31. Chelsea
CHELSEA
I'm doing some work when my phone rings, screen flashing an unknown number.
Without thinking, I answer it, "Hello?"
No one speaks. I draw the phone away from my ear to ensure that the call is still connected before I put it back. "Hello?"
Suddenly, the end call tone beeps in my ear.
"Weird." I put the phone down and refocus on my screen. But for the second time in just as many minutes, I'm interrupted. This time, by a knock on the door.
I sigh and shift my seat back before walking over to answer it.
Through the peephole, I spot Jake's broad form standing there in a t-shirt and jeans.
His hands are shoved into his pockets before he pulls them out and rubs the back of his hair.
He also checks his breath and fidgets with a random curl at his nape.
My heart starts racing, a smile pulling across my lips.
So cute. I'm so happy to see him. I was worried about him yesterday, worried that I had said or done something to trigger his sudden mood change.
He tried to cloak it throughout the date, but I could tell something was off, that he'd withdrawn into himself and held his emotions tight, overthinking every single smile and word he said.
And now he's here.
I can't pull the door open fast enough. "Hey."
He gives me an identical smile, except his is tinged with nerves. "Hey. Um...can we talk?"
"Sure," I step back, allowing him to enter the living space. His scent encompasses me as he crosses over, and I close my eyes, inhaling it, savoring it.
Thankfully, I manage to get a hold of myself before he turns around.
"I think I owe you an apology," he says.
I cock my head, confused. "For what?"
"For how I acted yesterday. I was childish...jealous."
"Of what?"
"Of the fact that you introduced Adam as your boyfriend but not me. And how you and Sam almost seem to have your own secret language sometimes."
I gape. That's so surprising, I shake my head. "That wasn't... we were caught, and so I had to make up an excuse. And Sam and I–"
"I know." His lip quirks. "I want to make it clear that it's nothing you did or he did.
It's my issue. I...I get very possessive over people I care about.
Sam will tell you that I was an absolute pain when I sensed him and Adam getting closer together, even though I'm the one who introduced them in the first place and pushed them to be friends.
But the second I sensed that they might eventually become closer than he and I were, I started acting like a jerk.
" He puts his hands in his pockets. "I think that's what ended up pushing Sam away entirely. My neediness."
He pushed Sam away? I thought they were friends, although I do notice that Sam tends to be with Adam more often than he is with Jake.
Sympathy drives to my chest. "What happened?"
"I don't know. I probably did something, but...yeah." He grins. "Adam says it's my mommy issues."
"Mommy issues?"
"My mom sort of left me when I was nine."
I gasp. "Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry."
"No, it's fine. It wasn't bad... or at least as bad as it could have been," he shrugs.
"Truth is that my dad was a real piece of shit.
A drunken, abusive, jealous bastard. My mother needed to get away from him, but she knew that she couldn't do that with me, so she surrendered me to the state and went. "
"That must have been awful."
"It was, but even then I understood. It was a shitty situation all around, but I never blamed her for it.
I also thought it would be temporary, just until she got back on her feet, and then she would come back for me.
But that didn't happen, at least not for the first few years.
She did get back on her feet a year later.
Met a nice man, and they got married. Started a new life together.
She even got pregnant by him and gave birth.
My biological father passed away from alcohol poisoning, so technically there was no reason why we should have been apart.
But it still took her years to come back for me, and when she did, and took me home with them, it was awkward.
She was different." He shrugs. "It was clear that she didn't want me there after some time.
And I couldn't blame her. I reminded her of the most painful moments of her life, of one of her worst mistakes. I looked exactly like my father. Had his charm and mannerisms and everything. I guess a part of her was waiting for the day I’d snap and attack her. "
"That's..." I try to temper my rage towards a woman I don't know, one who probably suffered unimaginable horrors. "She was wrong for that. You know that, right?"
"Yes. But I knew the best thing I could do for her was to let her live free of her past. So, when I was eighteen, I just left.
I knew she didn't want me around, so I didn't remain around.
I sometimes go home to visit my little brother and my stepdad, who is a great guy.
But I don't stay too long because I know that will make her....
" He stares at me, and a puzzled smile crosses his lips. "Are you crying?"
"No," I say thickly, even though my nose is pretty runny and my throat is tight, and my eyes sting because fuck, it's just so sad.
"Oh, baby, the last thing I want you to do is feel sorry for me."
"I don't," I shake my head, "I swear I don't." It's such a sad, familiar tale. Though my case isn't even half as bad, I recall having the same feelings, like I was a stranger in my own home, like my parents would have been better off if I hadn't been born. Like I should just leave it all behind.
It’s one of the things I bonded over with Claire, in college. Both being awkward freshmen and having shitty childhoods in her case, with her father being abusive too.
Maybe that’s why we were both drawn to Eric. Because he gave us both the attention we so desperately craved.
But, I didn't think Jake would have a similar story. I didn't think he would be like me, constantly excusing and overcompensating.
