“Be patient with her. Keep coming at her. Let her know you’re not going anywhere. You’ll have to keep doing that till she believes you. Given her history, she’s going to be a tough sell.”
Will nodded. “Yeah, leaving seems to be a real theme with her. And, to be honest, I get exactly where it’s coming from. I’m just not sure there’s enough time or patience to convince her I’m not going to abandon her.”
“I hope you’re wrong about that,” Connor said. “I want Jess to be happy. You’re my friend. I want you to be happy, too. I’ll admit I was skeptical when I first figured out you were interested in her in that way, but I figure if anybody can work with Jess’s issues, it would be you. You have all sorts of insights most of us poor mortal males can’t begin to figure out.”
“Only if she’ll let me in,” Will said, allowing his discouragement to show. “I don’t know, Connor. Maybe I’m out of my depth here, after all.”
Connor frowned at him. “If you’re willing to give up after one night—”
“It’s not one night. I’ve been in love with her for years.”
“But you’ve only taken her to bed for the first time last night, unless I miss my guess. Come on. You have to know this is just starting. It’ll only end if you walk away.”
Will sighed. “And if I do that, I’ll only be proving her point,” he concluded.
“Looks that way to me,” Connor said. “Send her flowers.”
“Did that.” And it had bought him a night with Jess in his bed. He supposed there was a message there. “But I get what you’re saying.”
“Then you’re still in?”
Will grinned, resigned. “Of course. Your job here is done.”
Connor chuckled. “What kind of fee do you usually charge for this advice? Should I send you a bill?”
“I’ll buy your breakfast,” Will said. “If the advice pays off, maybe there will be champagne down the road.”
Connor nodded. “I can live with that.”
After he’d gone, Will glanced at his watch. He had less than an hour before his first patient of the day. That was just enough time to run down to Ethel’s Emporium. Most women, under these circumstances, could be wooed with fancy chocolates. He happened to know that Jess’s sweet tooth could be satisfied with old-fashioned penny candy, the kind she’d been denied as a kid for fear it would contribute to her hyperactivity. As a result, she’d craved it even more, sneaking off to Ethel’s the second she received her allowance.
He picked out a colorful metal sand pail, had Ethel fill it with a variety of the candy, dress it up with a big bow, then asked her if she could have it delivered to the inn. Ethel’s brows shot up.
“You and Jess?”
Will nodded. “Me and Jess,” he confirmed.
“Well, I’ll be.”
“Keep that to yourself, okay?”
She frowned at the request. “Best gossip I’ve had in weeks, and you want me to keep quiet about it?”
“I do.”
“Well, seeing that it’s you, I’ll do it,” she finally conceded. “You want to send a note with this?”
Will took out his card and scribbled on the back of it: “No crummy poem this time, just love.”
Of course Ethel read it. She laughed. “That’ll do.”
“I’m so glad you approve,” he said wryly.
“Somebody has to give you their blessing. I’m guessing there will be plenty of doubters.”
Will sighed. There certainly were, including the woman in question.
Jess sat in the inn’s kitchen, a mug of decaf in front of her along with a cheese danish she’d managed to reduce to a mound of crumbs. She was still annoyed with herself for letting Will down earlier. She’d almost chased after him and shown up at Sally’s, but at the last minute she’d spotted Connor’s car parked on the street right outside and chickened out. She’d been stewing over her cowardice ever since.
Gail walked in, shrugged off her winter coat and hung it on a peg, then caught sight of Jess. Her gaze narrowed.
“Don’t you look chipper,” she commented. “What’s wrong?”
“Not a thing,” Jess claimed.
Gail poured herself a cup of decaf, then grimaced when she took a sip. “If you’re going to make coffee in my kitchen, could you try not to ruin it? What if a guest got a taste of this?”
“There are no guests up and about yet,” Jess said. She waved toward the much larger espresso machine they used for the guests. “Your toy is untouched. Feel free to work your magic. And, by the way, if you hate my coffee so much, you don’t have to drink it.”
“I’m caffeine-deprived. I took a chance you’d slipped up and made the real thing,” Gail said.
Though she began bustling around the kitchen in preparation for pulling together the breakfast menu, she kept casting sideways glances in Jess’s direction. Eventually, with the espresso machine filled and sending out a tantalizing aroma, a mountain of eggs at the ready beside the stove, and bacon and sausage on the grill, she fixed herself a second cup of coffee and sat down across from Jess.
“Okay, I’m about to get slammed with breakfast orders, so make it quick,” Gail said. “What happened between you and Will last night to put that glum expression on your face? Did he send you back into the night without giving you what you went over there for?”
Jess scowled at her. “You have such a charming way with words.”
“I like to cut to the heart of things. It’s one of the qualities you appreciate in me,” Gail said, a grin tugging at her lips.
“This morning, not so much,” Jess declared.
“You’re wasting time, sweet pea. The bacon’s sizzling. I need to get back over there and give it my full attention. Talk.”
“Okay, here it is in a nutshell. Last night was great. This morning I blew it.”
“How so?”
“I wouldn’t go with him to Sally’s.”
Gail chuckled. “Who could blame you?”
“I’m fairly certain Will does.
