Chapter 4
OLIVER
There are a lot of ways to ruin a first date.
Showing up late. Not showing up at all. Talking about your ex. Forgetting your wallet. Spilling hot soup on your date’s lap. (Marcus did that once and we never let him live it down.)
But the easiest way—the instant, no-coming-back-from-it way—is this one: Not treating Jenna Howard like the princess she fucking is.
Absolutely not happening. Not tonight. Not ever. I park outside her townhouse at exactly 6:55 p.m., sit for a second, and breathe.
Calm the fuck down. Don’t stare at her like you’ve been waiting half your life for another shot. Try, just try, not to look like you’d burn the whole world down if she asked.
I take several deep breaths, willing my heart to stop racing, before walking up to her porch. Then her door opens, and I completely freeze.
She steps out in dark fitted jeans, black ankle boots, and a cashmere sweater that hugs her curves like it’s grateful for the privilege.
Her hair is down in loose waves that brush her shoulders, and she’s wearing just enough makeup to enhance her natural beauty in a way that could level a grown man with one glance.
“Hi,” she says softly, locking the door and coming down the front steps.
“Hey, Princess.” I offer her my arm and escort her to my SUV. She reaches for the door, but I brush her wrist aside before she can grab the handle.
Her shoulders relax as she flutters her long lashes at me. “Thanks for picking me up.”
“You never have to thank me for what I’m supposed to do.”
She blushes, and I know we’re already off to a good start.
Jenna climbs in carefully, then gives me this tiny, nervous smile that punches a hole right through my ribcage.
Her ample breasts brush against my arm as I fasten her seat belt before closing her door and walking around to my side.
As soon as I get behind the wheel, she rests her purse on her lap and blurts, “So, where are we going?”
“Be patient. It’s a surprise.”
Her eyes narrow suspiciously. “Is it a scary surprise?”
“No.” I chuckle.
“A dangerous surprise?”
“Only to my self-control,” I mutter.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
She huffs a laugh and sits back. “You’re very cryptic, you know that.”
“And you like it.”
She tries to hide her smile and fails. “Maybe a little,” she admits.
We drive ten minutes out of town to the old highway turnoff where the neon sign of the diner is flickering sporadically against the early-evening sky. The gravel lot is half full of locals grabbing dinner before a movie, couples on budget dates, and families sharing giant plates of fries.
Her mouth drops open while she stares out the window. “Oh my God.”
“You approve?” I ask.
“You’re taking me to The Chuck Wagon?”
“Mhmm.”
Her eyes shine as she grins at me. “This place was my favorite growing up. My dad used to take me here every Friday after football games.”
“I remember.”
“You do?” Her brow wrinkles and she tilts her head.
I park near the front entrance and turn off the engine before looking at her. “You always ordered the chicken strip basket with onion rings and a cookies-and-cream shake.”
“How… how did you know that?” She turns in her seat to face me.
“While you and most everyone else in Maple Ridge were at the stadium, I came here for a burger and a quiet place to sketch. Most of the time, I was still here when you came in with your dad. I always sat at the end of the counter, but I guess you never noticed me.”
Her shoulders slump and the corners of her mouth turn down. “I’m sorry, Oliver. I should’ve paid better attention.”
“Don’t sweat it, Princess. I didn’t exactly want to be seen. Besides, I can’t complain when I had such a great view.” I give her a wink and her expression brightens.
“I still can’t believe you remember my order, though.”
“Believe it. I remember everything.” And I do mean everything, not that I’ll tell her that.
I remember her playful laugh and that fitted cheerleading uniform that used to drive me insane. The sticker of a cartoon cat she had on her cell phone case and her bubbly handwriting in her pink spiral notebook. The way she folded the corners of her books instead of using a bookmark.
I remember everything about Jenna Howard. I couldn’t forget her if I tried.
“C’mon, let’s go inside.”
The Chuck Wagon looks exactly the same as it did a decade ago: red vinyl booths, laminated menus, fairy lights someone put up years ago and never took down.
Jenna slides into a booth, and I follow behind her, my muscular thigh resting against hers. She turns to me with a lifted eyebrow and an amused smile. “You’re sitting beside me?”
