the more Sean got tense."

I think back to the day and remember everything that was said. How he reacted. Could it be that he was genuinely jealous? He apologized to me the next day but never mentioned why he acted that way. I shake my head and finish up the rest of my milkshake.

"I've got to go."

"Are you okay?" Evelyn asks, her eyes wide with concern.

"Totally fine." I can't stay here with Evie. It will just drag me further into the storm of delusion that's sweeping me away. I need to get out, not swim further in. Everything Evie just said is messing with my head. The hope that I feel at the possibility of Sean having feelings for me is scary. If I let myself believe that and then he rejects me, I will be heartbroken.

I hug Evelyn and find my way outside Bake My Day, and head straight to my car. There's nothing to do at home, but at least I won't be listening to Evelyn tell me things that I want to believe but don't think are true.

When I pull up to my house I realize my complete focus was on everything Evie said about Sean. So much so, I don't remember the drive home. The unconscious mind is a scary thing.

I pull into the driveway and see Sean stepping outside of my house. My stomach drops, my palms start to sweat and my heart decides that it needs to escape my ribcage. I take a deep breath and slowly blow it out to calm myself down.

"Jessica!"

So much for getting calm. I step out of the car and plaster a smile on my face as I turn to Sean. He's wearing shorts and a blue tee that highlights his eyes. "Hey, Sean. When did you get back?"

"About an hour ago," he says, stopping before me. "Where did you go? I brought you breakfast."

"Really? That was nice. I decided to stop in to visit Evelyn and ate there."

"Okay." My heart beats faster, which I didn't think was possible as he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear—an action he's been doing a lot recently. I remember Evie's words from earlier and my legs wobble underneath me.

"Heading out?" I ask.

"I'm gonna stop by Jamie's house for a little bit."

"Will you be gone long?"

"Why?" He folds his arms over his chest and smiles. That smile has me melting into a puddle at his feet. "Will you miss me?"

I arch my brow and smirk. "What if I will?"

His expression turns serious and a smile spreads across my face. He thinks he's the only one who can tease. "Really?"

I touch his shoulder and walk past him. "See you later, Sean. Tell Jamie I said ‘hi'," I hear his chuckle as I walk into the house.