apartment over Jolt.
“ After you, ” Jackson said, opening the passenger door for her.
“ Thank you, ” she said with a smile as she tucked her long skirt under her and slid into the seat. Leo opened the back door and flopped down in the seat just behind hers.
Once Jackson was behind the wheel, he shot her a glance and a smile. Her stomach knotted up in a way it hadn't since she'd met her husband all those years ago. Even when she was dating for that brief moment in time a few years back, she hadn't had those feelings. But there was something about this Jackson Parker guy.
“ So, have you been on the ferry yet? ” he asked as he pulled onto the main road.
“ No. I didn't even know there was a ferry until you mentioned it, ” she said with a laugh. She hadn't spent a lot of time sight seeing since moving to January Cove. Her focus had been only on her business and her son, both of which took up plenty of her time.
“ Well, you're going to love the island. It doesn't even officially have a name, but the boat captain knows me from high school so he takes the occasional side trip and drops me off there. ”
“ I guess it pays to have connections, ” she said raising her eyebrows. “ You take a lot of dates over there? ” Oh, goodness, why would she ask a thing like that?
“ No. I live in Atlanta. Remember? ” he said cocking his eyebrow up at her.
“ Oh. Right. ”
“ Seriously, though, I've only gone to the island with family and a couple of buddies from high school back in the old days. It's a special place to me. ”
“ Well, we can't wait to see it. Right, Leo? ” she said turning slightly. Leo was slouched in his seat, looking out the window as the small town passed before his eyes. He didn't respond or look at her, but she didn't want to start an argument so she left it alone.
A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot where the ferry left. Jackson opened his door and immediately came around to open hers. Southern chivalry was something she was really starting to love. Leo opened his own door and stood beside the car, hands in his jean pockets.
“ Jackson Parker! Holy hell, man, how long's it been? ” a man said walking toward Jackson from the dock.
“ Clay! Man, you got fat! ” Jackson yelled back laughing at his obvious attempt at humor since the man was muscular and cut like a bodybuilder.
They did the requisite “ man hug ” and then pushed each other like two twelve year old boys.
“ Rebecca Evans, this is one of my oldest friends in the world, Clay Hampton, ” Jackson said smiling as he put one arm around his friend.
“ Nice to meet you, Rebecca. I'm sorry you had to ride with this city boy, ” he said laughing.
“ Whatever. And this is her son, Leo, ” Jackson said as he cocked an eye at Clay. It was apparent to Rebecca that Jackson had said something to Clay about her son's attitude. She hated that Leo was getting such a bad reputation in their small town already.
“ Hey, Leo. Nice to meet you, ” Clay said extending his hand. Leo didn't look up or take his hand. Instead, he mumbled a halfhearted “ hey ” and then sighed as he walked toward the dock.
“ I'm sorry, ” Rebecca said with a weary smile. “ He's been having some issues lately... ”
“ Listen, you don't have to explain. Really. I totally understand. I remember how this guy acted after his father died, ” he said pointing at Jackson. "He'll get through this. Just part of being a hormonal teenager. ”
Rebecca was thankful for such a kind person. Everyone seemed kind in January Cove. It was like an oasis in the middle of a world filled with anger and danger. She wondered what Clay's story was, because she could definitely tell that he had one, but she decided to leave that for another day.
Jackson retrieved some items from his trunk as Clay motioned for them to come to the ferry. They all
“ After you, ” Jackson said, opening the passenger door for her.
“ Thank you, ” she said with a smile as she tucked her long skirt under her and slid into the seat. Leo opened the back door and flopped down in the seat just behind hers.
Once Jackson was behind the wheel, he shot her a glance and a smile. Her stomach knotted up in a way it hadn't since she'd met her husband all those years ago. Even when she was dating for that brief moment in time a few years back, she hadn't had those feelings. But there was something about this Jackson Parker guy.
“ So, have you been on the ferry yet? ” he asked as he pulled onto the main road.
“ No. I didn't even know there was a ferry until you mentioned it, ” she said with a laugh. She hadn't spent a lot of time sight seeing since moving to January Cove. Her focus had been only on her business and her son, both of which took up plenty of her time.
“ Well, you're going to love the island. It doesn't even officially have a name, but the boat captain knows me from high school so he takes the occasional side trip and drops me off there. ”
“ I guess it pays to have connections, ” she said raising her eyebrows. “ You take a lot of dates over there? ” Oh, goodness, why would she ask a thing like that?
“ No. I live in Atlanta. Remember? ” he said cocking his eyebrow up at her.
“ Oh. Right. ”
“ Seriously, though, I've only gone to the island with family and a couple of buddies from high school back in the old days. It's a special place to me. ”
“ Well, we can't wait to see it. Right, Leo? ” she said turning slightly. Leo was slouched in his seat, looking out the window as the small town passed before his eyes. He didn't respond or look at her, but she didn't want to start an argument so she left it alone.
A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot where the ferry left. Jackson opened his door and immediately came around to open hers. Southern chivalry was something she was really starting to love. Leo opened his own door and stood beside the car, hands in his jean pockets.
“ Jackson Parker! Holy hell, man, how long's it been? ” a man said walking toward Jackson from the dock.
“ Clay! Man, you got fat! ” Jackson yelled back laughing at his obvious attempt at humor since the man was muscular and cut like a bodybuilder.
They did the requisite “ man hug ” and then pushed each other like two twelve year old boys.
“ Rebecca Evans, this is one of my oldest friends in the world, Clay Hampton, ” Jackson said smiling as he put one arm around his friend.
“ Nice to meet you, Rebecca. I'm sorry you had to ride with this city boy, ” he said laughing.
“ Whatever. And this is her son, Leo, ” Jackson said as he cocked an eye at Clay. It was apparent to Rebecca that Jackson had said something to Clay about her son's attitude. She hated that Leo was getting such a bad reputation in their small town already.
“ Hey, Leo. Nice to meet you, ” Clay said extending his hand. Leo didn't look up or take his hand. Instead, he mumbled a halfhearted “ hey ” and then sighed as he walked toward the dock.
“ I'm sorry, ” Rebecca said with a weary smile. “ He's been having some issues lately... ”
“ Listen, you don't have to explain. Really. I totally understand. I remember how this guy acted after his father died, ” he said pointing at Jackson. "He'll get through this. Just part of being a hormonal teenager. ”
Rebecca was thankful for such a kind person. Everyone seemed kind in January Cove. It was like an oasis in the middle of a world filled with anger and danger. She wondered what Clay's story was, because she could definitely tell that he had one, but she decided to leave that for another day.
Jackson retrieved some items from his trunk as Clay motioned for them to come to the ferry. They all
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