“It’s no bother,” Juliet began, long used to looking after herself.
But Alison would have none of it. “It’s dark, and you shouldn’t be getting into a car with a stranger.”
It was such a motherly thing to say that Juliet’s throat swelled up. Her aunt had never been like Alison. No one in her life had been like Alison.
By the time she found her voice again, Alison was already calling out to one of her sons. “Jake, sweetheart, please drop Juliet home.”
14
One Night of Nakedness and One Night Only (What Could Possibly Go Wrong?)
Juliet parted her lips, eyes flaring—she really did not need to be stuck in a car with Jacob Esera—but all she could come up with was “The girls can come along for a ride.” Emmaline and Esme would make great chaperones—for Juliet. Because, as she’d already realized, this was an excruciatingly one-sided attraction.
Jake no more wanted her than he wanted Reid.
And lemur-lunge thoughts aside, Juliet wasn’t into rejection. Part of the reason she’d fallen for Reid was how he’d made her feel wanted, accepted. For a girl who’d been rejected by every single living member of her family, that had been one hell of a drug. Reid had known it too—he’d found her at a vulnerable moment, and she’d spilled her guts.
Her ex had used the knowledge to hook her.
“The munchkins are exhausted.” Alison smiled. “Ísa’s already got both of them in the bath. Then it’s into pajamas and bed with them. They’re spending the night here—Joseph and I are taking them fishing with us tomorrow.”
Across the kitchen, Jake grabbed his keys. “Ready?” His expression was impossible to read.
Juliet nodded—there really wasn’t anything she could do without insulting Alison’s kindness. “Thank you again for the lovely time.”
Alison gave her a big hug. “We’ll see you next time.”
Holding the possibility of another invite close, Juliet followed Jake outside to a large gray SUV with a child seat in the back. The two of them didn’t speak as he pulled out of the drive and—after getting her address—turned in the direction of her place. She found her gaze going to the house on the other side of the street. The lights were on inside, and there were people hanging out on the porch in front, beers in hand.
From the raucous sound of things, the drinking had been going on for a while.
“He’s going to lose his place in the squad if he keeps that up,” Jake said coolly as he drove out of the otherwise quiet suburban street. “His reflexes are already slower—you can see it when he plays. And cricket season is far from over.”
New Zealand, Juliet knew, had a major test match coming up against archrivals Australia. “He could bounce back from the party lifestyle when he was younger.” She remembered how Reid would roll out of bed bright-eyed and energetic no matter what he’d imbibed or inhaled the night prior. “I don’t think he’s accepted that his body can’t keep on doing that indefinitely.”
“I would’ve expected better of you, Jules. You were always smart.”
“Thanks, Mr. No One Asked for Your Opinion.”
Hands bone white around the steering wheel, Jake said, “Yeah, it’s not my business.” It wasn’t an apology, not even close. Especially since he followed it up with “But the guy is a total flake. What the hell did you see in him?”
Security, love, a sense of home.
She hadn’t known it was an illusion when she and Reid first got together, had taken his words and promises at face value. As for what he’d seen in her, looking back, it had to have been a combination of her need to give love and the fact she had no one else; Reid loved exploiting vulnerability.
“Callie told me your family banded around you two when you found out about the pregnancy,” she said to Jake—because if he was going to ask personal questions, he had to be ready for the answers. “Each and every one ready to catch you so you wouldn’t fall.”
A wrinkling of his brow. “Sure.”
“Other than Callie, I’ve never had anyone who would catch me if I fell,” she said, in no mood to hold her punches. “Reid convinced me that he was going to be that person. So yeah, I was naive for falling for it, but I had my reasons. You don’t get to judge me while living in the heart of a family that will always have your back.”
He shot her a quick glance before returning his attention to the road. “You lived with your aunt. I remember Calypso saying that.”
“Let’s just say she was never meant to be a mother figure. Annnnnd that’s enough of a heart-to-heart.” Juliet turned her head to look out the window, the conversation just another reminder of the vast divide between them.
She might have fantasies about Jake, but the reality was— “What is that abomination?” Clapping her hands over her ears, she stared at the radio he’d turned on.
“Metal.” He nodded his head along with the screeching on the radio. “You don’t like it?”
She was almost certain he was messing with her now, and the idea of it melted the coldness. “Sure,” she said slyly. “Let’s listen to it the whole way home.”
Turned out Jake had ears of steel. She cracked first and changed the station. Jake’s laugh filled the car. Reaching over, she shoved his upper arm without thinking about it. Electricity zapped up her arm. Her inner lemur sat up.
Shit.
Juliet took to staring out the window again.
Until at long-freaking-last, Jake headed down the lengthy drive that led to her two-bedroom unit. Set within a grouping of similar homes, it made her feel a part of something bigger than herself. Another illusion, but a harmless one she’d created for the lonely young woman who remained a part of her.
Unclipping her seat belt as Jake brought the vehicle to a halt in front of her place, she said, “Thanks. I appreciate the ride.”
But Jake was unclipping his own belt. “It’s not that late. I could have a quick look at your car while I’m here, then I’ll know what tools to bring to fix it.”
Juliet tensed, but she couldn’t exactly tell him to leave without giving away the intensity of her reaction. “Sure. Let me open the garage.”
“That’s not your car” were the first words out of Jake’s mouth as the garage door rolled back to reveal her dark blue compact. “Where’s the pink thing?”
Oh. “Part of the company’s fleet,” she said. “I borrowed it while mine was in the garage.” She made a face at him as she unlocked the vehicle, then popped the hood. “You really thought I always drove around with a car that has S3X11 on the number plate?” She was trying to avoid the media hounds, not flash her existence.
“Jules, predicting you has never been my strong suit.”
As Jake disappeared behind the hood of her car on those words, she found herself tucking her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and rocking back and forth. She’d never had a man in this house who wasn’t a tradesman. Jake took up a whole lot more space than her plumber or electrician.
“Anything obvious?” She fought the urge to pad closer.