lunch. Jess had her chef prepare a feast for us. She took pity on me when I explained that you didn’t want to be seen in public with me.”
Jenny groaned. “Please tell me you did not say that to her.”
“Wasn’t I supposed to?” he inquired, his expression entirely too innocent. “I told you I’d turned over a new leaf. I vowed to always tell the truth.”
“I imagine Bree knows all about the flowers, too. I heard she was filling in at the shop this morning.”
“Afraid so.”
“And now they both think you’re sweet and thoughtful.”
“I didn’t ask for testimonials, if that’s what you’re thinking. I imagine they’d still side with you, if it came down to making a choice.”
Jenny sighed. “I don’t think I’ll test that. They’re both highly susceptible to roguish charm.”
“You hungry yet?” he asked, pulling a loaf of French bread, a bottle of wine, some cheese and roasted chicken from the bag. “There’s some kind of gooey chocolate cake in here, too. Jess said it’s a favorite of yours.”
“Anything from the inn is a favorite of mine. The chef is amazing,” she said.
“Then I hope you’ll eventually agree to have dinner with me there,” he said. “I mean once people in town have digested all the gossip about my being around.”
Jenny regarded him with alarm. “There’s gossip? Already?”
“You’re the one who predicted it. I’m just assuming you know this town better than I do. I haven’t spoken to anyone other than O’Briens so far.”
And wasn’t that bad enough? Jenny thought. Rather than saying it, she looked at the food he’d spread out. “I’m not hungry yet. If you are, go ahead and eat.”
“I’m good with working first,” he said readily. “Any thoughts about which songs you want me to sing in the play?”
“I’m still reeling from the fact that you agreed to be in it,” she said. “You realize it’s going to tie you down until after New Year’s. And if Bree has her way, you’ll be tied up for a few months over the holidays next year, too.”
“No place I’d rather be,” he claimed. “And, speaking of surprises, I’m still trying to figure out why you went along with this.”
She gave him a wry look. “You’ve met Bree. Can you imagine saying no to her? You didn’t, and you’ve only known her for a day. I’ve known her my whole life. She knows exactly which buttons to push.”
“I could back out,” he offered. “She wouldn’t be shocked. You made sure of that.”
Jenny winced. “Well, you weren’t all that responsible right before you made a shambles of your career. She needed to know that.”
“True enough,” he said without hesitation, once again startling her with his candor.
Jenny hesitated, then risked asking, “What about your music, Caleb? Shouldn’t you be in Nashville trying to get your career back on track, making peace with the band?”
“I’ve worked things out with the group,” he told her. “They’ve moved on. They’re doing better than ever these days with the new lead singer. I’m sure you know that. Breaking up was for the best for all of us. I just wish it hadn’t happened the way it did.”
“You mean with your setting bridges ablaze in your wake?”
He gave her a rueful look. “Yes, that way.”
“So what’s next?”
“This play of Bree’s,” he said at once. “Then I’ll see what I can work out with the old record label. My agent says they’re interested, but I’ll need to put together a new band, a backup band this time.”
“You’re going solo?” Jenny asked, surprised. He’d never wanted that before. He’d liked being surrounded by guys he’d known forever.
“That’s the plan.”
“Was that really your decision? Or did you get backed into a corner because your friends moved on without you?”
“It was my decision, Jenny. A couple of the guys came to see me in rehab to talk about it. I wished them godspeed. I knew it was time for me to make a change,
Jenny groaned. “Please tell me you did not say that to her.”
“Wasn’t I supposed to?” he inquired, his expression entirely too innocent. “I told you I’d turned over a new leaf. I vowed to always tell the truth.”
“I imagine Bree knows all about the flowers, too. I heard she was filling in at the shop this morning.”
“Afraid so.”
“And now they both think you’re sweet and thoughtful.”
“I didn’t ask for testimonials, if that’s what you’re thinking. I imagine they’d still side with you, if it came down to making a choice.”
Jenny sighed. “I don’t think I’ll test that. They’re both highly susceptible to roguish charm.”
“You hungry yet?” he asked, pulling a loaf of French bread, a bottle of wine, some cheese and roasted chicken from the bag. “There’s some kind of gooey chocolate cake in here, too. Jess said it’s a favorite of yours.”
“Anything from the inn is a favorite of mine. The chef is amazing,” she said.
“Then I hope you’ll eventually agree to have dinner with me there,” he said. “I mean once people in town have digested all the gossip about my being around.”
Jenny regarded him with alarm. “There’s gossip? Already?”
“You’re the one who predicted it. I’m just assuming you know this town better than I do. I haven’t spoken to anyone other than O’Briens so far.”
And wasn’t that bad enough? Jenny thought. Rather than saying it, she looked at the food he’d spread out. “I’m not hungry yet. If you are, go ahead and eat.”
“I’m good with working first,” he said readily. “Any thoughts about which songs you want me to sing in the play?”
“I’m still reeling from the fact that you agreed to be in it,” she said. “You realize it’s going to tie you down until after New Year’s. And if Bree has her way, you’ll be tied up for a few months over the holidays next year, too.”
“No place I’d rather be,” he claimed. “And, speaking of surprises, I’m still trying to figure out why you went along with this.”
She gave him a wry look. “You’ve met Bree. Can you imagine saying no to her? You didn’t, and you’ve only known her for a day. I’ve known her my whole life. She knows exactly which buttons to push.”
“I could back out,” he offered. “She wouldn’t be shocked. You made sure of that.”
Jenny winced. “Well, you weren’t all that responsible right before you made a shambles of your career. She needed to know that.”
“True enough,” he said without hesitation, once again startling her with his candor.
Jenny hesitated, then risked asking, “What about your music, Caleb? Shouldn’t you be in Nashville trying to get your career back on track, making peace with the band?”
“I’ve worked things out with the group,” he told her. “They’ve moved on. They’re doing better than ever these days with the new lead singer. I’m sure you know that. Breaking up was for the best for all of us. I just wish it hadn’t happened the way it did.”
“You mean with your setting bridges ablaze in your wake?”
He gave her a rueful look. “Yes, that way.”
“So what’s next?”
“This play of Bree’s,” he said at once. “Then I’ll see what I can work out with the old record label. My agent says they’re interested, but I’ll need to put together a new band, a backup band this time.”
“You’re going solo?” Jenny asked, surprised. He’d never wanted that before. He’d liked being surrounded by guys he’d known forever.
“That’s the plan.”
“Was that really your decision? Or did you get backed into a corner because your friends moved on without you?”
“It was my decision, Jenny. A couple of the guys came to see me in rehab to talk about it. I wished them godspeed. I knew it was time for me to make a change,
Similar Books
