Chapter Eleven
Emily
Two Days Later
Normally, I work the day shift, but Kathy needs the night off, so I’m filling in for her.
As soon as I finish checking in on my mom, on my day off, and after stopping by the youth football practice to go over concussion protocols.
I’ve already worked a full day and haven’t even stepped foot inside the office.
“Thank you so much for being here.” My mom pats my hand.
“You’re such a great girl.” She smiles at me, even though her face is somewhat pained as she drops her hand to her side and adjusts herself on the sofa.
The movement is minuscule and still laced with a grimace.
“I know you have more important things to do than taking care of your mother.”
The house smells vaguely like the cinnamon rolls she made two days ago and the chicken and dumpling soup simmering on the stovetop. According to my mom, Jake’s mother made it, but she had someone else drop it off for her.
My mouth waters. Too bad I don’t have time to eat.
Jake’s mom is a phenomenal cook, and we were the lucky recipients of her hospitality on more than one occasion.
She always said if we put up with her son tearing up our house, the least she could do was cook a double batch and send food over with him when he came to hang out.
I can’t remember the last time I spoke to Simone or Trace. When Jake blew me off, I avoided his parents as well. I was too embarrassed to see them. I couldn’t handle wondering if they knew how I felt about him and pitied me.
Not that it was hard to do. There seems to be some rift between my mom and Simone since around that same time.
They’re cordial if they see each other, but they no longer seek each other out.
Even today, when Simone made the soup, she had one of the women from the neighborhood drop it off rather than come in and visit.
“That’s nonsense. Taking care of you is the most important thing I have to do. You’ve taken care of Kaleb and I, since we were born.” I chuckle, “Since before we were born, so clearly we love you.”
She yawns and settles into the cushions. “I appreciate the parenting accolades. It wasn’t easy on my own.”
Our father rarely came around. He was an okay dad, but he was obsessed with work and building his business. After their divorce, he remarried, and our half-siblings got the attentive father.
“I know, Mom.” I keep an eye on her as she shifts again. She slides her good arm over the edge of the sofa.
“Let me get that.” I rush over and pull the lever that lifts her feet.
After I drag up the blanket, she closes her eyes. I’ve always been proud of my mom, but now, even more so. She never once complained about the surgery or the pain afterward. She’s a rock star.
I glance at the clock as my stomach grumbles. It’s fifteen minutes until my shift starts. Kaleb should be here any second, so I can get to work. I pull my hair up and reapply my blush and eyeshadow.
The dark circles under my eyes won’t go away until I’ve had a decent night’s rest. I rotate my shoulders. Which hasn’t happened since before mom’s surgery.
If I’m being honest, it’s been that way since the day at the park when I saw Jake for the first time in years. Since then, I’ve tossed and turned until exhaustion pulls me under.
Five more minutes creep by, and Kaleb still isn’t here. Where is he? I pace the living room as my mom’s mouth slightly opens and a light snore falls from her lips.
At least, she’s able to sleep. Granted, the pain pills are likely helping with that.
Two more minutes disappear. Damn it. My teeth grind together.
The second my phone rings, I drag it out of my back pocket and rush to the kitchen, so it doesn’t wake my mom. “Where are you?”
“I’m sorry. A call just came in.”
“Damn it, Kaleb, you promised that you’d be here. I have to be at work in eight minutes.” The digital clock on the stove flips to the next number. “Make that seven.”
“I didn’t know there was going to be a grass fire at the end of my shift.” His voice is rough as the sounds of his gear bouncing fill the receiver. Sirens sound off in the background.
“Fine,” I sigh as I run a hand over the top of my hair, smoothing the strands leading to my ponytail. “I’ll call Ryan and see if he can find someone to fill in until I can get there.”
“I’m sorry, Sis. I hate to do this. As soon as the fire is out, I’ll be there.”
“Thanks.” I hang up on my way to the refrigerator.
As I’m removing a bottle of water, someone knocks on the door, causing me to jump. Shit. I’m more on edge than I realized. At least I didn’t squeal.
I spin on my heel in time to see Jake lifting his hand and rapping his knuckles on the glass again. He shifts from one foot to the other. His hair is plastered to his head from a recent shower. And that sexy 5 o’clock shadow makes my knees weak once again.
Damn it. He’s not supposed to show up here when I’m here. There’s no point in us talking to each other because one of us will insult the other before the conversation is done. I stomp to the door and yank it open. “Hello.”
“Hey.” His face remains stoic and noncommittal as if he doesn’t want to speak to me either, but his love for my mom trumped his instinct for avoidance.
I guess I should be appreciative of that, but somehow, I can’t dredge up the energy for it.
“I heard your mom was home from the hospital, so I thought I’d drop in and check on her. ”
“She’s asleep.” I step out of the way, letting him come inside.
He glances around the room. “I can come back later when Kaleb’s here. I thought he’d be here by now.”