“Yes.”
“Bold choice.”
“The only correct choice.”
She laughs, but doesn’t move away, not even an inch.
Our waitress—Linda, who I’ve known since I was thirteen—approaches with her notepad.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” she teases me with a grin.
“And do my eyes deceive me? Did Oliver Jacobson finally bring a date? A beautiful one at that.” She winks, then she looks at Jenna.
“Honey, blink twice if you’re being held against your will. ”
Jenna snorts. “Don’t be silly, Linda. You really think I’d let this guy kidnap me?”
“Have you seen the man sitting next to you?” She rests her hand on her hip as she gives me an appraising once-over. “This boy grew up into one gorgeous man! If I were twenty years younger, I’d give you a run for your money, girl.”
That earns a giggle from my date.
I playfully rest my hand over my left pec. “You’re too much woman for me. You’d break my heart.”
Linda rolls her eyes and shakes her head with a suppressed smile. “Flirt with someone your own age, Oli, and stop hitting on old ladies.” She winks at Jenna and flips open her notepad. “Besides, you two are cute together. I wouldn’t want to come between that.”
Jenna glances at me before focusing back on our server with a grin. “Thanks, Linda. I could never compete with you.”
Linda waves a dismissive hand. “Oh, hush, girl, and gimme your order.”
Jenna starts to respond, but I gently squeeze her knee and cut her off. “She’ll have the chicken finger basket with onion rings and a cookies-and-cream shake. I’ll take the colossal burger with chili-cheese fries and a Coke.”
“You kids never change.” Linda smiles to herself, jotting down our order before sauntering toward the kitchen.
I make myself comfortable, relaxing my posture and resting my arm behind Jenna’s head along the back of the booth.
She shifts in her seat, but resists the natural urge to nestle into my side.
Nothing would please me more than having her lush body resting against mine.
But it’s probably for the best, as my dick is already straining against my zipper from being this close to her.
The apple scent of her shampoo lingers in the air. “You’re blushing, baby girl.”
“Am not.” Jenna smiles knowingly, then looks up at me through her thick lashes. “In case I never said it outright, thank you for last night.” Her tone is reserved and sincere.
“You don’t need to thank me.”
“I do,” she insists. “You took care of me when you didn’t have to.”
“Of course I did. I wasn’t about to leave you crying in a bar.”
She winces and her lips press together. “Oh God. I was crying, wasn’t I?”
“Maybe a little.”
“That’s not embarrassing or anything,” she mumbles, looking down at her fidgeting hands in her lap.
“Nothing to be embarrassed about, honey. We’ve all had our hearts broken before.”
She studies me for a moment before asking, “Have you?”
“Not in the way you have, but something like that. I did it to myself, though. Something I won’t do again.”
She makes a noncommittal noise while nodding her head. She has no idea I’m talking about her, but I’m not sure she’s ready to hear that anyway.
“You’re different. Not exactly like I remember.” She studies my face and I’m desperate to touch her. But I know that as soon as I get my hands on her, I won’t be able to stop.
“And how do you remember me?” I chuckle. “As some art geek who sat behind you in class?”
“No, of course not.”
I shoot her a deadpan look.
“Well… maybe. But that’s not what I meant.”
“So what did you mean?”
“You were always quiet. Kind and gentle. You never bothered anyone and stuck to your small circle of friends.”
“And now?” I know I’m not the same boy from high school, but I’m curious as to how she sees me.
“You’re strong and confident. Protective. Attentive. You make me feel… seen.”
Because I’ve always seen you. But that’s not what I say.
“You deserve my attention, Princess. You deserve everything.”
Her breath catches, and she looks away, blinking hard. Her body relaxes, then she nudges her shoulder into mine. “You’re gonna make me cry again.”
“I’ll allow it,” I say with a hushed voice. “As long as you let me hold you while you do.”
Her cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink. “You’re very direct, aren’t you?”
I lean in closer. “I told you I know what I want.”
“And what is that?” she whispers, her breath unsteady.
It’s taken me a long time to get here, but I finally admit the truth I’ve known all along. “You, Jenna. I want you.”
