“Nope.” He stood away from the door and gestured. “I think you should come in.”
God, did she look like such a mess that the kid had to use that coaxing tone on her?
Man, not a kid, she corrected herself. Her relationship with the other Campbells was different from her relationship with Jacob, simply because she didn’t see them as often. In her head, Ben would forever be thirteen, a pimply teenager she had been peripherally aware of.
She’d always thought he was the easiest of the Campbells to like, an impression reinforced by the stories Jacob had recently shared with her about his siblings. A little less intimidating than either of his brothers, Ben was shorter and more muscular, with a ready gentleness in his eyes. The brawn, Jacob had called him, but it was brawn combined with a mischievous kindness.
She scrubbed her eyes, prepared to throw herself on that kindness. “Ben—”
“It’s cold outside, and you aren’t even wearing a jacket.” A heavily calloused hand closed over her elbow and guided her inside before she could protest further.
She automatically looked down at her thin blouse and skirt, her suit jacket having been misplaced at some point during her frantic cross country return trip. It was chilly, but she’d been chilly since she’d left Jacob lying in her bed, so really, what difference did it make? “I was on the East Coast this morning.”
“Ah, that explains it. Are they experiencing that spring I hear so much about?”
“Yeah, I…” She trailed off, realizing Ben had led her through the foyer and into the kitchen so quickly she had barely processed where she was going or what the interior of the house looked like. She eyed him, reconsidering her initial impression of his smarts.
Ben’s smile was innocent. “The others are right out back. Here.” He shrugged off his hoodie and draped it around her shoulders, before opening the back door.
Others? She balked at the doorstep and clutched Ben’s well-worn sweatshirt, not eager to have to deal with Jacob’s entire family. “Ben, if you could…”
“They might know where Jacob is.”
“Dothey know where he is?” she snapped.
“They might.”
She gritted her teeth at the stubbornness she could suddenly see underlying the man’s genial kindness. Ben wouldn’t tell her anything until he was good and ready.
Sure, she could hop in her car and try the cabin, but what if Jacob wasn’t there? A wild-goose chase was the last thing she needed right now. “Awesome,” she muttered.
He didn’t comment on the sarcasm in her tone, merely gestured for her to precede him.
Like most houses in this neighborhood, the first floor was a full story up from street level. At the landing outside, she stopped, looking down at one of the most beautiful gardens she had ever seen. Small but lush, it was so riotous with color she was startled out of her one-track search for Jacob. “You did this?”
Ben’s grin was pleased. “Yup. Me and Connor. Well, I did the heavy lifting, of course.” He leaned over the railing. “Hey, guys, look who’s here!”
Left with little choice, movement restricted by her narrow skirt, Akira followed Ben down the metal staircase.
The rest of Jacob’s family was sitting around a sturdy but inexpensive patio table tucked under the overhang of the stairs. Kati stared at her, her pretty round face slack with surprise and curiosity. Connor’s reaction was more restrained. He sat back in his chair and crossed his ankle over his knee, watching her with an assessing look.
There was a third person sitting there, a skinny, young kid wearing a bow tie. The boyfriend. Damon? Darrell?
She dismissed him. He wouldn’t know where Jacob was, so he could officially be classified as Not Important.
Lemonade sat in a pitcher on the center of the table, a tray of cookies next to it. Akira had no doubt this was a common event at this cozy home, the family gathering around a table in the beautiful backyard as they ate and chatted.
“What are you doing here?”
Kati’s borderline-rude question startled Akira out of her introspection. The query arrowed into her, making her wonder. What the hell was she doing here? This sort of domestic familial bliss was not her thing.
But Jacob is your thing.
That was right. Still, her voice was more subdued than she hoped when she answered. “I’m looking for Jacob.”
Kati’s eyes narrowed. “Well, he’s not here.”
Steel in your backbone. Ice in your veins.Just for now, until she found Jacob. She straightened and gazed down at Kati. “So I hear. Where is he?”
