Melanie grabs my arm. “Mom, please let Jacob hang it for me. I promise I won’t make fun of your clothes or your hanging ability again.”
That’s a lie. Just today she made a comment about my shoes and asked if I borrowed them from my mother-in-law. She said they were frumpy and I should try to wear heels more because they made my legs look leaner. I didn’t realize my legs looked fat. Thanks to my daughter, I stood in front of the mirror for ten minutes raising up on my toes.
“If Jacob really wants to do it.”
He puffs his chest out. “Of course, I want a chance to show off my manly skills.”
“You’re hanging a mirror,” I deadpan.
“Which is something you apparently can’t do.”
Mel giggles. “Come on, Jacob, I’ll show you where the tools Grandpa keeps here are.”
The two of them head off, and I go into the kitchen to inspect what my kids actually did to the dishes. As I suspected, they put the four plates and forks into the dishwasher. That’s it.
There are still various bowls and cookware on the counter and stove, and there is a dusting of flour all around the room. I love making this dish, but I absolutely hate cleaning up after it.
I make my sauce two days before I plan to make the lasagna, and the day before, I make my own noodles, which is a process. Then assembly happens, and it’s chaos in the kitchen.
As I’m walking around, I hear my phone buzz, and there is Cybil’s face on the screen. I could ignore her, which is what I want to do, but she’ll just call again. If I don’t pick up, she’ll call Melanie or Sebastian. The fact that I would send her to voice mail is enough to make her think I’m hiding something. So, it’s time to be quick.
“Hey, Cyb.”
“Hey, you. What are you up to?” She pulls her blonde hair to the side as she takes a sip of her wine.
“Nothing. Just getting ready to clean up from dinner.”
“Daddy always said having kids means less mess for adults.”
Normally, I’d point out that, once again, that makes no sense because having kids definitely doesn’t mean less mess of any kind . . . ever, but it will launch into something much longer than I care for.
“I only have a few minutes, what’s up?”
“Why the rush, sugar?”
Because I have Jacob Arrowood in my house, and I don’t want you to know.
“I have a busy day tomorrow. I want to spend a little time with Sebastian and Melanie before they’re gone over the weekend.”
Her smile is wide as she nods. “Kids are gone for the weekend? Hold on.” She puts the phone down. “Reggie! Can you bring the laptop in here, please?” A pause, and she huffs. “I didn’t ask where it was. I know it’s in the kitchen. I’m asking you to bring it to me.” She looks back into the camera. “I swear. I love the man more than any woman ever could, but he’s maddening some days.”
“And you’re a walk in the park.”
She nods. “Exactly. I’m damn near angelic.”
“As much as I’d love to debate this, I have to go.”
“Brenna Allen, you do not rush my calls. We have a lot to discuss. I know you had your date in the rain, but since then, have you seen him? Have you guys . . . you know . . . done it again?”
“Cybil Daniels, I love you, but I’m hanging up now.”
Her jaw falls slack, and she stares at me. “Are you kidding?”
“Not even a little. I am going to clean my kitchen and then go be with my kids.” And pray that no one tells you that a man is here.
“Fine. I’ll call you tomorrow, and we can discuss—”
Jacob’s deep voice cuts off Cybil, and my plan to hide him being here is gone. “Brenna? I found your drill, but you’re missing some pieces.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Not a problem, I’ll just get off this call and be right there.”
“Great.”
I smile at him, hoping to God that he doesn’t hear whatever is next to come out of Cybil’s mouth.
“Holy lying bitch! You weren’t trying to clean your kitchen, you were trying to hide the fact that Jacob is there!” Her voice is so loud that it wouldn’t matter if I had her on mute, he’d hear.
“I’m not lying. Yes, Jacob is here. All of us had dinner—as friends. He’s helping Melanie out by hanging a mirror in her room.”
“I’m sure he’s helping with a lot more than that in your bedroom.”
I hush her and walk to the other side of the kitchen. “Cybil, stop it. Whatever happens is not something I’m going to discuss.”
She raises one thin brow. “Fine, then tell me that you feel nothing other than lust for him.”
Once again, I hate my aversion to lying. I tiptoe over to the door and don’t see any shadows under the crack at the bottom. “I can’t say that.”
She’s giving me her version of a whisper. “I knew it! I called it, Reggie.”
He grumbles something as the laptop bounces on the bed. “Please, I’ll pay you to come back here and take her.”
I smile. “Hell no, she’s all yours.”
Cybil gives us both a look. “I’m going to pretend this is you both fighting to keep me.”
“I love you, but you need to butt out. Whatever it is that’s happening here, it’s not your business.”
“No, it’s not, but you are starting to have feelings for him. I can see it in your eyes. Now he’s over for dinner and hanging mirrors? You need to be honest with yourself or you’re going to end up hurt. You are falling for him.”
I bite my nail and sigh. “Maybe, but men like Jacob Arrowood don’t fall in love with girls like me.”
And that’s the reality I need to remember.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jacob
“What is your issue?” Sydney asks as she sits next to me at the table.
“Huh?”
“You’re not yourself tonight.”
I push the food around on my plate, thinking about Brenna. After the weekend her kids were away, we’ve barely found time for each other. Two nights ago, we met out by the creek again. She didn’t have a lot of time, so we just sat around talking, laughing, and fooling around.
I’m aching with need for her. It’s not normal, and I’m starting to freak the fuck out about how I feel.
But when I walked her back, it was like something was different. The excuses for why we can’t work started to slip away. I saw a chance that I didn’t think I would ever have, and it has me fucked in the head.
I only have three months left here, and I don’t know that I can keep my heart from her.
“I have a lot on my mind.”
She leans forward and hums. “I see. So, you’re thinking about a redhead with a killer smile.”
“I sometimes wonder if I didn’t do Declan dirty by telling him to get back with you.”
Her smile is devilish. “If he’s suffering, he deserves it.”
I can’t argue with her there. “It’s fine, Syd. Everything is fine. I’m just tired, trying to do right by these kids, and I have a call with Noah tonight.”