Chapter 16 #2
“I’m buying you a drink,” I say impulsively.
His brows crease. “What?”
“I’m buying you a drink.” I back away, and he moves as if to follow me. “Stay right here,” I say, pointing a finger at him. “I’ll be right back.”
“Neelu,” he calls, but I’m already moving, making my way to the bar.
Who takes care of this man? I wonder. This man who was there for his younger sisters when his parents passed.
Who was present for his best friend through a serious illness, and then for his friend’s mother.
Who showed up for my father, a complete stranger to him.
Who showed up for these people he only just met today.
I wonder if anyone’s been there for him. And I wonder if he’d ever accept it if they tried.
“Two pints,” I tell the man behind the bar.
“Of what?” he asks, and I hesitate.
“Tennent’s is always a safe choice,” a man says beside me, and I smile. Of course Jacob couldn’t sit still. Of course he’d find some way to try to help.
Maybe I should find it frustrating, but instead, it’s just incredibly endearing.
I turn, planning to give him a hard time, but stop. “Callum?” I say, a bit surprised.
His mouth curves up, lazy and slow. “You remembered,” he says, his voice a deep rumble.
“Yeah.” I offer a polite smile back, then turn back to the bartender. “We’ll do two pints of that,” I say.
“I’ll take one as well,” Callum says. He pulls out a card, sliding it across. “You can keep mine open.” He nods toward me. “And add hers as well.”
“Oh,” I say. “No. Thank you, but I want to get these.”
He shrugs. “Sure.”
We stand in silence as the bartender fills up three glasses, setting them on the counter, then takes our cards and swipes them at the machine in the back.
“I got a call just now about your car,” Callum says.
“Really?”
He nods, pivoting so he’s facing me, his hip leaning against the bar. “Parts should be in tomorrow.”
My eyebrows rise. “I thought you said they’d take a couple days.”
“Called in a couple favors. Least I could do.”
“Oh, I—Thank you,” I say.
“No problem,” he says. Then he laughs. “I’m sorry, I’m stretching the truth just a little. I did call them to see if they could move it along, but they told me the parts were already on their way.”
“Well, thank you, still, for doing that,” I say. “We’ve been a little anxious to get back on the road.” I pause. “Not that we’re not fans of your town.”
“Oh, sure,” he says. He grins, one side of his mouth a little higher than the other. “And where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“Skye,” I say.
“Skye? I haven’t been there in a while. You ever been?”
“No,” I say. “I haven’t.”
The bartender returns, handing back our cards.
“Can I also get a glass of sauvignon blanc?” Callum asks, and the bartender chuckles.
“For Elsie?” he asks.
Callum rolls his eyes good-naturedly. “Who else?”
“She knows I keep this bottle here only for her, right?”
“And she very much appreciates it,” Callum says.
The bartender pours the glass, then Callum picks up both of his drinks. I do the same.
“Well—” I start, about to say my goodbyes.
“Why don’t you take this over to Elsie with me?” Callum says.
“Oh,” I say. I look around the crowd, scanning the room. “I actually need to bring this back for—” And then I find him. Jacob’s sitting next to Elsie, leaning in close to her as she nods enthusiastically, waving her hand as she speaks.
“Never mind,” I say. “I’m actually heading there myself.”
We walk over there slowly, balancing our drinks as we squeeze past people.
“Aunt Elsie!” Callum says. He bends down, placing her glass of wine in front of her and brushing his lips against her cheek.
Jacob looks up from where he’s sitting, and I take the empty chair beside him. His eyes find mine, watching me as I slide him his glass.
“Thanks,” he says, his voice a bit gruff. He takes a long sip, his lips glistening when he pulls back.
My stomach flutters.
“You’re welcome,” I say.
I lift my own glass, and Jacob shakes his head. “You didn’t have to buy this for me, though.”
I’ve just opened my mouth, ready to argue, when Callum interrupts. “See,” he says. From across the table, he nudges my arm. “Isn’t that what I told you? You should have let me get them.”
I roll my eyes. “I think you’re already doing more than enough for us with the car.” I turn to Jacob. “Callum thinks it’ll be ready sometime tomorrow.”
Jacob looks over at him, but for some reason, instead of forming a smile at this news, his mouth flattens.
“You’re leaving tomorrow?” Elsie asks.
“Yes. If the car’s fixed by then,” I say.
“It will be,” Callum says.
Elsie looks between the two of us. “You’ve all met then?”
“Yes,” Callum says. “This morning. And again at the purvey. Neelu, and—” He stops. “Sorry, mate, I can’t remember your name from before.”
Jacob’s mid-swallow, so I’m about to speak for him, but Elsie beats me to it.
