Chapter 13
The cold wind hit Joselyn the moment she stepped out of the airport with her suitcase behind her. She instinctively shrank into herself and pulled her scarf tighter around her neck.
Winter in Airedale was bitterly cold. Willesden’s winters were chilly too, but it was a gentler kind of cold.
She lifted her head, scanning the crowd for a familiar face. And then she saw him.
Jarrett stood not far away, dressed in a black overcoat that made his tall, lean frame look even sharper. In his hands, he held a pink plush hand warmer–an odd contrast to his usual cold and imposing demeanor.
A warmth bloomed in Joselyn’s chest at the sight of him. She quickened her pace, closing the distance between them.
The moment Jarrett saw her, a faint smile graced his lips as he stepped forward to meet her.
She threw herself into his arms and said coyly, “Jarrett, didn’t I tell you not to come? It’s too cold.”
Jarrett ruffled her hair before replying gently, “I wanted to.”
Joselyn didn’t argue. She just hugged him tighter.
She knew that Jarrett had always spoiled her. No matter what she wanted, he would find a way to give it to her. No matter how stubborn or unreasonable she was, he’d never lost his temper with her.
Jarrett took her suitcase and led her toward the parking lot. Once inside the car, he leaned over to fasten her seatbelt. The space between them instantly shrank. Joselyn caught the faint scent of woodsy cologne–Jarrett’s signature scent. She looked up, and in that brief moment, their eyes met. Her breath hitched.
There was something in Jarrett’s gaze she’d never seen before. It wasn’t the look of a brother doting on his sister. It felt almost like love for the opposite gender.
The thought startled her. Joselyn quickly lowered her head and scolded herself internally, “It’s just been too long since I last saw him. That’s all. That’s just the affectionate look of a brother.” But Jarrett didn’t move away. He brushed his fingers lightly against her cheek and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong? Your face is red. Are you cold?”
Joselyn stammered, “N–No, I’m fine.”
Jarrett chuckled, then handed her the plush hand warmer. “Here. Warm your hands.”
She took it. As her fingertips brushed against its heat, a gentle warmth spread through her heart as well. Looking down at the fluffy pink design, she couldn’t help but smile. “This doesn’t seem like something you’d buy.”
He didn’t answer. He just smiled and started the car.
On the way, he asked her about her years in Airedale. Joselyn answered his questions casually, one by one. “My college roommates were great, and my boss has been really nice. I even choreographed a few dance routines. I’ll show you someday if I get the chance.”
Jarrett nodded, then started probing. “What about your boyfriend? How old is he? What does he do? How did you two meet? And why did you break up?”
Joselyn hesitated. She hadn’t expected him to ask so many questions. She lowered her gaze, absentmindedly tracing patterns on the hand warmer. “You never asked about these things before, Jarrett.”
Jarrett’s voice remained gentle, but there was an undeniable firmness in it. “When I did, did you ever tell me?”
She fell silent. She knew he was worried about her. But she couldn’t tell him about Evan. She couldn’t let him know about the ugly past she’d left behind.
1: was over. She wouldn’t let Jarrett worry about something that no longer mattered.
So she lied. “We met at a friend’s party. He’s a… designer, and he’s three years older than me. At first, things were great. He was sweet, always bringing me gifts and taking me out on dates. That’s why I didn’t come back for three years.
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“But after a while, we started seeing things differently. He wanted to settle down early–marriage, kids, a simple life. But I wanted to focus on dancing for a few more years.
“We argued a lot over it, and eventually, our feelings faded. In the end, we realized we were better off apart, so we broke up on good terms.”
Jarrett didn’t say anything. His gaze was thoughtful as he glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
