“Oh,” the word escaped from my lips before I could stop it.
“Lost for words?”
“What? Why? How?” I sounded like an idiot. This was not what I was expecting. I wasn’t entirely sure what I thought would happen, but it certainly wasn’t this.
“What? You think I pawned it the moment I crossed the state line?”
Yes.
No.
Fucked if I know.
“You did, didn’t you?” Jake pushed, tossing the box up in the air before catching it again.
“Well, um…”
“Nope. It’s been with me everywhere I’ve been. And for now, it will stay right here in the drawer.”
I didn’t know what to say.
So, I did what I did best. I ran away.
Jumping out of bed, I ducked across the hall and locked myself in the bathroom.
Staring at the woman looking back at me, I barely recognized her. I looked like I’d seen a ghost. After splashing some water on my face, I brushed my teeth and went through my morning routine. A routine that wouldn’t have me functioning until I’d at least had one cup of coffee, maybe two. Or maybe I could add a dash of something stronger. Totally earned it.
Cracking open the door, I could hear Jake on the phone, so I took advantage of the distraction and slipped out to the kitchen to get the coffee started. This morning, while I’d been lying in bed staring at the ceiling thinking how weird it was that Cassie hadn’t come in and jumped on me yet, requesting her breakfast, I couldn’t help but replay the events of last night. There was so much to digest, and it was going to take a while to do so. His dad. My sister. All of it. But there was one thing I couldn’t shake. Jake had wanted to marry me. He’d wanted me to be his wife. He’d bought a ring, a ring he evidently still had. My mind was beyond blown.
Pushing a pod into the machine, I leaned against the counter while it gurgled to life, staring out the window.
“What the fuck!” I squawked and jumped ten feet off the ground when two long, warm arms slid around my waist.
“Sorry,” Jake apologized while I tried to stop myself from having a heart attack. “You were a million miles away. Something on your mind?”
“Who were you talking to?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Mom. She and Cassie have just finished their waffles and are heading out to feed the chickens.”
Mom guilt hit me like a truck. “Let me just get dressed real quick, and I’ll go get her out of your mom’s hair.”
I knew firsthand how much energy that girl had first thing in the morning and wasn’t sure how Shelley would cope.
“Stay right where you are,” Jake directed, wrapping me in his arms again, a place I was quickly becoming used to and never wanted to leave. “They’re fine. Mom’s happy as a pig in shit. We can have breakfast then go catch up with them.”
“We have time?”
“We have time for whatever we want,” Jake confirmed, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at me.
Behind me, the coffee gurgled and beeped. “Well, I want coffee.”
“Nice dodge,” Jake said with a wink.
“Thought you’d like that. Want one?” I offered, and when he nodded, I popped another pod in the machine before adding creamer to mine.
It was all so domestic. Cradling my cup, I let Jake lead me over to the couch before tucking me up beside him, his arm stretched across the back.
“It’s quiet here,” I commented after a while.