“There’s no need to leave.” I bite my bottom lip, forcing my eyes to stay above his waist. Which is harder than it should be. Once again, he’s wearing low-slung sweats and a tight T-shirt that hugs his abdomen and chest. Hasn’t he ever heard of baggy clothes?
Heat creeps up my neck. “I need to apologize for how I acted the other day. What I said was out of line.”
He rakes a hand through his hair, leaving the wet strands standing on end. “You mean the part where you decided my entire career is based on control issues?”
My stomach drops. “Yes.” I press my lips together. “That part.”
Silence stretches between us.
“I shouldn’t have said that. You’ve always cared about people. About this town. I know that.”
His jaw tightens.
“You could’ve fooled me,” he mutters.
“I was angry.” My fingers twist together in front of me. “And sometimes when I’m angry, I say things I don’t mean.”
His gaze finally meets mine, dark and steady.
“You meant it.”
The certainty in his voice makes my chest ache.
“I thought I did,” I admit quietly.
He shifts his weight, crossing his arms over his chest. The movement makes the muscles in his forearms tighten, and I immediately regret looking.
Great. Now my face is hot. Again.
“I didn’t become a cop because I need control,” he says. “I did it because I want to help people.”
“I know that now.”
“Now?” His eyebrow lifts.
Heat floods my cheeks. “Well… Kaleb always said you liked being the one in charge growing up.”
A muscle jumps in his jaw. “Kaleb talks a lot.”
“He’s your best friend,” I say weakly. “I figured he’d know what he’s talking about.”
“He doesn’t.” Jake’s eyes stay locked on mine. “Not about me.”
My mouth suddenly feels dry. And the way he’s looking at me isn’t helping. At all.
I lick my lips, and his gaze immediately drops to the movement before snapping back to my eyes. Oh God. Why are my armpits sweating? Do not fan your armpits.
“You okay?” Jake quirks an eyebrow.
“Fine,” I say too quickly.
His mouth twitches like he doesn’t believe me. “You look a little warm.”
“I’m not warm.”
He shifts a step closer, not touching me, but close enough that I feel the heat of him. The blood rushing in my ears is so loud that I no longer hear the hum of the refrigerator.
“Emily?”
My stomach flips. “What?”
“You’re blushing.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
A corner of his mouth lifts. “You always did.”
My heart stutters, and I hate that he still knows exactly how to get under my skin.
He inhales, and his eyes almost glow. “Is that my mom’s soup?”
“Yes.” I relax my shoulders as we venture to a safe topic.
“God, I missed her cooking while I was gone.” He glances from the stove back to me. “Almost as much….” He clears his throat, swallows hard, and blinks as if he’s pushing back a thought. “Where’s Kaleb?”
“He’s on his way to a fire.” I walk over to the stove, lift the lid, and stir the soup with a wooden spoon.
“He was supposed to relieve me so I could go to work. Shit.” I drop the spoon onto the white porcelain holder and return the lid to the pot.
“I’ve got to call work.” I drag my phone out of my back pocket.
“Stop.” Before I can dial the number, Jake places his hand on my shoulder. I glance at him, nearly swallowing my tongue. The man is beautiful and smells like musk and sex.
If he thinks his mom’s cooking is good, he has no idea what he does to me. If someone served him up on a silver platter, I’d eat him up. God, that’s ridiculous.
But the man really should be on the cover of a magazine. Rugged good looks. Sexy 5 o’clock shadow. Lips that look like they could kiss for days.
Stop. Remember. He blew you off and never saw you as anything but Kaleb’s pesky, little, annoying sister. If he realizes you’re still drooling over him, he’s going to pity you.
“What?” I shift sideways to put distance between us, causing his arm to drop to his side.
“I’ll stay with your mom. I’m trained in any emergency that could happen.
I’m strong enough to get her up if she needs help.
” He waves to the stove. “Food is ready, so I don’t have to worry about cooking for her.
” One side of his mouth quirks upward. “Which is good because Aurora probably prefers something better than canned soup. That’s all I was going to have tonight. ”
“I can’t ask you to–”
“You didn’t ask. I offered.”
“I….” I glance at the clock. “I don’t–”
“Em….” The deep rumble of his voice causes the hair on the back of my neck to stand. Jesus, the man could make a woman come with that voice alone. “Let me help. You don’t have to do everything on your own. Besides, if I know Kaleb, he’ll be here the second the fire is contained.”
“I shouldn’t accept your offer, but I will. We’re short on staff right now, and this would leave Ryan in a lurch trying to find a replacement.”
“It’s no problem.” He shrugs. “Today was my day off, and I’m not doing anything.”
It’s Friday night. How’s he not doing anything? “Thank you. I’ll owe you one.”
“See you around, Em.”
This time, my knees buckle at the nickname, and I clutch the doorknob to keep from falling into a heap. I glance over my shoulder. It’s criminal that the man is that good-looking. “Yeah, see ya. Thanks again.”