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Jake's eyes go wide, "That's not it. I was just going down memory lane. Shit! I'm sorry. Let’s just go back to safer topics."
"I think you should go," I say, pulling myself up with sheer arm strength and throw myself back up onto the couch.
Jake hesitates for only a moment before he nods and starts packing up the game. When he stands, he sets the game on my desk.
"I'm going to leave this here in case you want to play even if it's not with me," he says, sadness in his voice that somehow grips my heart in a way that I don't quite understand.
That emotion is new and raw and not something I want to deal with right now.
"I will check in on you in a few days," he says, walking towards the door.
"Don't bother," I say to his back, and he pauses at the door, then leaves.
I pick up my tablet and start reading again, lost in the world that won't let me down. Reading the same page over and over without actually seeing the words, trying to make sense of why it hurts so much to find out that he wasn't here to actually spend time with me, but because someone sent him.
I don't know how long I sit there reading the same page when there's another knock on my door.
Lexi's voice fills the room. “Don’t be mad at him. He was just trying to help. We are all worried about you."
Without looking up or even acknowledging, I wait for her to leave. But this time, when I try to read the page, the words actually start to register.
Back to my morally gray men who make questionable decisions because they actually love the woman, not because they feel obligated to help out their brother's ex.
Chapter 5
Jake
Today, I have off work, but Atticus and I have a super-secret mission that we're on. The way that things ended with Kassi the other day is not sitting right with me. So, I've been racking my brain on how to make things right.
After stopping at her favorite burger place in town, I got a burger surprise and a milkshake for both her and me. Now my top secret mission is to smuggle it into Oakside.
Don't get me wrong, Oakside has some delicious food, and they have a skilled chef in the kitchen. But the food is all healthy, and I know when I was in recovery, I would have given anything for a greasy burger and fries. Don't get me started on a milkshake.
Working at Oakside has its benefits. I know all the best ways to sneak by and not get caught by Noah, Lexi, or Easton.
A few of the volunteers spot me, smiling and shaking their heads, but I know they won't rat me out. Heading straight to Kassi's room, thankfully, I find her there on the couch reading, just like the last time I was here.
Once Atticus and I were in her room, I close the door behind me, which catches her attention. She looks up at me and scowls, but I don't blame her.
"I come with a peace offering," I say, holding up the food and drinks.
Her expression softened, and she sets the tablet down on the coffee table.
Going over to the coffee table, I put down the food. "Burger fries and a milkshake. All things I was craving but couldn't have during my recovery." Then I sit in the same spot on the floor, using the coffee table to hold our food.
Like she did last time, she slides down onto the floor between the couch and the coffee table.
"Thank you for this," she says with a soft smile.
That smile does funny things to my heart, and suddenly, my mind is racing with ways to put more smiles on her face. It’s an emotion I don't quite understand.
"I hate how we left things, and I really am sorry. Yes, I was told that you weren't talking, and yes, I suggested that maybe you talking to me might help. But I'm not here to force you to talk about whatever it is you don't want to talk about. I'm here as your friend because I care about you." I give her the speech I practiced in the car on the way here.
She opens the burger in front of her but doesn't touch it. Then she looks up at me, her eyes studying my face. However, she doesn't respond right away.
When her eyes roam over me, it's as if she's actually touching me. My heart races as she studies me. Then something clicks into place, and one word runs through my head.
Mine.
