I stifle another laugh. “That was mean, I shouldn’t laugh.”
“That could’ve been his baby mama if he hadn’t been smarter. Magnolia would’ve gotten knocked up just to keep that man in her clutches.”
I can’t picture Luke with her, but then again, no one ever imagined he and I together either.
I glance over at Magnolia and smile a little. “Well, then I’m glad he saw the possible error of his ways.”
Jacob leans back with a sly grin. “Is that your professional opinion?”
“Maybe or maybe it’s just that, in the end, I won. I got the guy, the kids, the life and . . . well, I got the folded flag.”
As soon as I say it, I want to take it back.
“Brenna . . .”
I lift my hand to stop him. “It’s not what I meant. I didn’t say that for a reaction, and I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s all of us who are sorry.”
“You know, I never understood why people apologize for my loss. It’s not their fault. No one went in and broke a part on Luke’s plane just to see what would happen. It was a mechanical failure, and no one is really to blame. Why do we say we’re sorry?”
Jacob moves so his arms are resting on the table in front of us. “Because we’re sorry that someone we like or care about is hurting. We’re sorry that families suffer because someone they love is gone. I hated when people said it after my mother died, but as an adult, I get why they were sorry and where the apology comes from.”
I take my lower lip between my teeth and slide it back and forth. “And when you lost her, how was it for your father?”
He releases a heavy puff of air. “Let’s say that you’re handling it the polar opposite of him.”
“That good, huh?”
“It wasn’t easy for any of us, and that’s putting it mildly.”
This topic is definitely not what I had thought we’d venture onto, and honestly, I don’t want to talk about Luke right now. I know this isn’t a real date or anything, but it’s the first time I’ve been out with a guy who wasn’t Luke since I was eighteen.
Jacob won’t ever be anything other than a famous actor who was nice to my kid, but maybe this could be a sort of practice for whenever I am ready.
I’m attracted to him, and sometimes I get the feeling he’s flirting with me or, at least, he could think I’m pretty.
Magnolia brings the glasses of lemonade and then takes our order. I try not to seek out glimpses of him over my menu, but I fail. I want just one more look at him. His dark brown hair is pushed to the side, slightly curling at the ends, but his eyes? God, they’re magnificent. The green is so light in the middle and darkens as it goes out to a thick black band that keeps the shape.
Jacob looks up, and I feel the heat rise in my cheeks. Damn it. He caught me.
I clear my throat and give Magnolia my order. “I’ll have the grilled cheese and a pickle, please.”
“Our grilled cheese is one of the best.”
I smile. “It’s my favorite.”
Jacob’s eyes don’t leave me. “I’ll have the same.” He hands the menu over to her.
“I’ll get that right out. I have to say, I am so glad we met,” she informs me. “If you ever want to know about Luke as a teenager, I’d be happy to share stories.”
I break our stare, not wanting to be rude to Magnolia while also needing to calm my racing heart. “That’s really nice of you.”
“It’s nothing really. I never knew that it was redheads he was attracted to. I would’ve dyed my hair if that were common knowledge.”
If I were drinking something, I would’ve choked.
Jacob smoothly steps in. “Magnolia, we’re on a time crunch here so if you could get our meals out that would be great.”
“Sure thing, Navigator.” It comes out like a growl.
I hold in a laugh and cover my face with my menu that she didn’t take from me.
“Not funny.”
I lower it slightly. “It is, though. You might have your own baby mama if you’re not careful.”
“She’s a fucking mess. Half the people in this town are, but being out of here for nine years has been a gift.”
“Why did you never return?”
“There aren’t many movie career opportunities here. Plus, this town holds a lot of memories I have tried to forget.”
I understand that all too well. “It seems you have great brothers.”
He takes a sip of his drink. “We’re a close group and have been through a lot together.”
“I always wanted a big family. I wished for it.”
“It has its benefits, but then again, so does being an only child.”
I nod while playing with the straw. “I always knew that I wanted to have at least two kids.”
“You had them young.”
“It wasn’t part of my plan,” I admit. “I was really young and not prepared, but it worked out. Luke was the best mistake I ever made, that’s what I used to tell him.”
He smiles. “It sounds sweet in a weird way.”
“We were weird. I was this gangly redhead who was desperate for a night of fun after my first year of college. I had never really had a boyfriend, but I wanted to just let loose.”
“That’s how you guys met? At a party?”
I nod, remembering it. “It was total luck that we bumped into each other. My roommate dressed me in one of her outfits that made it look like I had boobs. She did my hair and makeup. We were both standing there, started talking, and then we were making out.”
“Ahh, and one thing led to another?”
I chuckle. “I am the walking billboard for hooking up and getting pregnant. We were together maybe three times before I was pregnant with Melanie. Luke and I just clicked, though, so he asked me to marry him right away.”
“And you said yes,” Jacob muses.
“I did. Luke was the only guy to ever tell me I was pretty. That night, my roommate did more than magic. God knows it was the only time I ever thought I was even mildly attractive.”
He blinks a few times. “You didn’t think you were pretty? You’re kidding, right?”
“I’m not pretty. I’m passable.”
Jacob’s green eyes lock on mine. “You’re more than passable, Brenna. I promise that you are so much more than passable.”
My heart begins to beat a little harder. Again, I wonder if he’s flirting. It’s not always outright, but it’s the way he says things and then he looks at me, stares really. Jacob is over-the-top gorgeous, which is why I know I have to be losing my mind. He could have any woman in the world, and there’s no way he’s interested in a single mom living in Pennsylvania.
“You don’t have to—”
“I am telling you that I am surrounded by women who think they’re pretty, who work way too hard to be passable, and you outshine every single one of them. You aren’t passable, you’re gorgeous. I’m not just saying that either. The moment I met you, I thought . . . holy shit, that woman is breathtaking.”
I don’t know what to say. Every ugly duckling part of me is screaming out that he’s crazy and lying, but the way he’s looking at me tells me he’s not. He really thinks I’m beautiful.