Chapter Four
“Hey, gorgeous,” Jacob said the next morning, his lazy grin filling my laptop’s screen once our call loaded. The instant I saw his smile and his messy, just-woke-up shag of strawberry blond hair, I smiled.
“Not so gorgeous right now,” I pointed out, gesturing to the sweaty bird’s nest of a bun on top of my head and the lack of makeup, lack of sleep, lack of anything remotely close too cute. I hadn’t even showered since my run this morning, and I was glad he couldn’t smell me through the screen.
“You’re always beautiful. How’s my girl today?”
My heart fluttered at his response, as it always did when he spoke to me.
He revered me like a queen, it seemed, always showing me kindness and care.
I’d never dated anyone like him, where there were no games, no pretenses of trying to play hard to get.
We knew from the moment we met that we liked each other, and we didn’t bullshit.
We dated, and became exclusive after a week, and from that moment on, I never had to wonder what I meant to him.
Healthy relationships were weird.
“Tired,” I answered with a croaky voice. I rubbed my throat at the sound, frowning. I had a podcast to record in two days, and that was not the sound I needed to hear. “But otherwise, good. It’s been nonstop since my plane landed.”
“I caught on to that, based on how little we’ve been texting,” he teased.
The freckles on his cheeks danced with his smile, and when he propped his head up on one elbow, I was distracted by his firm bicep, wishing I could lie on his chest and feel that arm wrapped around me. “How’s my favorite person?”
“I just told you how I am.”
“I meant Aunt Laura.”
I chuckled. “She’s still weird, which is just how I like her. And she’s still obsessed with you, too.”
“Hey, you told me I had one person to win over, and I didn’t take that lightly.”
“I said win her over, not make her second in line to marry you if I don’t.”
We both laughed at that, but I didn’t miss the way his forest green eyes watched me, curiously — like he was wondering if I’d been thinking about us like that.
Thinking about marriage.
Jacob and I had only been dating for a little over seven months, but I knew after just three that he was serious about his intentions with me.
Whereas I was intent on going slow, having fun, enjoying just dating , I could feel his need for more as time passed.
He’d casually brought up what kind of ring I would want, how I would want to be proposed to, what kind of house I’d like, where I’d like to set roots, if I wanted kids…
It was all normal, necessary conversation for a couple in a healthy relationship.
But for some reason, every time we went there, I clammed up.
“How’s work?” I asked, changing the subject before it could linger too long on the M word.
Jacob was in the influencer world like me, except his focus centered around fitness.
He had five-hundred-thousand followers on Instagram, many who paid top dollar for his CrossFit videos and sported his brand on their t-shirts, tank tops, hats, and more like it was Nike.
When we’d first started dating, we did a collaboration, him designing a runner-focused clothing line with my name on it, and me hosting a seven-week motivation podcast series with him.
And just like that, our relationship became a public entity, too.
“Busy,” he said on a sigh, but his smile was proud. “I’m nearly doubling my subscribers on the app every week, which blows my mind, so I’ve been scrambling to up my content on there so there’s plenty for them to digest once they subscribe. And I have that video shoot with HIIT Magazine tomorrow.”
“Oh, that’s right!” I sat up, excited. “You’re going to look so hot with all that sweat dripping off you. Send me some behind-the-scenes clips?”
I waggled my brows, and Jacob shook his head, though his eyes devoured me hungrily then, especially when he saw my hardened nipples under the tank top I was wearing, the thin, built-in bra doing nothing to hide my arousal.
“Why don’t you call me tomorrow night, and I’ll give you a private show?”
I made a lewd gesture that had us both laughing, and then I sighed, leaning toward the screen to study his smile. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
“Just trying to keep up with my superstar girlfriend.”
I scoffed.
“I’m serious,” he said. “Don’t downplay what you’ve built, Jaz. It’s amazing. Trust me, I know a lot of podcasters, and none of theirs are as lucrative as yours.”
I flushed, tucking the strands of hair falling from the messy bun on my head behind my ears.
“It feels surreal sometimes,” I admitted.
“Like someone is going to call me one of these days and tell me they made a mistake and all those deposits in my bank account were meant for someone else and they need all the money back.”
Jacob chuckled. “Well, believe it, babe. That green is all yours.”
“Speaking of which,” I said, stomach churning a little.
