Loved You First (Jenlisa) COMPLETED

26

Early Sunday evening, Jennie closed up shop for the day and headed off down the sidewalk to her car. She had four days left as a small business owner and then it would be time to decide what life had in store for her next.

Rachel, who owned the diner down the street, had offered her a position. She was hoping to spice up her dessert menu and was thrilled to have a chance to bring Jennie in. That or she was just a nice lady who saw someone in need of a job. It could really be either.

She decided to pick up dinner for her dad. It would be a nice change from the cafeteria food. She carried the baked chicken into his room and found him staring intently at a chessboard midgame.

"Beating yourself again?"

He looked up and smiled. "I get so frustrated at how good I am. Look at this. I never seem to be able to take myself down."

"Funny how that works. I hope you're hungry. Fabulous daughter that I am, I've brought us chicken dinners."

"I hope it's fried."

"No dice, Dad. But I heard the baked is just as good."

"You heard wrong," he grumbled, but it was good-natured.

She set up dinner for them in the corner of the room by the window and opened it, so they could watch the sunset. There was a serenity about the meal and they ate in companionable silence for a bit. Finally, her dad sat back in his chair and regarded her.

"So have you decided? Are you planning to take the job at the diner?"

It was the twenty million dollar question.

She would probably have to, but the thought of not heading into Flour Child each morning still hadn't completely sunk in. She didn't want to consider other options. And she wouldn't have had to, if her life had only gone according to plan.

"I guess so. It'll be a change though. That's for sure. I'm more worried about my staff. Dara is planning to retire, but what's going to happen to Nayeon and Kai? They'll need a paycheck. I just feel so responsible."

"While that's admirable, I'm more worried about you."

"Well, you don't have to be. I told you. I'll take the diner job, come up with some amazing desserts, make that place famous and that's the end of it. I'll be just fine."

He gazed at her. "That's not what I mean."

She sobered because there was this knowing look on his face that made her feel instantly vulnerable, as if he knew everything that was going on inside her.

"I don't understand."

"I'm talking about your heart. Something's happened. And if I had to guess, I'd say it has to do with Lisa."

She stared at her hands. Hearing the very intuitive words caught her off guard, but it wasn't like she could hide from him. She'd never been very good at that.

She raised her eyes to his in question. "How did you know that?"

"Lots of clues. The way you talked to each other at dinner that night. How she looked at you when she thought I wasn't looking. The fact that you were acutely aware of her every move at the birthday party. Love's a hard thing to hide. Even an old fool like me knows that."

She nodded as tears sprang into her eyes. "I was in love. You're right. And I don't know why I'm crying now. I promise you, I've been strong this whole time. I've held it together."

"Because it's your old dad you're talking to now. I'm the guy that put Band-Aids on your scraped knee, remember? I calmed you down when you had a nightmare."