Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff

Author:Lindsay Hameroff
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

16

I CAN HEAR JAKE’S husky voice through the walls of my apartment before I even slip the key into the door. My chest warms as I step through the entryway to see him perched on the sofa, head bent over his guitar, and my heart flutters the way it always does when I hear him sing. Thank goodness my next-door neighbor, Mrs. Tannenbaum, is over eighty and can barely hear, and the Ackermans, who live two doors down, have been in Philly with their grandkids for the past month. It’s a small miracle that no one else in the building seems to notice I’m harboring a celebrity.

“Hey!” His face brightens when he lifts his head up in greeting, and I’m struck by how natural it feels to see him in my home. He seems as much a part of the fabric here as the floral-print chairs. A vision of our future in this shared space flashes before me. Him on the sofa, brows knit in concentration as he works out lyrics to a new song. Me in the kitchen, surrounded by pots and pans, the air thick with spice as I work out a new recipe. The idea is so dreamy that I have to shake my head to dispel it before I can get lost any further. Jake is a rock star, and I am a chef; even if we were together in some alternative universe, we’d never have a future as two homebodies. Forgetting that is only going to lead to heartache.

“New song?” I ask as I hang up my jacket. Jake’s cheeks go rosy. “What can I say? I’ve been feeling inspired lately.” He nods toward the kitchen. “By the way, there was a package waiting for you in the lobby.” My smile fades as I follow his gaze. Sure enough, there’s a large brown box waiting for me on the counter. I knew it would arrive this week, but I didn’t expect it this soon.

Grabbing a pair of kitchen scissors, I slide the blade under the packing tape, popping the lid open. My stomach clenches as I inventory the familiar contents. It’s the same thing every year.

“Get anything interesting?”

Before I can answer, Jake strolls over and begins rummaging through the box. “Twizzlers, balloons, candles … Funfetti cake mix?” He lifts his head as understanding registers on his face. “Wait, is it your birthday?”

I nod. “On Friday. My dad sends me a care package every year after I turn down his offer to come to Florida and celebrate. This year, I told him I’m going out for a girls’ night.”

“Oh. With Ali and Chloe?”

“Yes. Well, no. I mean, I’m not really doing anything. I don’t like making a big deal out of my birthday.”

Jake’s brow wrinkles. “I don’t get it. It seems like your dad wants to spend time with you. Why are you avoiding him?”

“Because I’m mad at him, that’s why! He abandoned me to move down to Florida, and he’s never come back since. If he wanted to see me so badly, he could visit me here.

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