Bab 20: Chapter 20
"So, what's the verdict? Please tell me, not chicken again," Noah replied as Caden laughed.
"Well," Emma replied, "it's either a bucket of chicken or hamburgers. You decide."
"Hamburgers," Noah replied without hesitation.
Jocelyn laughed. "You like fried chicken?" she asked Emma as both Noah and Caden rolled their eyes.
"Love it!" Emma replied.
Caden chuckled. "Yes, she eats it nearly every day. We'd be rich if we had bought stock years ago."
"Yeah, no wonder I'm getting sick of it," Noah added.
Caden laughed. "Jocelyn, would you like to go with me?"
She stood. "Sure. I could use a little break." Then she turned to Caden's mother. "Would you like anything else?"
"Um- fries and a Coke." She dug into her pocket and handed her a few bills. "And get yourselves whatever you want. Noah? What would you like?"
"Get me a cheeseburger, fries, and a Coke." Noah pulled out another bill and handed it to her. Caden knew this was a rarity for his parents to hand anyone money other than him. Jocelyn didn't know, but it was a compliment.
"Caden, before you go, may I speak with you for a moment?" his mother asked.
Jocelyn smiled, dangling his keys in front of him. "I'll wait."
Caden rolled his eyes and laughed, watching as she walked away, knowing he would get his keys from her later. Then he went over to his mother and stooped down. "What's wrong, Mom? Would you like me to take you home?"
"Oh, no!" She looked over in Jocelyn's direction, obviously making sure she was out of earshot, and then lowered her voice. "I like her, Caden."
"I do, too," he whispered, playing along. He had always gotten along well with his mother. She had a spunk that he just adored. Hard telling what she would say next!
"She's a lot better for you than that Mallory was." She shook her head in disbelief. "It's hard to believe those two girls came from the same family."
"Oh, no," Caden corrected. "It's not like that. Jocelyn and I are just friends."
His mother tilted her head to the side as a sly smile spread across her face. "For now."
"Mom, you're something else."
"I try." She gave him a broad smile, obviously pleased with herself.
As he walked to where Jocelyn was waiting, he knew he was getting in deep. He had no idea how it was going to end between him, Jocelyn, and Mallory, but he decided to just take it one day at a time. Jocelyn was standing at the far corner of the lot.
She inclined her head toward the restaurant across the street. "So, Santa's Café?"
He smiled. "Why not?" They looked back and forth, and then crossed the street. "So, may I have my keys back?"
"I'm considering it," she teased. When they were waiting in line, she raised a finger to her lips. "I like the way it drives-."
Caden laughed. "Oh, you do, do you?"
She smiled and then placed his keys in his hand. "On second thought, if my boss thought I had a Corvette, she'd never give me another raise again."
They took a step up in line. The restaurant was packed and there was a line at the counter. It had always been busy when he lived here before, but now it was positively swamped. "So, are you having fun at the tree lot?"
"Love it," Jocelyn replied, taking another step forward. "Your mother's a trip."
"Yes, she is." He let out a sigh. "Hard telling what's going to come out of her mouth next."
Jocelyn smiled. "She's very sweet. And your father's nice, too."
Caden took another step up in line, closer to the counter. "Did you know that he was a Navy man, too?"
She raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "No, I didn't."
Obviously, Mallory never told her. It was becoming more and more evident to him that she never really cared about him at all. Or at least not as much as she had professed. If she had, she would have told Jocelyn and her parents more about him and his family.
They took another step forward and they were at the counter. They placed their order and then stood off to the side to wait.
"So, have you ever worked on a tree lot before?" Caden asked, curious.
Jocelyn shook her head. "No. Never."
Caden smiled. "Well, you worked it like a pro today."
Jocelyn raised her shoulders. "I watched. I'm a quick learner."
"Yes, you are."
"Caden!" the woman behind the counter yelled. That was another thing he liked about being in town. No one was just a number. Everyone was treated as a person in Christmas Cove. The young lady handed him and Jocelyn their order and batted her eyes. "Welcome back."
Caden pretended not to notice that she was flirting. "Thanks."
Jocelyn took two of the bags, and he grabbed the drinks and another bag and they walked outside onto the sidewalk.
"Who was that?" Jocelyn adjusted the bag in her arms.
Caden shrugged. "Just a girl I went to high school with." Then he couldn't resist. "Why? Are you jealous?"
She scoffed and nearly dropped the bags she was carrying. "No! Why would you ask that?"
But she replied a bit too quickly and with too much vigor.
"I mean, you came back for Mallory, right?" Jocelyn asked and then hurried ahead.
"Jocelyn, wait!" Caden looked both ways and then caught her arm just in time, just as a car passed by.
"Hey! Watch it!" the driver yelled as he drove on.
"What?" she wheeled on him, tears in her eyes.
"Oh, Jocelyn-." He led her off the street, set down the bag and drinks, and then pulled her into his arms. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I was only teasing you."
She nodded against his chest. After a few minutes, she pulled back and wiped her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me."
"I'm an idiot, Joss." He wiped a tear away from under her eye. "I'm so used to teasing you, but I crossed the line. Please forgive me."
She nodded.
"Now, that's better."
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