Home is Where the Heart is (23 page)

O
ne week had passed following Jake’s stay in hospital. He was home now and on the mend from his surgery removing his appendix. At the time, Cassie had allowed Jordan to stay at her house for a few nights knowing he hadn’t wanted to leave his son’s side, the guest bedroom becoming his temporary home for a little while.

Cassie knew his health was quickly improving back to that of the active five-year-old boy she loved with her whole heart when his appetite increased and he began pushing her buttons through excessive questioning and asking for things he knew he wouldn’t be allowed. Cassie couldn’t blame him though, and she preferred to have a persistent child rather than a sick one.

Summer vacation had officially commenced a couple of weeks ago, and Cassie was thankful Jake was able to recover at home without taking sick days from school. Even though he was only five, she would have dreaded making Jake miss so many days of school.

“Mommy, I’m hungry,” Jake whined as he wiggled his small body around on the kitchen stool he was sitting on watching his mother make him breakfast.

“I know you are, baby. That’s why I’m making you some delicious pancakes.” Cassie gave him a big smile before turning her attention back to the pan where she flipped the pancakes she was cooking.

“Can I have chocolate chips too?”

“I don’t know. Chocolate isn’t a breakfast food.”

“Please, Mommy?” Jake pleaded with his mother, his bottom lip dropping and giving her puppy dog eyes she could never say ‘no’ to.

“Yeah, Mommy, please? It’s summer vacation,” Jordan teased as he appeared in the kitchen entryway. Cassie should have realized it would become two against one, and she bet it was probably a bad move to let Jordan keep Jake today while she went to work. His sexy Texan accent slipped into his words, making her heart melt a little more.

“Well, okay, but just this once, and only because you’re on vacation from school.” Cassie gave in.

Jake jumped off the stool, diving into the pantry where he located the chocolate chips, and then came back to his seat holding the bag.

“Are you going to have some too, Daddy?” He peered up at him with eyes identical to his father’s.

Jordan glanced over in Cassie’s direction and took in the way her messy blonde hair twirled as she moved from side to side at the stove. She was simply breathtaking.

Before he could speak, she said, “There’s plenty here; you’re welcome to some if you’d like.” Jordan didn’t think he could ever get sick of the southern drawl people from his hometown spoke with. Cassie’s voice had always turned him on.

He patted his stomach. “Why, thank you, darling. I sure do love your cooking. It will be nice to have it again.”

Cassie turned around, cocking her head to one side and allowing her loose curls to frame one side of her face. “They’re just pancakes, but it’s nice to hear you’ve gotten your accent back. At least you haven’t forgotten where you came from.”

“Hanging out with y’all for the past few weeks, it’s rubbed off on me. People in Florida don’t really have an accent, unless they speak Spanish, so I guess mine had just faded. No matter how big I get, or how small of a town Yellow Valley is, I could never forget where I come from,” Jordan said, shrugging his shoulders.

Not if it leads me back to you
, he said to himself. He wasn’t too sure he had the courage to admit it to Cassie right now. It probably wasn’t the right time.

Cassie didn’t say much at all after that. Once she finished cooking the pancakes, she placed them onto a plate and set it down in front of Jake and Jordan.

Jake’s smile grew bigger and bigger, and she couldn’t help but notice the uncanny resemblance to his father sitting next to him. They really were like twins.

“Yum! Thanks, Mommy.”

Cassie returned his smile. “Be careful, honey-pie. They’re very hot.”

Jake just nodded his head, busily humming away to himself as he bowed down to the plate full of pancakes, blowing on them in an attempt to cool them down a little bit.

Cassie combed her fingers through her hair, bunching it together as she used one hand to wrap it around into a tight bun and then secured it with an elastic band.

Jordan couldn’t help but stare at her beauty, but tried not to be obvious in doing so. His eyes quickly darted to a spot on the kitchen counter when she glanced at him, and he skimmed over a piece of paper left lying out. He couldn’t see the whole document, but the words ‘Application for Loan’ were formally typed in big, bold, printed letters and instantly got his attention.

“You’re applying for a loan?” Jordan blurted out then wished he hadn’t when Cassie gave him a look like he was invading her privacy. Had he said the wrong thing?

Cassie shook her head. “No, I was considering it, but it’s just not the right timing for me at the moment.”

“So what was it for anyway?”

“Joyce is selling the bakery so that she can see her grandchildren more often. They don’t live in Yellow Valley. She knew I was interested in owning my own bakery one day, so she offered me the opportunity to buy it, but it’s just not really an option for me right now. I can’t afford it.”

“Why not?” Jordan asked while watching Jake pour a handful of chocolate chips on top of his pancakes. Cassie quickly took the bag from her son, placing it back into the kitchen pantry and leaving him with a slight frown on his face.

Cassie replaced the chocolate chips back into the pantry, her flat shoes making no sound on the tiled floor.

Then she turned back to Jordan, ready to answer his question with dignity, even if it killed her to tell him about her money woes. She didn’t need his pity, especially when he got everything he ever wanted. All she had to show for was a job as a pastry chef in a bakery and her child, not that she’d ever regret having Jake and becoming a mother, though it would have been nice if she was a little more prepared in life before she became a mother.

“And you can’t apply for a loan? Did the bank reject your application?”

