The Birthday List(85)

Okay, maybe we were as bad as teenagers.

“My lips are chapped because of the weather,” I lied. “It’s dry this time of year.” I looked down at the paperwork on my desk and rubbed my lips together. They were still puffy from Cole’s kiss. “Though, he is a great kisser.”

Cole and I had been together for two months now, and things between us were as hot as ever. We did kiss all the time. And the sex? We were going at it like rock stars. In fact, he’d fucked me right here in this office after I’d closed down the restaurant last night. Not that I’d be sharing that little detail with Molly.

“What are you working on?” Molly stepped farther into the office, taking the chair across the desk.

Our positions were switched from our normal office conversations. Usually she was the one sitting on this side of the desk, working on payroll or bookkeeping, while I was in the guest chair.

“I was just looking at those new income projections you put together.”

She smiled. “Things are going so well. Better than I’d ever expected.”

Sales at The Maysen Jar were just as high now as they’d been when we’d opened. In the five months I’d been in business, I’d learned a lot. I was better at ordering bulk supplies without getting too much or too little. I had refined the menu so it only included items that sold consistently. And much to Molly’s delight, I’d learned to delegate and trust my small staff to run the place when I wasn’t around. My days off weren’t limited to once a month but once a week, and I’d figured out an evening schedule that let me spend quality time with Cole and Nazboo.

Molly pulled the draft schedule from the desk and glanced over the chart. “I think I’m going to ask Helen to come in and work on Saturday with me. She’s looking for more hours to save up for the holidays.”

“You’re sure you don’t mind working this weekend?” Molly normally took Saturday and Sunday off to spend time with the kids, but Cole and I had plans next weekend to do another list item, so she was covering the restaurant.

“Not at all. You haven’t taken off a whole weekend since your Glacier trip. You deserve the break. Besides, since Finn has the kids this weekend, I’ll be bored out of my mind at home. I’m glad I can come to work.”

“Thank you.”

She put down the schedule and leaned her elbows on the desk. “You’re almost done with the list. How are you feeling about finishing it?”

How was I feeling? “I’m . . . okay. I guess I’m just at peace with it all.”

“Good. Then you got what you wanted.”

I smiled. “Yeah, I did.”

Soon, I’d mark the last few check boxes from Jamie’s journal and put it away. Jamie would always be a part of my heart, but going through his birthday list had given me an outlet to say good-bye.

“Have you decided who gets a free car?” Molly asked.

“No.” I slumped onto the desk. Why Jamie had wanted to buy a stranger a car, I had no clue. “How do you pick a stranger and buy them a car? If I walk up to someone and say, ‘Hey you! I want to buy you a car,’ they’ll think I’m crazy.”

“I’ll do it.”

I sat up. “You will? Really?”

She shrugged. “Sure, I’ll pick someone.”

“That would be great. I’m too chicken.”

“How do you want to pay for it? You’re not going to just hand over a wad of cash, are you?”

I shook my head. “No, I want to make sure the person gets a car. I was planning on just financing with the dealership. Then once I sell the house, I can pay it back.”

“Any progress on finding a rental?”

I sighed. “No. Honestly, I haven’t even looked lately.” I’d been spending so much time at Cole’s house, moving had stalled. But I needed to resume my rental search again.

Jamie and I had been smart when we’d bought our house so the mortgage wasn’t much, but I could use the money from the equity I’d built up over the years. I still needed to reimburse Cole for what he’d spent on Jamie’s truck and soon I’d have a car payment for a car that I wouldn’t be driving. Since my house sat empty most of the time, downsizing to a smaller apartment made sense.

Except what I really wanted to do was just live at Cole’s.

These last two months, it had become home. Most of my clothes were already hanging in his closet, my kitchen appliances had all migrated to his cupboards instead of my own, and his bed was my bed. I doubted I’d even be able to sleep in my old room now.

“I don’t know why you won’t just move in with Cole,” Molly muttered.

I sighed. “Because he hasn’t asked.” I wanted him to ask me, not feel pressured because I wanted to offload my house.

“Asked what?”

My eyes shot to the door as Cole walked into the office. “Nothing!” I shot Molly a don’t you dare look.

She rolled her eyes and mouthed, Fine.

“What are you doing here?” I stood from the desk. “Did you forget something at lunch?”

He grinned. “I have a surprise for you. Grab your coat and come out front.”

Molly and I both rushed to the coat hooks by the door, then followed Cole through the kitchen.