"It's shitty," I say with a thick voice. "That you got treated like that. No amount of trauma that she had makes it okay. You can sympathize with her and still know that she is a terrible mother for what she did to you, and you didn't deserve any of it."
He grins and swipes at my cheek with his thumb, pulling away with moisture from a single tear. "Thank you for saying that."
Then, without warning, he puts a finger up to his lips and licks it off.
A shocked sound leaves my lips as sudden desire combines with the sadness, creating a volatile mixture. He leans in and kisses me, and it's filled with salt and heat, and heart-pounding emotion that makes me never want to pull back.
"Fuck, I wish I didn't have to go to work right now," he says, and my entire body pulses with lust.
"Do you have to?"
He grits his teeth and nods. "I think so."
He backs away reluctantly, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I have to be honest with you. I don't know if I'll be able to control my jealousy enough to sustain this relationship. But I'm going to try."
"You don't have to."
"Actually, I do."
"But I'm sure there's more–"
"There's no one else," he says, reaching back and unlocking the door. "You're worth trying for."
And with that, he leaves me standing in the same position, the words ringing in my head for what feels like hours.
The phone rings again, and that's what finally snaps me into reality.
"Hello?" I pick up, and this time, I can hear audible breathing on the other end, like whoever is there just finished working out or something.
"Hello? Can I help you?"
They don't answer. Once more, they hang up.
Strange.
I'm a little weirded out and briefly consider calling the cops, but I consider that to be a little overkill.
It's probably some sort of prank. It’s not like I have any enemies except a cheating ex, and cheating exes are a dime a dozen in this city.
So yeah, I figure Halloween is coming up in a few months, somebody might be getting there early creeping out the neighbors.
I forget about the strange phone call as the weeks drag on, especially since I'm having so much fun with the guys.
They take me out on more dates, and this time, Jake takes me out bowling.
I kind of baited him into it by pretending to be a total noob. And then when he was done explaining the moves and showing off, I completely smoked him on every single round.
It's only after the second round that he realizes he's been tricked, and I laugh at the look on his face.
"That was payback for the surfing," I say as he takes me back to his house.
"Oh yeah?" He grins. "Well, then I guess I have to pay back your payback with paintball."
“Ha. You’ve just got yourself into a world of trouble because guess who won the Armack City Paintball championship in 08?”
“You?”
"No, but I could have if I participated.”
He laughs. It feels so good hearing him laugh because I have a feeling that while he’s a huge joker, it’s hard to draw any genuine mirth out of him or tickle his funny bone.
Of course, I smile proudly when I manage it, as he slides his key into his door.
When he opens it, the lights are already on, and Adam and Sam are standing at the kitchen island.
I’m a little nervous, wondering how they’re going to react to seeing me with him, but Sam immediately smiles and walks over to draw me into a hug.
“Hey,” Jake says, grabbing the back of his shirt and tugging him off before his body can make contact. “It’s still technically my time. You’re intruding.” Though the tone is light, I study Jake to make sure there’s no tension in his face when he’s saying it, and I notice Sam does the same thing.
When Jake meets my eye, I smile at him and reach over to squeeze his hand. His smile widens, and he squeezes back.
"Fine,” he says as he releases Sam. “Since I'm in a good mood, you can hug our girl.”
"Our girl?" Sam inquires.
“Yeah, I guess, although technically for the next thirty minutes, she’s still my girl.”
"Look how domesticated he's gotten," Adam winks at me. "You've really tamed him. What's your secret?"
"Great bowling skills," I respond, and they all laugh, Sam finally pulling me into a hug.
‘Would you care for dinner?” Adam asks, because he’s a sweetheart.
"Yes, I would," I say as Sam shifts his nose to my neck, where my nape meets my shoulders, and inhales. God. A forbidden heat runs down my body, and I press my legs together.
“You smell good,” he murmurs.
“You smell good too,” I respond, and Adam says after some time. “Let her go so she can eat, Sam."
Sam does it reluctantly, extracting his body from mine in bits and pieces before he finally runs a hand down my cheek, pressing a kiss there. Jake’s hand is still intertwined with mine, and when I glance down, he seems totally relaxed, totally okay with this.
“I have dibs on sitting on your right side, too," he says. "So I can stare at that mole and kiss it when I need to."
Sam stands back, evaluating, “Maybe, but her left side also has the dimple that I want to lick."
"You’re right, but then the right has–"
"Okay, both of you stop segmenting and arguing about my face," I say. "I'm hungry. I need to be fed."
"Say less,” Sam says, and he sweeps me off my feet, leaving me to squeal and throw my arms around his neck. He sets me on one of the stools on the Island and kisses me on the cheek before letting me go.
I blush as Adam looks on in amusement.
“Did you make pasta again?”
"Yup. Rigatoni. You're going to like it even more than the last one."
"I don't know. That last one was pretty darn great."
“Hm,” is his response.
But I end up eating those words a few minutes later, as I try not to moan over the dish, the flavors bursting on my tongue.
I try and fail by the way, because a few moans slip out here and there.
And from their heated gaze, they notice.
Something tells me we might not make it through this dinner.