13. Lydia

13

LYDIA

B y the time the festival was over, Max and I had tasted more than fifteen different versions of hot cocoa and about thirty different cookies. To say I was going to have trouble sleeping from the sugar high was an understatement. But on the way home, Max and I found out we liked the same music. It was exciting to find out things we had in common.

"I'm glad I got to meet Hailey and Oliver," Max said as he entered my driveway.

His truck had much more room without being sandwiched between him and Jake. Although, if I was honest with myself, sitting between them wasn't that bad. The last thing I needed to do was think about Jake and how good it felt to be close to him.

"Me too," I agreed. "

He parked beside Jake's car, and we got out. "So, which cookie and hot cocoa were your favorites tonight?"

We stopped at the bottom of my porch stairs, and I faced him. "For the hot chocolate, I'd say the S'mores one was my favorite." I lifted my brows at him. "You?"

He narrowed his gaze in concentration. "I'm thinking the peanut butter hot chocolate was mine. I grew up on PB&Js."

"So did I," I cut in excitedly. There was one question I had to know the answer to. "What jelly would you use on them? Strawberry or grape?"

His lips pulled back into a smile. "Neither. I was an oddball."

"Just peanut butter, then?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Oh no. I use blackberry jam on mine."

My mouth dropped the second he said that. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, why?" He chuckled sheepishly. "Do you think that's gross?"

"No. It's what I use!" I exclaimed in shock.

What were the chances of that? But then, I got to thinking how blackberry jam on PB&Js became my favorite. It was all because of Jake. I was six years old and over at Hailey's house when nine-year-old Jake decided to make us all lunch. Hailey hated her sandwich with blackberry jam on it, but I loved mine. I'd never had them with any other jelly since then.

Max crossed his arms over his chest to block out the cold. "I have never met anyone else who likes it that way."

"It's just another thing we have in common," I said. "Now what about the cookies tonight? Which one was your favorite?" All the cookies were phenomenal, but there was one that always captured my palate every year.

"That one's easy," he claimed. "The snickerdoodles. They were so good. And you?"

I clutched my stomach, wishing I had more of the yummy treats. "The triple chocolate peppermint ones. I've chosen them the past two years."

"Those were good, too." The wind picked up and I had to close my jacket around me. Max glanced around and his teeth chattered. "It's getting cold out here. We should probably call it a night." He stepped closer. "Do you have plans tomorrow? I'd like to see you again."

"I do," I replied, not knowing how to explain that I was going to be around someone else who could potentially be my soulmate. "I'm going to the Winter Bash tomorrow with my sister and meeting a photographer to discuss putting his work in our gallery."

Max beamed with excitement. "Nice. I bet it's fun scouting out new people and their work. I wish I had a creative eye like that."

"It's one of the things I love," I claimed honestly. I reached out and placed a hand on his arm. "What about Sunday? I could meet you at the retirement home and we can play cards with my grandmother and your grandfather."

He nodded. "That works. I have no doubt our grandparents will be together anyway."

"Then it's a date," I said.

Max moved closer and wrapped his arms around me, warming me. "Until then. I hope you have a good time tomorrow."

I felt guilty because I knew I would be with someone else, but I didn't know what else to do. I was given two paths, and I had to figure out which one to take.

I let him go and smiled. "You too."

He leaned down every so slowly to kiss me, and I held my breath, wondering if there would be a magical moment like my mistletoe reacting to let me know he was the one. Sadly, I didn't get to find out because headlights blinded us.

Max stepped away and I held up a hand over my eyes. A car door slammed shut and I watched Jake appear in the light. The lights shut off, and once my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw Hailey and Oliver waving from inside Oliver's truck. Max and I waved back and they left. Thankfully, they didn't blind us on the way out.

"Sorry for interrupting," Jake claimed as he walked past us. "I'll be inside." Something in his tone made it sound like he wasn't sorry at all.

Max chuckled and stepped back. "Good night, Lydia. I'll see you Sunday."

He waved before he hopped in his truck, and I watched him back out of the driveway and disappear into the night. Now, I had to face Jake. I could see him through the window, sitting at the bar and scrolling through his phone.

When I walked inside and shut the door, he kept his focus on his phone.

"Did you have fun on your date?" he asked.

"I did. Max and I have a lot in common."

He snorted and finally turned to me. "Like what? You two couldn't be more different."

My gut twinged angrily at his words. He had no clue what he was talking about.

Jake stood and stared at me. "Give me a list of things you two have in common."

I shrugged. "It was our first date, Jake. I'm not going to know everything about him. But I learned that we like the same music and food. Even our conversations flowed so easily. I feel like I can talk to him about anything." Jake's jaw clenched as if my words stung. I crossed my arms and huffed. "Why do you even care about me and Max? He's a great guy."

He held up his hands. "I'm just looking out for you, Lydia. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'm a big girl, Jake. And, like I said, Max and I like some of the same things. He even puts blackberry jam on his PB&Js. I thought you and I were the only ones who did that."

Jake continued to stare at me, his face unreadable. "Is that so? What were his choices tonight at the festival?"

"The peanut butter hot chocolate and the snickerdoodle cookies," I replied. "What were yours? You haven't been to the Cocoa and Cookie Craze Festival in years." It wasn't until the past two years that the bakers had gotten more innovative, the flavors bolder and adventurous.

Jake released a sigh and smiled. "That's easy. The S'mores hot chocolate and the triple chocolate peppermint cookies."

The breath left my lungs and all I could do was stare at him. Why was the universe making things difficult for me?

Jake's brows lifted and he cocked his head to the side. "You okay? Did I say something wrong?"

"No," I said quickly, stepping backward toward the hallway. "I think I'm going to go to bed. And next time Max comes over, make sure you have clothes on. I don't know what was going through that brain of yours, but it wasn't funny."

Jake laughed so loud it echoed throughout the room. "I thought it was hilarious."

Rolling my eyes, I turned on my heel and started down the hallway. "Good night, Jake."

"Sweet dreams, Lydia," he shouted back.

Once in my room, I shut the door and leaned against it. Something was seriously wrong with me. All I could think about tonight was Jake when I should've been focusing on Max.

Groaning, I flopped down on my bed and buried my face in my pillow. One minute, it seemed Max and I had so much in common, but then Jake would come into the picture and prove we had more.

What was I going to do?

The problem was that I had no clue.