Jacob licks his lips. “I guess so.”
I pull away as the cars start to move, and the air between us changes.
Taylor’s voice fades away as we move forward.
We sit in companionable silence, the only sound the music filling the air as we drive the rest of the way.
Jacob watches everything pass by with interest.
“You ever been up here before?” I ask.
“No,” he says, his gaze fixed on the ocean outside his window.
“Never been to the beach before,” he admits.
My eyes widen. “Never?”
He shakes his head. “Nope. Didn’t go on many family vacations as a kid, and when we did, we usually ended up going to amusement parks.”
My heart breaks because some of my best memories are on the beach, here. Long summer nights, fireworks, sunrises…
“Well, we’ll just have to make your first time a trip you’ll never forget, then.”
When I pull up to the property—a sprawling seven thousand foot home with seven bedrooms and six and a half bathrooms big enough to house fifteen people—I don’t miss Jacob’s slight gasp.
“Yeah, I know it’s ostentatious as fuck,” I say as I note my parents’ car in the driveway along with Chris’s and Uncle Travis’s. I don’t see Garrett’s or his parent’s cars, but then again, they have their own house up here, so I’m hoping they are staying there instead ofwithus. Sure we have the room, but I’d like to have some reprieve from the asshole who’s apparently after this position, too. Even though he knows how bad I want it.
“Um, no, it’s fucking beautiful…” Jacob says as I park, and he gets out of his side. I get out and head for the trunk, but Jacob doesn’t move.
He just stares at the house like it’s something out of his wildest dreams.
Maybe it is.
I look at the excitement, the interest on his face. Sometimes I forget my life isn’t everyone else’s. The things I take for granted.
But seeing Jacob look at the place with awe and appreciation, makes me appreciate it a little more.
And I certainly can appreciate the sparkle in his eye and the way he looks so perfect, standing here in his shorts and polo, the sun lighting up his golden features.
I grab our suitcases as Chris’s voice pulls his attention.
“Jacob!” he says, and Jacob startles.
“Chris…”
I watch their interaction as Chris pulls him into a hug. It’s awkward and startling, but Jacob returns it, nonetheless.
“I didn’t know you’d be here,” he says.
Chris chuckles. “Yeah, well, neither did I, honestly. Guess my uncle feels I’m agood candidatefor this position or whatever.” He looks at me with a sad expression.
Jacob tenses.
Chris rubs his arm and I tense. I don’t like him touching what’s mine.
He’s not mine.I have to remind myself, but for the sake of this week, he has to be. So I step forward, challenging their space and he drops his arm.
“It’s all good, you don’t have to pretend with me,” Chris says under his breath. I shoot him a glare.
