Chapter 63 Rain
sixty-three
Rain
I’m used to being up early. I couldn’t sleep, anyway. All I could think about was Jess and being with her again. I’m sitting in my car, feeling like an idiot, when Mr. Roberts comes out of the house. He sees me, so I get out.
“Morning, Jake.” He picks up the newspaper from the front steps.
“Jess and Ty are both still asleep, but you can come in and have coffee with me.” It’s more like an order than an invitation.
The idea of being alone with Mr. Roberts makes me nervous.
I’m a grown man. I've been in combat. I deal with grown men all the time, but being around Jess’ dad makes me feel like a teenager again.
I follow him into the kitchen, and he pours me a cup of coffee.
“Kids take after their mom,” he says. “They like to sleep in. I’ve always been an early riser. I had to get used to that when we got married.” He leaves the paper on the table. “You want some breakfast?”
“No, thanks.” I sip my coffee.
He looks at me across the table. I feel like I’m being appraised. “You and Jessica are dating now?”
“Yes, sir.” I feel myself sitting up straighter.
He clears his throat and smooths the paper.
“Dads have this reputation for chasing guys away, for trying to protect their daughters. I guess I’m as guilty of that as anyone.
Probably more so.” He takes a drink of his coffee.
“Most of the guys who came here after Jessica deserved to be chased off. I guess you know that.” He shakes his head.
“Don’t worry, I won’t be chasing you off.
At least not yet. This is the happiest I’ve seen her in a long time. ”
He stares down into his cup. “Losing Matt was hard on all of us, but maybe hardest on her. For a while I thought we were going to lose her too. All that’s changed now. I think you have something to do with that.” He looks up at me and nods. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sir.”
He picks up the paper and shakes it to unfold it. “It doesn’t mean I won’t have my guns out from time to time. Just as a reminder.”
I look at him to see if he’s serious.
His eyes are twinkling. “You’re a good man, Jacob. You hurt her though—"
“Dad!” Jess is standing in the doorway to the kitchen. Her face is red.
“Hey, hon,” Mr. Roberts says. “You’re up early.”
“Apparently not early enough.” She walks across the kitchen and sits on my lap, defiant, like she’s daring her dad to say anything about it.
He grins and turns back to his paper.
“You want to go for a run?” she asks.
“Love to,” I answer. She slips off my lap, and I stand up. “Thanks for the coffee.”
Mr. Roberts nods.
This time I came prepared with running shoes and a change of clothes. I let Jess drive my car. I get the idea that she’s enjoying the drive, taking the long way around. We end up at a trail that runs through the middle of the woods.
The day is cold and damp with a little fog.
Jess is wearing running shorts—short running shorts—and a WSU sweatshirt.
She’s not wearing makeup, and her hair is pulled back in a ponytail.
She looks amazing. No headphones this time.
She stays beside me, and we talk while we run—nothing important, just talk.
We get down the trail a good couple of miles when the weather changes. “Maybe we should head back.” I’m watching an ominous black cloud heading our way.
“Afraid of getting wet?” she teases. “I thought you’d lived here long enough to get your webbed feet.”
“Up to you,” I say.
She looks at the cloud. “Yeah, maybe we’d better turn around.”
Five minutes later, the cloud erupts into a downpour. We’re getting completely drenched, and Jess is laughing. I grab her hand and pull her with me under a giant cedar. She whirls around to face me, still laughing. I brush my hand across her cheek to catch a drop of rain running down her face.
“Isn’t this great?” Her face beams.
“The rain?”
“The rain. Running. Being with you, just being alive. It’s incredible." She walks out into the rain again, throws her head back, and catches raindrops in her mouth.
I walk over, pick her up, and kiss her. We stand there kissing in the rain, like a scene from some cheesy romance—completely drenched but incredibly happy.