We stayed at the diner far longer than I expected, but unsurprisingly the conversation flowed easily and I couldn’t get enough of her laugh. Life may have handed her a few unexpected twists, but Jenna Howard is still the beautiful, vivacious girl she’s always been.
And tonight only reaffirms to me how much that dumbass of an ex was lucky enough to have her.
Bobby has no idea how good he had it—his loss is finally my gain.
I left Maple Ridge to try to get over her, but the feelings I’ve had for her never disappeared.
Now, I refuse to hide them any longer. I know it’s too soon to act on them, but the moment I know she’s ready to move on, I’m making Jenna Howard mine.
I take the scenic route back to her house, driving along the river while she hums to the music playing on the radio. She stares up at the moon through the passenger window before quietly asking, “Oliver, can I tell you something kind of heavy?”
“Always, Princess. What’s on your mind?”
She swallows, but doesn’t take her eyes off the starry sky. “I didn’t just lose Bobby when my marriage ended. I lost the version of myself I pretended to be.”
I ease my foot off the gas, not stopping, just giving her more time to speak.
“I stayed with him after he cheated because I thought I was supposed to. Because I didn’t want to be the girl with a failed marriage.
” I can see her chewing on the corner of her bottom lip in the reflection of the window.
“But if I’m honest, I stopped loving him a long time ago.
And I’m not sure he ever loved me at all. ”
A heavy silence settles over the car. I’ve always known that idiot didn’t love her, but I’d hoped he did for her sake. I hate that she knows the truth now.
“I didn’t leave,” she whispers. “I couldn’t. I thought staying made me strong. Guess I wasn’t strong enough.” Her voice trembles as she wipes a tear from her cheek.
“Leaving a failed relationship doesn’t make you weak, honey. It takes a lot of strength and courage to admit when something’s over and to walk away. You were being loyal to someone who didn’t deserve it.”
I can see her chin wobble as she pinches her lips together and sniffles. “Yeah, well, my marriage has been over for a long time. It’s just official now, and I’m ready to move on.”
My chest tightens with a mix of emotions. Is she saying what I think she’s saying?
“It’s time you let someone love you the way you’re supposed to be loved. The way you deserve to be loved.”
She doesn’t respond right away. Instead, she watches the scenery change as we cruise through town, the glow of the city lights reflecting in her eyes like she’s seeing something new.
“That’s… a lot,” she murmurs.
“It’s the truth.”
She bites her lip again, staring out over Maple Ridge. “I don’t know how to be loved like that.”
“You don’t have to know, Princess. I’ll show you.”
She goes quiet again, processing my words. I don’t push. I don’t elaborate. I just continue to drive, soaking up her presence and silently wishing this night would never end.
By the time we reach her street, her breathing has steadied and her tears have dried.
Her tense muscles have relaxed and somewhere along the way, her small, delicate hand found its way into mine.
When I pull into her driveway and put the SUV in park, she doesn’t move.
Just sits peacefully while I brush the pad of my thumb back and forth over the smooth skin of her wrist.
“Oliver?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad we took the long way home.”
“Me too, Princess.”
She gives me a watery smile as she holds my gaze.
I exit the vehicle and circle to her side, pleased that she waited for me to open her door and remove her seat belt. She may not be used to it yet, but she’s learning how to let someone take care of her. How I’m going to take care of her.
She accepts my palm when I offer it, and I help her out of the car. I intertwine my fingers with hers as I walk her to the door, never letting go of her hand. I watch as Jenna tilts her head back to look at me.
“Goodnight, Oliver.” Her voice is barely a whisper.
I cradle her pretty face in my hand and brush a thumb across her cheek. “Goodnight, Princess.”
As much as I want to mark every inch of her body with my dick, my mouth, and my hands right now, it’s more important to me that I find my place in her heart first. The way she’s been in mine for all these years.
So I force myself to push every explicit, obscene thought out of my head and let her make the next move.
She's cautious and unsure. Her gaze lingering on my mouth longer than it should. Tentatively, she rises on the balls of her feet as the tip of her tongue peeks out to wet her plump lips. With shallow breaths, she rests her warm palms against my chest, a silent plea in her eyes begging me to take control. And God help me, because that’s when I know.
Jenna Howard is all mine.