“It’s Jacob,” Elsie says. “Neelu’s boyfriend.”
I cough, a loud hacking sound. I try to clear my throat, but it only makes it worse, and another cough overtakes me.
I feel a hand come to the center of my back.
“You all right?” Jacob asks, his voice low with concern. His fingers apply the slightest pressure, and I cover my mouth as another cough escapes.
“It’s—I’m—” I sputter.
Jacob scoots my glass toward me, and I drink from it, trying to push this strange choking sensation down.
As I swallow, Jacob’s hand travels in a slow, small circle right between my shoulder blades, and my lungs grow tight again, like all the air’s been sucked out of them.
“Everything okay?” Elsie asks, watching us with concern.
“We’re not together,” I say, the words flying out in a rush, and Jacob’s hand goes still.
“You’re not?” Elsie asks.
“No,” I say. “Sorry. We’re just—”
“We’re just traveling together,” Jacob says. He pats my back once—the gesture painfully platonic—and straightens, moving away from me. “We have some mutual friends in common, and we’re taking this trip to help them out.”
I nod. “Yes,” I say. “Exactly.”
“So, the two of you are not together?” Elsie asks.
“Yes,” I say. “Or no? No, we’re not together.”
“Sorry?” she says, and I cringe, hating that I’m adding to the confusion.
“No,” I say. “We’re not together.”
Out of the corner of my eye I watch Jacob’s fingers flex, tightening around his glass.
Callum’s eyes bounce between Jacob and me, and then he smiles. “So,” he says. “What are the two of you planning to do with your last night here in town?”
“I—” I glance over at Jacob. “I don’t think we have any plans.”
Jacob doesn’t meet my eyes. He just takes a long, deep sip of his drink.
And Callum doesn’t add anything. He only hums in acknowledgment, watching me, considering, a spark of interest there that I don’t recall seeing before.
The conversation shifts, with Elsie complimenting Jacob on his playing and asking us questions about our trip to Skye.
We give her and Callum the gist, leaving out details about my father and the runaway bride, but sharing about our bumps in the road.
Jacob grins as he describes being surrounded by sheep—a first for him, he says, even though he’s lived in Scotland all his life.
Whatever stiffness he had only moments ago melts as he talks with Elsie, his posture relaxing, his brown eyes warm and golden. He has a five o’clock shadow right now. I can see it up close, the way it accents the line of his jaw.
He’s beautiful. Especially like this, open and honest, every emotion at the surface.
Just like he was the night we met.
I’m staring at him, I know I am, but I can’t seem to stop. And a few seconds later, he notices. His mouth forms a wide smile as he tells the story of the car breaking down, but when he looks at me, he halts mid-sentence, surprise flashing across his face.
I flush, reaching for my drink, and Jacob continues, saying something that makes Elsie laugh, but I don’t really follow.
My brain is buzzing, the sensation skittering over my skin.
And it only grows when I feel the smallest, most tentative movement, the barest brush of Jacob’s foot against mine.
My eyes snap to his face, but he’s looking at Elsie, only talking to her.
I think it’s an accident until he does it again, firmer this time, nudging my foot.
So I do the only thing I can do.
I bump his foot right back.
And this time he reacts, his lips quirking up.
It’s silly, so incredibly silly, but it makes something bloom in my chest. Seeing him grin, being playful, light and free after such a heavy day—it does something to me.
“Can I get you another?” Callum asks, gesturing at my empty glass.
“Oh.” I didn’t realize I’d finished it already. “I—I’m good. Thank you.”
Jacob shifts closer, and under the table, where no one can see, the full length of his leg presses against mine.
It’s nothing, really, nothing compared to what the two of us have already done together, but it makes my insides go haywire.
“I think I’m ready to leave, actually,” I say.
“Oh.” Callum’s brows crease.
Beside me, Jacob doesn’t move, his leg still pressed against me. He doesn’t say anything, not even when Callum continues, asking, “Can I walk you out?”
I don’t hesitate. I offer him a smile, but shake my head.
He’s handsome, and seems sweet, and I think he might be making a move, but there’s only one man I’m interested in tonight.
“That’s okay,” I say. “It’s only a short walk back.”
I scoot out of my chair, and a millisecond later, Jacob follows.
“It was nice seeing you,” I tell Callum, who offers the same pleasantries, and Elsie says she’ll see us back at the inn.
Once I’ve gathered my purse and slipped my sweater around my shoulders, I turn to look at Jacob.
“Are you ready to head out too?”
“Yes,” he says. He steps closer to me, and the rest of his words come out as a rough whisper, one I swear I can feel, the barest breath traveling over the back of my neck. “I absolutely am.”