“There has to be a ‘but’ somewhere in there. I know your mom and those crazy ladies by now.”
I laughed. “Okay. Maybeonething I know, but it’s not even a bad thing.”
“Spill it, Swanson.”
I felt my cheek heat at the intimacy and familiarity with which he used my last name. “A couple months ago, she really liked this guy. They dated years ago in high school, and he was being auctioned off to raise money for a charity as the town’s most eligible bachelor. When it came time to bid on him, she outbid the girl he’d been seeing and paid like five hundred dollars for a date with him.”
Jacob whistled. “That’s…okay, I’m not going to lie, that’s borderline creepy.”
I threw back my head and laughed. “Yeah, but they knew each other and she did what she did. Other than that, every time I’ve ever spoken with her, she’s always been nice. And did I mention she was beautiful?”
He gave me a funny look. “Yeah. Like two or three times already.”
“Well, she is. Young and beautiful.”
I swallowed past the lump that formed in my throat when I said those last words. It was foolish of me to even think I could compete with the women in this town for someone like Jacob.
He reached out and ran his fingertip down my cheek, and I sucked in a breath. “I doubt she’s as beautiful as you.”
I closed my eyes at the onslaught of emotions his words caused. I felt elated he thought I was beautiful, but at the same time I felt foolish for thinking I should hang on to someone so young. Even if hedidthink I was beautiful. It wouldn’t be enough in the end. He was only thirty-two. He deserved to marry someone and have kids.
“Monica?”
I opened my eyes. “Oh, Jacob. So many things I need to say.”
The alarm on his cell phone went off, and he swore softly. “That’s me. I’m supposed to leave to go pick this girl up.”
I could tell by the way he said it left me room to object. To ask him to stay with me. But I couldn’t do that to him. I liked him too much to ruin his life.
“Go. Go have a great time tonight with someone young and vibrant and beautiful.”
“I thought I was sitting here doing that.”
I felt my chin start to tremble. Not wanting him to see me cry, I picked up my glass and hurried toward my house.
“We may have tabled this discussion for now,” he called, “but it’s far from over.”
Chapter 11
“What am I going to do?” I put Kieran on speaker phone while I finished putting on my makeup. “He said he thought I was beautiful.”
Kieran laughed. “Youarebeautiful.”
“You know what I mean!” I cried. “This can’t go anywhere.”
Kieran didn’t say anything.
“Do I ask him to move out?” I asked.
Kieran snorted. “Are you insane? Of course you don’t ask him to move out. You see where this could go.”
“I can’t believe I called you for help,” I snapped.
“I hate to point out the obvious,” Kieran said, “but since the day Jacob Parkerson moved in, he’s been giving you signals he’s interested.”
“He has a date tonight,” I said.
“That those crazy women from the senior center are making him go on,” Kieran countered.
