Smoke on the Water by Harper Jackson

Author:Harper Jackson [Jackson, Harper]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Take The Leap Publishing

16

Caroline

“I will never not love breakfast empanadas.” I bit into the tender, flaky pastry, closing my eyes as the savory, smoky flavor of chorizo and potatoes exploded on my tongue.

Across the table, Hoyt took an enormous bite of his second one and moaned appreciatively. That moan did things to me south of the border, and I restlessly crossed my legs.

“Do you know how to make them?”

“In theory, yes. But mine definitely don’t beat Marisol’s. She’s a goddess of pastry. I’m more a buy the dough in the freezer section and assemble kind of girl.”

“Valid. But maybe we could aspire to learn, because these are amazing.”

I loved how he said “we” and didn’t just assume that I’d figure it out because I was a woman. He was a man who liked to cook, and it had become our habit to share meals together on the days we could manage it with our schedules. Frequently, that meal was breakfast, and I adored getting to start my day with him. Even if I had been spending more and more time imagining starting that day with him in bed. His or mine. I wasn’t fussy. But our schedules—and my siblings—hadn’t made that possible.

Until today.

Hoyt and I had a rare full day off to spend together. As it was a weekday, Rios would be tied up with work, and Gabi was off with friends, thus leaving the house blessedly empty. Going out for a late breakfast hadn’t been my plan, but when Hoyt had suggested we stop by Panadería de la Isla, I wasn’t about to say no. Everything Marisol baked was amazing.

The sun was already high in the cloudless blue sky, and a lovely breeze carried the scent of the ocean past our patio table in front of the bakery. Tourists moved along the sidewalks, popping into shops or carrying coolers and umbrellas for a day at the beach. Sitting here with Hoyt, with no work on my schedule, it was almost possible to imagine what it was like to be one of them. Free to indulge in vacation pleasures. I’d never actually had a vacation. Leisure and I weren’t exactly on a first-name basis. I’d always been too busy picking up the slack to take care of my family. I wondered what it would be like to have that kind of unencumbered time. Could I actually relax enough to take advantage of true time off?

“Caroline!”

I glanced up from my coffee to see Connie Galloway, the owner of Beachcomber Bargains, standing just outside the perimeter of planters that marked the edge of the patio, her goldendoodle on a leash.

“Mrs. Galloway. Hello.”

“You’re just the woman I was looking for.”

I couldn’t imagine why. “Oh?”

“I just got in a shipment of three old trunks and immediately thought of you. They’d be amazing upcycled into storage for your new place.”

I blinked at the older woman, my brain already sparking with ideas. “That’s great to know. I’d love to take a look at them. Thank you so much for telling me.

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