CHAPTER THREE
Anya
I shift in my bed as I begin to wake and am immediately met with the smell of coffee and bacon. I go to turn and I bump into something big and warm. My hands explore, and I realize it's something hard yet soft. Wrapping my hand around it, I instantly recognize what it is and yank my hand away, my eyes shooting open. Jacob is next to me! Shit! I fell asleep here last night! The sound of breakfast cooking and dishes clinking in the kitchen tells me Nana is awake. Double shit!
Carefully, I unwrap myself from Jacob's arm and slowly leave the bed. I look down and notice I'm still naked. Frantically, I search the floor for my clothes. Finding them, I quickly put them on.
I cautiously open the door and start to tiptoe towards my room before Nana's voice stops me. "Anya, can you come here for a moment?" I groan inwardly, cursing myself.
Slowly, I make my way to the kitchen, bracing myself for the inevitable scolding. "Yes," I reply with a solemn tone.
"Good morning sweetie, would you like some coffee?" Nana asks, catching me off guard. Suspiciously, I agree and watch as she makes me a cup. Maybe she's waiting until I'm fully awake to reprimand me for what happened last night. But why should I feel guilty? I'm 21 years old after all!
Nana hands me my coffee and I take a sip. "Do you want eggs with your breakfast?" she offers. Hesitantly, I respond with an "uhh sure Nana." Turning to sit at the kitchen table, I wonder when she'll finally say something. She definitely knows what happened last night, right? There's no way she could have missed it with how loud we were, how loud I was!
After a few moments, she brings my breakfast over and sets it in front of me before returning to the stove. I can't take the tension any longer and blurt out, "Okay Nana, can you just say it already?" She looks shocked and replies innocently, "Say what?"
"Can we just get this over with?" I groan, feeling exasperated. She smiles at me, and for a moment, I forget the reason why I'm here. Why is she smiling? Then she picks up her plate of food and sits across from me. I watch as she stirs her coffee, trying to calm my nerves.
"NANA!" I groan, a little more impatiently this time. She gives me a look, telling me to watch my tone.
"I know you're anxious," she says calmly, "but what specifically are you worried about?"
"You know exactly what!" I huff, crossing my arms defensively.
She smiles and lets out a soft sigh, then pats my hand gently. "Anya, you're 21 years old now. I can't tell you not to have sex; you're an adult. And I'm not na?ve enough to think that you haven't already." My face flushes with embarrassment, but she continues on without skipping a beat. "You and Jacob have a special bond and clearly you both love each other. However, I do ask that if things should progress physically between the two of you, that you try to be...quieter." She says and takes another sip of her coffee.
I nod, understanding where she’s coming from yet I cannot help but feel my cheeks flush, embarrassed about having this conversation with my Nana. But before I can apologize or explain further, she holds up her hand.
"Nope! We're not discussing any more details about your sex life," she says firmly. "You're still my granddaughter and there are some things that are better left unknown." She says and begins to read a newspaper.
I quietly laugh to myself as I dig into my breakfast. The conversation with Nana went surprisingly well, considering how I thought it would go based on my strict upbringing. My parents were always lecturing me about making mistakes and waiting until marriage for sex. I expected Nana, having raised my dad, to have a similar response as them. But she surprised me in the best way possible.
Jacob enters, looking a bit disheveled but still charming. I stare and admire his "morning after" appearance - messy hair, tight light blue t-shirt that accentuates his chest and arms. I've fallen hard for him and feel grateful that we found each other. He's like a golden retriever, always so happy and loving. Part of me feels guilty for bringing him into my complicated life. He doesn't deserve to be dragged down by my past traumas. But the other part of me knows that he's an adult capable of making his own decisions. That thought also scares me though, because I've fallen deeply in love with him and I'm afraid he'll one day realize I'm too much for him and leave. That would hurt more than anything Paul ever did. I've never been one to believe in soulmates or fate, but a small part of me thinks maybe the universe didn't care about all that and just sent me Jacob anyway.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Jacob says, leaning down to kiss me, but then he notices Nana and stops, looking at her.
“Don’t stop on my account. It’s not like the whole house didn’t hear you two last night,”.
“NANA!” I exclaim, noticing Jacob’s cheeks turning red and his eyes widening.
“Anya, I wouldn’t be surprised if our neighbors heard you two,” she says with a smirk, sipping her coffee.
Jacob coughs, his face as red as ever. “I... umm... I’m—”
“Oh hush, dear, I’m just teasing you. Now kiss her and get some breakfast.”
Looking embarrassed, Jacob smiles. “Yes, ma’am,” he says, leaning back down to place a kiss on my lips.
“Just remember that once you two are married, never stop kissing each other good morning and good night.”
I spit out my coffee, splattering it all over the dining room table. “NANA!” I exclaim, grabbing some paper towels to wipe up the mess.
“Oh please, Anya, you two are meant for each other. Mark my words, you both will get married,” she says, then walks out of the kitchen and down to her room.
I bury my face in my hands, heat rising to my cheeks as I apologize profusely. "I am so sorry for that," I say with a winced expression. "Sometimes Nana lacks a filter."
Jacob's laughter fills the air and his eyes twinkle with amusement. "It's all good," he reassures me, "I was more surprised by the fact she overheard us."
"Me!" I exclaim incredulously, breaking into a chuckle. "She heard me !"
Jacob's smile widens, his handsome features glowing in the sunlight.
