11. Brooke

ELEVEN

brOOKE

T he July Fourth holiday weekend came and went with the usual fanfare of fireworks and a busy morning at the farmers market, but my sister and I had a date at Gray's Candy Shop. The bell above the door tinkled when I opened it, and Sabrina audibly gasped at the scene in front of her. Truth be told, each time I entered Jude's family's store, I had to rein in my excitement. It was like something straight out of the 1950s. Probably because it hadn't changed since it first opened two generations ago, with its black-and-white checkered tile floor and blue walls.

"It smells amazing in here," Sabrina exclaimed after a deep breath. The scents of sugar, caramel, and vanilla lingered in the air. She spun in a circle, taking in the candy, the quirky style, the one-of-a-kind packaging. It was fun and brought in lots of people. Even now, customers milled about, laughing and filling up their bags, weighing them on the old-school scales hanging from the ceiling.

The quaint store was filled with rows of old-fashioned candy jars. Chocolates, each perfectly formed and drizzled with various toppings, took up one entire wall. Another held nostalgic candies like saltwater taffy, Pop Rocks, Bottle Caps, and hard candies grandmas always kept in misshapen homemade dishes in their living rooms.

Sabrina pointed to the chocolate-dipped strawberries. "Ooh. Everyone could get a little box of these. What do you think?"

"I'm not sure how long they'd last, or if they'd need to be refrigerated," I said, snagging a little plastic bag to fill with peach rings. While we were here to scout favors for her wedding, that didn't stop my gaze from coasting around the store for Jude. He didn't often work here, but I'd texted to see if he'd be in, and if not, could he meet us. He, of course, agreed.

My sister made a slow circuit of the store, stopping occasionally to inspect the treats. She held up a candy necklace, brows raised at me as she laughed. She used to love candy necklaces. I shrugged. "Why not?"

"No, I couldn't. People wouldn't like them."

"So what?" Jude's voice sounded behind us, and we both pivoted to find him leaning against the door to the back. "It's your wedding. You do what you want."

I agreed, aiming a peach ring in his direction. "Exactly. It's your wedding. If you want to give away candy necklaces and fireballs as your favors, you do that."

Jude smiled, and I stuffed the whole peach ring into my mouth, smiling back at him.

"How's it going?" he asked me.

I answered midchew. "It's going."

"Have you?—"

Sabrina interrupted him. "Jude, I love this store!" She held on to his shoulders, her eyes wide. "Seriously, do you love your job or what?"

"Yeah. It's pretty great."

"I think I could live here."

"You're welcome to," he said, moving to stand next to me, his arm brushing mine. "Not much furniture to speak of, though."

"I could lay my head down on a pillow of cotton candy. It's fine."

He grinned, glancing at me before telling her, "Go ahead and look around. Let me know if you have any questions about anything." After she flounced away, he headed behind the counter to find a pad of paper and a pen. "Remind me of the wedding date again."

"August fourth."

He jotted it down in his tiny block handwriting then rested his forearms on the counter, finally bringing his eyes up to mine. "How've you been?"

"All right. Busy." I spent summers harvesting and selling a lot of produce, not only with my co-op, but to some smaller grocers who featured local produce. My days were sunup to sundown. "How 'bout you?"

He stopped gnawing on the cap of his pen to answer a question from the worker who'd made a mistake on the iPad while ringing up a customer. He quickly fixed the error and tossed a smile to the middle-aged couple purchasing a few bags of candy before making his way back to me, the pen behind his ear. He drummed his fingers on the glass counter. "I, uh…have a date on Thursday."

My breath left me like I'd been punched in the gut, and I froze with a peach ring halfway to my mouth. I only forced myself to breathe and move when the arrow wrinkle appeared between Jude's brows. "Wow." I blinked. "That—good for you."

He didn't seem to believe me, so I tried again.

"That's really great. Is it with Melissa? Is it because of all my tips? I told you I'd get you laid."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I squeezed my eyes shut as if I could take them back. Erase the last three seconds .

I'd certainly gotten him laid. And we weren't supposed to be talking about it.

"Scratch that," I mumbled, opening one eye and then the other in time for him to snatch the peach ring out of my hand. He chewed it, lips pressed tightly together as if attempting not to laugh at me.

"You're the worst," I muttered, shoving another peach ring into my mouth.

A moment later, my sister bounded over to us. "I've decided. I'm going to get His and Hers stickers made and put baggies together of our favorite candy. The necklaces for me and Swedish Fish for him."

"Sounds good." Jude withdrew the pen from behind his ear. "How many pounds of the fish do you think you'll need?"

"I'm not sure. Enough for one hundred people to get a scoop."

He bit back another laugh, scribbling down a few numbers. "Got it. One hundred scoops. I'm assuming you'll want one hundred candy necklaces too? I'll order extra of both to make sure there're enough."

"Amazing. Thank you." Sabrina could barely keep still, radiating energy. "How much do you think it'll be?"

He shook his head. "Family discount."

"What's that mean?" my sister asked at the same time as I chided, "Jude, no."