“I really need to figure out a budget and how to save. I’ve never seen money like this in my life,” I admitted, which wasn’t news to Jacob.
He knew everything about my past, about my upbringing, and though I never told him exact numbers, he knew I made well over six figures with my business now.
“I don’t think you’re being irresponsible with it.”
“No, not too much,” I said, but inside, I felt the exact opposite. No one knew the amount of online shopping I did.
And oh, did I do it.
“I travel a lot, though, and buy without thinking. I don’t even look, because I know the money’s in there, you know?
And I’m not saving anything for retirement, or for a rainy day…
” I shrugged. “I just think I need to grow up a bit. I’m twenty-five, and I have this really successful business for now .
But, it’s not guaranteed to last. The podcast could tank tomorrow, social media could die, and all my revenue from endorsements and ads and my shop would go down along with it. ”
“That won’t happen.”
“It could,” I said, and that part of my chest that flared to life at anything uncomfortable had me inhaling a stiff breath and forcing a smile. “But, we don’t need to worry about that right now.”
That was my M.O. Anytime something got too serious, too real, I’d assure myself and everyone around me that everything was fine and there was no need to worry.
And I’d believe it.
Right up until the point everything blew up.
“Okay, then,” Jacob said, letting me change the subject. He arched a brow. “Have you ran into the dreaded boy who broke your heart yet?”
I nearly choked, because though I’d wanted to change the subject, this was not what I had in mind.
Again, Jacob knew everything about me — including the main reason why I avoided coming back to Bridgechester after I left.
Yes, the memories of my mother played a huge role in that decision, but more so, it was that I couldn’t face Tyler after he’d touched me the way he had and then changed his mind, saying it was a mistake, taking it all back.
I had never told Jacob the name of the mystery boy who broke my heart, and I was thankful for that fact now.
“I don’t want to talk about that either,” I said, which was a clever, albeit selfish way to avoid the subject without outright lying to him.
Thankfully, I knew Jacob’s sexual appetite was as healthy as mine, and with me being gone for a few days already, I knew just the way to get his mind off everything else.
I bit my lip, leaning forward and playing with the neckline of my running tank as Jacob’s eyes heated. He watched the trail of my fingers and I could almost see it, the way his cock would twitch to life just before his erection started growing.
“You look so hot right now,” I husked. “You know what you should do?”
His eyes darkened with lust. “What’s that?”
I smirked, licking my lips as my fingers dipped under my tank top. “You should—”
Suddenly, there was a commotion of voices outside my bedroom door, and then it flew open without so much as a knock.
I ripped my hand from under my shirt just as a shadow of something disappeared around the corner, and Morgan bounded inside my room and onto the bed, tackling me in a hug that sent me down into the mess of sheets.
“IT’S BACHELORETTE PARTY DAY!”
She was still in her pink-and-white-striped pajama shorts and matching tank top, her short hair a frizzy mess that rivaled mine.
I laughed as she squeezed me tight and then bounced on her knees on the bed like a seven-year-old at her first sleepover.
When she realized Jacob was on my laptop screen, she flopped down on her stomach, face right up on the camera.
“Oh my gosh. Hiiii, Jacob!”
“Hey there, Morgan,” he said on a chuckle.
“I can’t wait to meet you in real life next weekend!”
“I can’t wait either. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Oh, trust me, the rumors are no match for the real thing,” she teased, her legs kicking where they rested in the air behind her. “Sorry I interrupted. Were you guys doing it ?”
“Morgan,” I chastised, but it was with a grin as I sidled up next to her, offering Jacob an apologetic look.
“What? Why else would you video chat if not to see the goods?”
“She’s not wrong,” Jacob said, pointing at Morgan, who lit up with validation as she looked at me with a see? expression.
“Haven’t even met in person, and already you two are ganging up on me?”
“Just two peas in a pod who love you,” Morgan said, kissing my cheek. “And love picking on you, too.” She turned to Jacob then. “Alright, Mister Jacob. I gotta steal your girl for a while. Tonight is the joint bachelor-bachelorette party, and we have a lot to do.”
“Joint parties, huh?” Jacob smiled. “Can’t bear to be parted from Oliver for even one night.”
“We have the most fun when we’re together,” she said easily, as if nothing else made sense. “Why wouldn’t we want to celebrate our wedding together as opposed to being apart?”