“I didn’t meet with the bank. I was only considering my choices when I realized I couldn’t afford to buy a bakery. Why try if they’re only going to say no? I’m not going to put myself through the misery of meeting with the bank, when I already know the answer they’ll tell me. I’m a single mother with a mortgage.” She splayed her hands in the air. “This house is enough without adding another payment to the mix.”

Jordan rested one arm on the counter. “What if I gave you the money?” He knew it was a long shot, but he had to at least try.

Cassie shook her head, her eyes almost jumping out of her head. “No, I can’t take your money. While it’s kind of you to offer, I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking money from you. I would feel like I owed you something every time I saw you.”

Jordan didn’t press the matter any further. He knew when she had made up her mind to keep his mouth shut. Case closed.

“I’m just going to have to wait and see who buys the bakery and hope they keep it as it is. That’s all I can really do.”

Cassie didn’t have much of a choice, but she wasn’t going to dwell on it either. She didn’t like to go on and on about something, and even if she did, she would be late for work, which she couldn’t afford to do. She had a busy day and week ahead of her. Cakes needed to be baked and prepared for upcoming functions.

“Thanks for looking after Jake today. I don’t know what I would have done if you couldn’t look after him; Nick was busy today.”

Jordan took a mouthful of food. “It’s no trouble. He’s my son too. What would you normally do when you’re working and he’s not in school?”

“I would usually arrange for a play date with Caleb or one of his other friends.” Cassie glanced over at the digital clock flashing on the stainless steel microwave. “I’ve got to go now so I’m not late.”

She quickly left the kitchen, leaving Jordan and Jake where they were as they both dove into the pancakes she made. When she returned with her black leather handbag on her shoulder and a little bit of make-up applied to her face, she wrapped her arms around Jake to give him a goodbye cuddle.

“Goodbye, Mommy.”

“Be good for Daddy,” she whispered into Jake’s ear.

Cassie looked over at Jordan with a wary expression on her face. “If there are any problems, you have my number. Give me a call.”

“We’ll be fine,” Jordan reassured her.

“Okay, bye.”

“Have a great day and don’t worry; we’ll be fine here and on our best behavior.”

Jordan watched Cassie walk out the door, determined to help her out somehow to show her how much he cared.

That night, after Jordan left Cassie’s place following his day spent with his son, he and Nick had decided to go out for a beer together and somehow wound up at the old water tower they used to hang out at as teenagers. As they climbed the rickety ladder, Jordan wondered how on earth he had managed to climb to the top, certain it could give way and break into a million pieces at any moment.

Once they made it to the top, beer in hand, they sat down near the edge so their legs could dangle off the sides.

He breathed in the lovely night air, looking up at the picturesque starry sky and suddenly remembered how good it felt to be back here again. You couldn’t see the stars at night where he lived. Too many tall buildings and apartments obstructed the sky and his view.

“I can’t believe we used to be able to climb this without even sweating,” Nick said as he brought his bottle to his lips and drank a mouthful.

“Well, we were seventeen and at the peak of our physique. We were practically invincible back then, thinking we could do anything,” Jordan said. He clanked his bottle with Nick’s, toasting their childhood antics. “Come to think of it, I think we did anything that popped into our heads.”

Nick and Jordan joined in a laugh together, reminiscing about old times.

Jordan drew in a deep breath. “So I think I’m still in love with Cassie.”

“Well, while we’re being honest about our feelings then, I think I love Gabriella Torres as more than just a friend.” Nick raised his beer to his lips and took a sip.

“Wow!” Jordan was speechless. He hadn’t expected Nick to come out and say he was in love with someone he had known his entire life. Then again, eight years ago, Jordan hadn’t expected to fall in love with Cassie either, but if Nick suddenly blurted out his feelings, then he knew they were legit. He didn’t just go around confessing his feelings to everyone. Nick looked how Jordan felt right now. His heart was obviously being pulled in a hundred different directions, and he didn’t know what to do.

“Yeah,” Nick grumbled.

“So have you told Gabby how you feel?”

“Only in so many words. She doesn’t like me back the same way. She told me so; she just wants to be friends.” And he obviously didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Instead of discussing their feelings, they liked to drown their sorrows together. “So what are you going to do about Cassie? It’s no big secret that you’re still in love with her, just like I’m sure she’s probably still in love with you.”

“I honestly don’t know. I doubt she’s open to trying the whole long distance relationship thing again, but I guess I can only try my best to make her see how much we belong together as a family. What about you? What are you going to do?”

Nick shrugged one shoulder, staring down at the green grass surrounding the old water tower. He took another sip of beer. “There’s not much I can do. She’s made her choice. She doesn’t feel the same way about me as I do for her. I’ve got no choice but to move on, find someone who does want to be with me, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

But it was easier said than done. Nick knew it, and he figured Jordan knew it too. He only hoped he didn’t luck out on meeting Mrs. Right anytime soon, because he was hung up on someone who would only ever be considered his friend.

“What happened to us? Did you ever think there would come a time when we would be crying over relationship problems?”

“Well, maybe I saw it for you. After all, you’re the one who was in a relationship basically your entire high school experience. Me, on the other hand, I never thought I would see the day.” Nick swung his legs over the edge, kicking at the air, his muscles tightening against his worn-in jeans. “Besides, it can’t be too damn hard to overcome your relationship woes. I think almost the entire town is rooting for you and Cassie to get back together. It’s probably to be expected when you’re parents together. Well, everyone except for your father.”