“We talked, and she gave me a ride home.”
Jake sat back, arms crossed over his chest as he considered her from across the dining table. By the way she was sitting on her hands, he knew something was making her nervous—though he wasn’t sure about her need for secrecy, especially since her lecture the other night about trying to get close to Gia.
What does she think is so bad that she can’t confide in me?
It made his heart swell with pride that she trusted Gia with whatever secret, and he trusted Gia with his whole life. Jake rubbed a hand over his jaw and shot her a goofy grin.
“Did you girls talk about how awesome I am?”
Marley snorted. “Ew, no way. We talked about… like… girl things and whatever.”
“Girl things and whatever?”
“Yeah. You know… like…girl things.”
Jake’s eyes widened, mouth gaping as understanding dawned on him. Marley rolled her lips together, trying to hide her laughter at his ignorance.
“Oh.” Jake paused, debating what to say. He hadn’t been prepared for this type of conversation. “Oh. Well. You know if you need… um…girl things… you can ask me.”
“I know.” Marley looked down. The scraping of her fork against her plate was the only sound in the room for a moment. By the way the tips of her ears flushed with embarrassment, he knew he wasn’t the only one uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation.
Once again, relief filled his chest knowing even if he hadn’t been there for Marley, she had Gia to talk to.
“Wanna go for a hike this weekend?” Jake changed the subject.
“Um. Yeah. Maybe.”
“Weather will be really nice. We can bring that camera of yours up there, and you can practice taking photos.” Jake tapped the table and leaned forward. “But my left side is my good side, so don’t forget.”
Jake beamed a smile at her while Marley rolled her eyes.
“I won’t forget.”
“Wanna watch that new movie Gia’s in?” Jake stretched his arms, pretending to be unconcerned.
“The one I’ve seen three times already?”
“Oh, you have?” His face fell.
“I definitely want to watch it.”
Jake grinned. “All right, you go set it up, and I’ll clean up the dishes. I think we have some popcorn.”
“The kind with extra butter?”
“Is there any other way to eat popcorn?”
They shared wide smiles. Warmth filled his chest at the domestic displays of normalcy—something he’d never had at his own home. He was determined to give Marley a better life than the one he had.
Eighteen
JAKE
After his long morning jog, Jake stopped by the house to freshen up before a long day at the office. Marley was already at school by the time he left for the office. The smell of slightly burnt toast still lingered in his house as he shut the door behind him.
Hours later, buried under a mound of paperwork, a soft knock sounded at the doorway.
Julie was in her early twenties. She’d gone to Bramblewood University but returned home after graduating to help take care of her sick grandmother. While walking around town one afternoon, she saw theHelp Wantedsign in his window and stopped in for an impromptu interview.