He split his attention between us and shrugged before going back to writing on the pad of paper.

Sabrina quirked her brow at me then Jude. "Is he—are you giving me all of that for free?"

He kept his head down. "Yep."

"Jude." She pressed her hands to her heart. "That is so kind. Thank you."

"You don't have to do that," I told him, and he finally stood up straight, tucking the paper away and the pen behind his ear.

He stepped out from behind the counter. "I want to."

Sabrina gasped, her I have an idea face on. "You have to come to the wedding!"

Before I could respond, she went on, "Come with Brooke."

He shook his head, waving the idea away. "No, I'm sure she'll have a date."

Sabrina flicked her hand. "No, she won't."

I snorted. "Thanks."

My sister appeared sheepish. For only a second. "I know you've started dating again, but it's next month. You're going to find someone to bring to my wedding by then?"

"Yes," I answered, dragging out the word petulantly.

Sabrina ignored me completely to speak solely to Jude. "You're coming. I can't wait. It's going to be amazing. And I want you there. Even if Brooke ends up with a date, you're still coming, okay? I'm putting you on the guest list as soon as I get home. Let me know if you want the chicken or vegetarian option for dinner." Then she threw her arms around him. "You're so great. I'm glad my sister has someone like you in her life. Someone to look after her."

He met my eyes over Sabrina's shoulder. "She doesn't need looking after."

"No, but she should have it anyway." My sister backed away, talking as if I couldn't hear her. "She hasn't had a man in her life in so long."

I rolled my eyes. Jude merely smiled, listening good-naturedly.

"And Tom was such a jackass. Did she ever tell you what he said to her?"

"Brina," I warned, but she kept right on going.

"She was laid up in bed after having just…well, I won't go into that detail, but suffice to say?— "

"Sabrina," I hissed, tugging on her arm in an attempt to shut her up.

She didn't, and Jude ignored me now too, his brows drawn together, mouth in an angry tilt. "What happened?"

Sabrina lowered her voice. "She had an accident in the bathroom, and he refused to help her, claiming his weak stomach. That he would throw up if he needed to clean it up."

Jude's fingers curled into fists, and I ducked my chin, embarrassed.

"So she cleaned it and herself up on her own then crawled into bed. Imagine, she had no hair from chemo, her port still in, and was recovering from a life-changing surgery, but he couldn't handle it. Told her he wasn't strong enough. Can you believe that?"

I covered my heated face with my hand. I'd informed Jude about Tom. He'd known that my ex had left me at the worst possible time, but I hadn't gone into detail. Too humiliated. Too traumatized.

Jude shook his head, nostrils flaring, and I couldn't take it, that feeling of inadequacy. It had been years since Tom and I had broken up, when I'd thrown my engagement ring at him, but it still pained me to remember. To think I still might not be enough.

I began to turn away, but a warm hand wrapped around my wrist. Before I could protest, Jude had me enveloped in his arms, his mouth against my temple. "You didn't deserve it."

I nodded against his shoulder.

"He's a piece of shit, and you're amazing."

When I didn't respond, he took my head in his hands, his palms on my cheeks, forcing my eyes to his. "Honeybee, listen to me. You have nothing— nothing —to be ashamed of. You're one of the best people I know, and all those voices in your head? They're wrong. Everything he made you believe about yourself, it's bullshit. You're perfect. You were then, and you still are now. You hear me? You're perfect."

I sniffled, eyes stinging. Who'd have thought I'd be so emotional in the middle of a candy shop on a Sunday afternoon.

"He's not worth your tears." He kissed my forehead, only for Sabrina to clear her throat.

She held up her cell phone. "I'm gonna head outside and give Everett a call."

I supposed this was one way to get her to shut up. I leaned back into Jude's hug. "Thanks. For the candy and for what you said."

"It's my pleasure. All of it." He held me at arm's length, the glimmer in his amber eyes making me think he wasn't only referring to today, but I didn't have it in me to truly examine the innuendo and I stepped away from him.

"You're too generous."

"Not when it comes to you." He pressed his hand between my shoulder blades to escort me outside, where Sabrina played on her cell phone. He offered her a hug goodbye. "I'll let you know when the candy shipment's delivered." Then he hugged me again, saying, "I'll text you later."

His message finally arrived after I'd changed for bed.

Jude

I hope your ex's dick gets gangrene and falls off.

Jude

But in the interim, I would like to know his last name and address.

Why?

Jude

No reason.

??

Jude

Me and the boys want to take a trip. Say hi to him.

You're funny.

Jude

I'm not kidding.

You gonna beat him up for me?

Jude

I'd murder for you.

Be still my heart.

Jude

Seriously. That guy needs to be dragged through the street and strung up by his dick.

It was you who told me he wasn't worth it today, wasn't it?

Jude

Not worth your tears. But beating the shit out of him would make me feel better.

I've moved on.

Jude

You still think about it. You still cry. And that makes me want to punch things.

You big teddy bear, you. Never change.

Jude

You don't either, honeybee.