“Sounds good.” Jake slides his long legs out from beneath the bench and stands. “I’ll meet you at the entrance to the fair at six o’clock.”
“What?” I frown, wondering what I missed.
“I’ll meet you for our date at six o’clock.” He steps closer, until I’m forced to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact—or rather—sunglass contact.
Jake’s grown since high school. He’s taller than he was at eighteen, back when I fit under his chin just right when we hugged. He’s broader, too. Even in a cozy navy sweatshirt and jeans, he looks like the kind of guy who runs into burning buildings while others run out, who lifts hunks of timber off trapped victims and smashes through walls saving lives.
His presence is so powerful it makes my bones feel wobbly in the center and other parts of me tingle in ways I don’t want to think about.
Ways they haven’t tingled in so, so long…
It took time for my body to recover from the early labor, and even when it did, I’d been too focused on healing to think about men in that way. It wasn’t just my body that’s been through hell this past year; my heart and soul have been ravaged, too.
Truth be told, after Caleb walked out when I needed him the most, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be interested in a man in that way again.
But I most likely will be.
Time heals all wounds, right?
Though at the moment, I’m not thinking about the healing power of time, I’m thinking about how good it would feel to step into Jake’s arms, lean my cheek against his solid chest, and inhale the comforting, familiar smell of him. How good it would feel to be held by a man who knows what it’s like to lose someone he loves, and to hold him right back.
I don’t simply want to offer Jake my condolences, I want to wrap him up in my arms and kiss his forehead the way my mother used to do when I was little. I want to promise him that his heart will heal, and that one day the world will be beautiful and magical and full of love again.
But then, maybe he already knows that…
Maybe I’m the only one who’s feeling alone and adrift, the only one who still feels a pull between us so strong that not touching him is physically painful. Maybe Jake already has someone to tell him everything is going to be okay, and rock him through the night.
As if summoned by my thoughts, the door to the aging firehouse squeals open and the blonde from last night bangs out. She jogs across the uneven paving stones toward the picnic table with a perkiness that makes my nose wrinkle. In a Bliss River Fire Department sweatshirt and jeans, a ponytail, and no makeup, Faith is still gorgeous, and so young and humming with energy that I feel shabby and ancient in comparison.
“Hey, boss, what’s up?” Faith asks, not bothering to introduce herself to me or even glance my way. “Can we have take-out family meal today?”
“Everyone was told to bring their own lunch today,” Jake says. “With the schedules thrown off, family meal is too much hassle.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be such a grump.” Faith ribs Jake’s side with her elbow in an easy gesture that reminds me more of a brother and sister than a boyfriend and girlfriend.
The observation pleases me way more than it should.
“It won’t be a hassle,” Faith continues. “We’ve got money in the till and I told everyone you and I would grab burritos from the food truck. I’m starving to death, and Kevin’s stomach is growling so loud I can’t hear myself think.”
“You’re always starving to death,” he says, the obvious affection in his tone a stark contrast to the cold, brittle voice he used with me.
It makes my chest tighten. I miss that Jake voice, the one that warms a girl all over instead of raising chill bumps on her arms.
Faith grins. “That’s because I’m the only one who actually does my entire workout every day instead of skipping cardio.” She nudges him again. “So, come on. Let me buy you a burrito.”
“Thanks, but I already ate.” He tugs his cell from his back pocket and glances at the screen. “And my twenty minutes are up. Make sure you have your pager, and you can run down to the food truck if you want.”
“I’ve got it.” She lifts the corner of her sweatshirt to reveal a pager clipped onto her jeans pocket. “I’ll run down now. You sure you don’t want anything?”
“No, I’m good. Have to save room for all the fair food tonight.” He finally turns back to me, his smile vanishing without a trace. “I’ll see you at six?”
“Six it is,” I say. He clearly wants to honor his obligation, and I’m clearly a liar, liar with my pants on fire.