Jake brushed his hand over his mouth. He couldn’t believe the scene that was playing out in front of him. Claire was holding Mom’s hand and offering to stay at his folks’ house to help care for his injured father. How had she found out about his father’s accident, and why was she here? Was his ex stalking him, or had she suddenly contracted ESP?
He had no idea how she’d gotten here, but he knew one thing for sure—her drama was thelastthing he needed today. His eyes flicked to Emily across from Claire and Mom. Emily had slumped back in her seat with her focus locked on the two women, and her expression was fixed in a deep frown.
Jake couldn’t think of a worse case of emotional whiplash. He’dgone from the highest high—nearly kissing Emily and telling her that he cared about her—to the lowest low—realizing his father had been in an accident and he wasn’t there to help his parents when they needed him most. And then he’d nearly sobbed in Emily’s arms. He wanted off this nightmare roller coasternow!
He’d been working so hard to keep everything together at the orchard, but now it all had blown up in his face. It was his job to make sure that his parents and the business were taken care of, and he’d failed today—he’d failedmiserably.
“Jake, stop being so stubborn and come sit with us,” Claire ordered, patting the chair beside her with a hopeful expression. “You need to relax for a minute. I can see the tension in your shoulders from all the way over here.”
Pursing his lips, Jake studied his ex-girlfriend. He wanted her to leave and mind her own business, and he could think of a few choice words for her. But he was too emotionally spent.
“I need some air,” he mumbled before heading toward the exit.
“Jakey!” Claire cried out as her heels clicked toward him.
He gritted his teeth and kept moving forward. He despised that nickname. He could still hear Emily and the rest of his buddies mocking him mercilessly about it at school.
A hand grabbed his arm and hauled him backward. He spun and came face-to-face with Claire. “I told you, I need a few minutes alone,” he repeated.
Claire rolled her eyes. “Alone time can wait. You should be with your family, Jakey.”
“We’re not sixteen anymore, Claire. My name isJake,” he said.
She blanched as if he’d struck her.
“Oh. Right. Of course.” She gave an awkward little laugh. “Just come sit with us, okay? I was just telling your mom that I can come and help out. I’m back in town for a while.”
Great. Just what I need, Claire hanging out and not taking a hint. As usual.
“I said I need some fresh air.” He looked past her toward Emily, hoping to catch her eye and give her some sort of nonverbal clue to meet him outside. But she was busy studying her short nails and avoiding his gaze.
Why was Claire glued to his side while Emily was ignoring him? Had the world suddenly turned upside down?
Squaring his shoulders, he leveled his gaze with Claire. “I’m going outside to get some airalone.”
“Okay. I’ll stay with your mom.”
“Great,” he muttered before stalking out of the exit and leaving Claire standing in the waiting room.
Chapter 13
The cool evening air blew right through Jake’s unbuttoned red-and-black-plaid shirt. Hunching down, he rested his forearms on the cold metal railing and stared across the full parking lot toward the busy highway in the distance. He tried to clear his mind and focus only on the sound of the traffic and the hum of the hospital’s heating and air system, but flashes of his father moaning in pain kept playing through his mind like a horrible home movie.
Footsteps sounded behind him, and his entire body tensed.
Go away, Claire!
But the footsteps were soft, not like Claire’s “Hey, look at me!” heels. So it couldn’t be her. He stood to his full height and turned just as Emily approached him.
Her expression was hesitant, and her hands were stuck in the front pocket of her hoodie.
“Hey,” he said with a sigh of relief.
She shifted her weight on her feet. “You okay?”
Much better now.“Yeah.”
She nodded, and her gaze moved around the parking lot as if she were uncomfortable. Had he made things awkward by almost kissing her?
