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Chapter Nine
Slade was already out in the garage when Jacob let himself in the next morning and greeted him with a rueful smile.
“Morning.”
“Hi. I’m sorry …”
Slade held his hand up to stop him. “There’s no need. It’s all good. I’m glad I was driving this piece of shit when the engine blew. I hate to think of Becca being stranded on the freeway like that.”
Jacob gave him a rueful smile. “Me too. Though I don’t feel great that you were.”
Slade grinned at him. “I was fine. I got a tow.” He looked at Becca’s Ford Focus and shook his head. “They took me to a repair shop – who said that they’d take a look at it this morning, but I knew there wasn’t much point. It’s done. I took a look at it myself.”
Jacob nodded. He wasn’t surprised.
“Even if someone could rebuild the engine, it’d cost more than it’s worth.”
“I figured as much. Thanks for getting it back here.”
Slade laughed. “Not a problem. I would have left it for scrap, but the way she talked about it yesterday, I don’t think Becca would have gone for that.”
Jacob laughed. “No. I think it’s more likely that she’ll want to have a funeral for it before she sends it off to the great scrapyard in the sky.”
Slade laughed with him. “Yeah. Is she still …?”
“No.” Jacob had wanted to ask her to stay the night with him, he might have done it if Fred had made it back here in one piece, but she’d been stressed about the car and what she was going to do. He’d known that it’d be unfair of him to ask her. He’d offered to let her take the Range Rover, but she’d refused. She’d still been intent on figuring something out for Fred. So, he’d given her a ride home – and arranged to pick her up again this morning. Their coffee date would no doubt be forgotten, but he planned to help her figure out what she was going to do about a new vehicle. As far as he was concerned, she could have the Range Rover for as long as she needed it. But he had a feeling that she might take some persuading before she accepted that offer.
“I took her home,” he added when he realized that Slade was still watching him. “What?”
Slade chuckled. “Not my place to say.”
Jacob gave him a rueful smile. “Say it anyway. It’s not like it’s ever stopped you before.”
Slade laughed. “Yeah. You’re right. I wondered what the deal was when you asked me to go with you yesterday. I thought – I assumed – that you were thinking from your pants when you wanted to rush over there to get her. But you’re not, are you?”
Jacob shook his head slowly. “I mean, I am … obviously. But there’s more than that. She’s …” He didn’t know how to explain it.
He didn’t need to. Slade gave him that same knowing look that he’d given him before he left them yesterday. It was full of understanding and … encouragement. “It seems to me that there’s a whole lot more than that. She’s a sweetheart. She’s so …” He chuckled. “Down to earth. And I’d never say that about the kind of women you usually bring home.”
“No. She’s nothing like the kind of women I usually go for.” Jacob shook his head. “It’s weird, she’s not interested in me for any of the reasons that women usually are. What usually attracts them, feels like an obstacle I have to overcome with her, every time. Whether it’s the plane, or the house or …”
Slade nodded. “The money, the wealth. Your ability to doanythingfor her. If I know you, you’re thinking about going out and buying her a new car to replace this piece of shit.”
Jacob shot him a glance and then looked away quickly. “I considered it, but I don’t think she’d be too happy with that.”
“Good man. If you want my advice – and I know you didn’t ask for it, but I’m giving it anyway – don’t do it.”
Jacob blew out a sigh. “I know. You’re right. Any suggestions on what I should do instead?”
Slade shrugged. “Just keep being yourself. Seeing you two together yesterday – even just for a few minutes – was kind of cool. It was refreshing to see the way she was with you. She’s pretty taken with you.”
Jacob had to smile at that.
“And that goofy smile says that it’s mutual. So, what’s the plan?”
“I said I’d go and pick her up this morning and help her figure that out.”
“Okay. What do you want from me?”