"Now, don’t go getting a bigger head," I say, pretending to be annoyed.
"Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it," he replies with a sly wink. "But I think last night proved it’s big enough," he adds with a mischievous grin, making my cheeks flush even more.
I let out an exaggerated sigh and gave him a light shove "Oh my god, stop it!" I say, rolling my eyes but smiling all the same. We enjoy breakfast with plenty of banter, until the sudden buzzing of my phone cuts through the moment. My heart skips a beat as I glance down, freezing at the message on the screen.
Welcome home Anya! I hope Pennsylvania wasn't too boring for you.
The text from the mystery guy sends shivers down my spine, and I feel Jacob's puzzled gaze on me.
"Who was that?" he asks, his expression now curious and slightly concerned.
I force a smile and quickly close the message, not wanting Jacob to see it or suspect anything. "Just Lana checking up on me," I say nonchalantly, but inside I'm shaking.
He nods his head but continues to watch me suspiciously. "Is everything okay?" he asks. I nervously twirl a lock of hair and nod my head, trying to brush off his concerns.
"Yeah, just a mix-up at work," I lie as I stand up and collect my dishes. I need space and time to think about how to handle this situation without involving anyone else, especially Jacob who has always been so protective of me. He can be perceptive and I don't want him worrying or interfering with something that is ultimately my battle to fight. Despite everything, I know deep down that I can handle this without needing a man to save me. And right now, I need to figure out how I will handle this mystery guy, and what his intentions are.
I make my way to the sink, thoughts swirl through my mind like a tempest. The clattering of dishes against each other provides a brief distraction, but it does little to ease the storm brewing within me.
I lean on the counter and take a moment to collect my thoughts, my gaze fixed on the view outside the kitchen window. The sun casts its warm rays over the world, and for a brief moment, I feel a sense of peace in its quiet presence. However, even the sun's radiant light cannot chase away the unease that lingers within me.
I've always been independent, fiercely so. But this situation feels different – a shadowy figure lurking at the edges of my life, his intentions masked by mystery. The realization that I am facing this alone begins to weigh heavily upon me.
My fingers clench around the edge of the sink as I take a deep breath, willing myself to find the strength within. It's not that I doubt Jacob's abilities or his well-meaning nature; he has been my rock these past few months. However, this time, I need to confront this challenge head-on, to prove to myself that I can battle my demons without relying on a man to rescue me.
I wipe my hands on the kitchen towel, feeling determination surge within me. It's time to dive into this mystery and uncover the truth. It may seem overwhelming, but I’m confident I have the inner strength to face whatever lies ahead.
I step away from the sink, feeling a wave of freedom wash over me. This is my path—an opportunity to discover who I truly am and grow from it. I won't let fear or others' expectations hold me back. Now, I just need to figure out how to make it all work. I need to talk to Lana.
Jacob joins me at my side, his expression still concerned. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asks, placing a gentle hand on my face. I lean in to kiss him and reassure him, "Yes, Jacob, I'm fine. But I do have to go to work today," I lie, using it as an excuse to go to Lana's instead. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me closer. "Do you want me to stay until tonight?" he offers sweetly. As much as I would love for him to stay, I can't risk him finding out about my plans with Lana. "That's kind of you, but no. I don't know when I'll be off work and afterwards I'll most likely be going to Lana's house." I force a smile, hoping he doesn't suspect anything.
He leans in and kisses me; Jacob's lips are soft and warm against mine. As he kisses me, I taste the sweetness of coffee and pancakes on his lips and feel his strong arms slowly engulf me. His scent of fresh air and soap mixes with the aroma of coffee filling the kitchen. The sound of our lips exploring each other echoes in the silent house as we share this tender moment. I let myself get lost in his touch, feeling safe and loved. We reluctantly part but with promises to see each other later.
I walk toward my car, I can't help but smile at the taste of him lingering on my lips. The breeze blows through my hair, causing it to dance around my face. The sun shines brightly in the sky, casting long shadows behind me as I pull out of the driveway making my way towards Lana's house. As I pull up to her place I notice her driveway is more crowded than usual due to her parents having a party. Lana’s parents are wealthy and they hate the fact she works as a waitress. But they're all friendly toward me; they know how close we are and I’ve always been great at impressing my friends’ parents.
I knock on the door, not sure what I'll find inside. Lana answers wearing only a tiny black bikini that barely covers her curves; she quickly puts on a pink robe before inviting me in. "Hey you! Come in!" She hugs me tightly before taking my hand and leading me into her room where we used to do things like painting our nails or watching chick flicks while stuffing our faces with junk food.
"I need your help with something," I say without hesitation because she is the only person I trust who knows about my stalker.
Concern fills her face, “okay let me change first” she says as she heads into her bathroom. She emerges a few minutes later dressed in casual jeans and a tank top.
We both sit on her bed, our faces grave. I start by showing her the text I received earlier today.
"Anya, this is getting serious. How did he find out you were in Pennsylvania?"
I shrug and reply, "Honestly, I have no idea."
"You need to tell Jacob!"
"No, I can't do that. He's already dealing with enough of my problems, and he's leaving soon. I don't want him worrying about me while he's gone. Plus, I don’t want to constantly rely on a man to save me!"
"But-"
"No, Lana! We can handle this. If it's Paul, I at least know how to deal with him."
Lana sighs and concedes, "Okay, fine. But if things escalate, you have to tell Jacob. He can help."
"Fine, but only if things get worse."