Just thinking about it made Emma feel worse. Happy birthday to me.
The bell at the counter rang.
“Want me to get it?” Nina asked.
“No, I need to earn my keep around here.” Emma pushed back from the table and headed toward her customer. She stopped short when she saw Jack Hershey standing there in his park ranger attire. When women said they loved a man in uniform, Emma was pretty sure they weren’t talking about the tan button-down shirt with olive-green cargo shorts that Jack wore. But that’s the uniform that sent her blood rushing.
“Jack.” In her exhausted state, she hadn’t considered that he would come by today. But she should have. Jack hadn’t missed one of her birthdays since they were kids. She held up a hand. “Don’t.”
The corner of his mouth quirked. “But it’s tradition, Em.”
“Maybe it’s time we get a new tradition,” she practically pleaded.
Thankfully, there was no one else at the counter. She stepped closer, glad that there was a counter between them because Jack had always stirred things inside her. They’d known each other since they were kids. Their moms, who were best friends, had joked about them getting married when they grew up.
Emma’s throat grew tight as memories of her mom crashed over her, along with panic and dread. Her mom had died a long time ago, but Emma had been feeling her absence more lately as her thirtieth birthday drew near. And now the day had come. She was the same age her mom had been when she’d died. D-day.
“Okay. Here’s an idea for a new tradition.” Jack leaned against the counter. “Instead of me serenading you in front of all your customers, how about you agree to have a birthday dinner with me tonight? I’ll take you out, and we’ll catch up. It’s been a while since we’ve done that.”
Emma felt her face flush. Her mind raced along with her heart, searching for an excuse to politely turn him down. “Well, I’m afraid that I’ve already made plans with Halona and Brenna tonight.” Halona owned the flower shop next door, and Brenna had worked down the street until recently when she’d sold her catering business. Now she was studying for her teaching degree, which was a lifelong dream of hers.
He looked down at his feet momentarily. “Right. Of course you have plans. There’s no way you’d be sitting at home alone on your birthday, huh?” He reached into his front pocket, and she knew what he was grabbing. Her heart flopped hopelessly inside her chest as he laid three Hershey’s Kisses on the counter. “I couldn’t fit thirty in my pocket.”
She rolled her eyes. “You are so predictable, Jack Hershey.”
A smile curled his lips, reaching up to touch his blue eyes as he winked at her. His dark hair was a little tousled today as if he’d run his hand through it a dozen times already—he probably had. “Maybe you just know me really well.”
She nodded and looked away for a moment to catch her breath. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll serenade you another time. When it’s just us.” He turned to head out.
“Wait. Don’t you want a coffee? Or something else?” She shrugged. “What would you like?”
He turned back to look at her, his eyes narrowing. “You mean you don’t know what I want? That would be a first for you.”
Emma’s face grew warm. She really was out of sorts today. “Right. Yes, of course I know. Just asked out of habit.”
He shook his head. “It’s okay. I don’t need a drink. I just wanted to wish you a happy—”
She held up a hand. “Nuh-uh.” She didn’t want Nina or anyone else in the café to overhear. She didn’t want any fuss made over her today. She just wanted to get through it.
“I just wanted to wish you a good day,” Jack finished. “Have the very best one, Em.”
* * *
Jack got into his Toyota Tundra and headed back toward his neck of the woods. He’d only come to Main Street to see Emma. She always smiled when she saw him, but he could feel the guard she put up whenever he was near. He’d always thought she’d warm back up to him—forgive and forget—but she hadn’t yet. Not completely.
He turned at the stop sign and drove with the window down, taking in the summer’s breeze as it hit his face. It was the end of June—the height of the season. Later this week, there’d be Fourth of July celebrations. Once upon