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“Yes.”
“Just ask her then.”
He had to laugh. “I already did. She said yes, but only because I told her that there would be a bunch of people there.”
Hannah laughed. “Oh my God! Don’t tell me that you were worried thatyouwouldn’t be reason enough for her to come?”
He pursed his lips. “No. More like being alone with me might be a bit too much for her, and she might not want to come.”
“Oh!” Hannah nodded as realization dawned. “Yeah. You’re right. She’s not like the women you usually date. She’s not going to come back to your place and climb all over you just because you flash her your smile.”
He rolled his eyes at her. “I know! So, help me out?”
Hannah laughed. “Okay. I’m sure Ava will love it. I’ll ask everyone else, but I don’t know what their plans are. And we’ll have to stop to get Scooter. He’s been home alone all evening.”
“That’s fine. Bring him up to the house. Just come. And tell Ava that there will be hot chocolate and Christmas cookies.”
“Okay. We’ll see you there. But Jacob?”
“What?”
His sister held his gaze for a long moment. “Be careful. She’s nothing like the women you usually date. She’s nice, and she’s real.”
“I know. That’s what I like about her.”
“I can see that, but it’s also why you could end up hurting her – so be careful.”
“I will.”
As he took his phone out of his jacket pocket to call and warn the housekeeper to expect a crowd shortly, he looked around for Becca. She was chatting with a family, praising the kids, and smiling and nodding at the parents. Hannah was right. What was he even thinking?
He didn’t know. He should stay away from her. But he didn’t want to.
Chapter Three
Becca was all too aware that her taking a long time chatting with her kids and their families might make Jacob impatient. He might even get tired of waiting for her and leave. Part of her was kind of hoping he might just do that. She’d said yes in the heat of the moment but going back to the Jacobs estate with him probably wasn’t the best idea.
He was standing by the main entrance chatting with people as they left, but every now and then he caught her gaze and smiled. She was trying to convince herself that he was waiting for a whole bunch of people, but whenever he looked her way, it was clear that he was waiting for her.
When she’d seen all of her kids who’d been singing tonight, she made her way toward the doors. He was talking to an older gentleman she didn’t recognize. She wondered if she should just smile and nod and go to her car. If she did that, she’d have to decide on the way if she was going to be brave and drive over to the estate or if she was just going to head home.
Jacob held his hand out toward her as he wished the older man goodnight. “I’ll talk to you next week, Harry. I have to go.”
So, he was just waiting for her, then? Her heart raced and then sped up even faster when he turned his smile on her and asked, “Are you ready?”
“Yes. Sorry about that. I had to tell my kids what a good job they did. You didn’t need to wait for me. I know where the estate is. I was there for the …” She was about to say for the Christmas tree lighting, but he knew that. She didn’t need to remind him.
The way he smiled said that he remembered it just as well as she did. “I know that you know where it is, but I thought …” He stopped and frowned. “Don’t you want to ride with me?”
“Oh!” She hadn’t been expecting that. “I have my car here.”
“I’ll bring you back later. This won’t be a late-night thing.” He cocked an eyebrow at her and held her gaze. She couldn’t look away – and she couldn’t say no, either. Even though part of her felt like she should.
“Okay.”
That smile of his could get her into all kinds of trouble. No. She pulled herself together. He couldn’t be seeing her that way – the way that smile made her feel as though he was. Whatever he was doing, it wasn’t what her besotted little mind wanted to believe. He wastheJacob Jacobs who, from what she’d seen on the Internet, had no shortage of rich, beautiful, sophisticated ladies he could go out with – or go home with. She was just Becca, third-grade teacher, home-grown Kansas kid, and about as far from rich as a person could get without becoming homeless! It was that thought that made her relax. She could imagine whatever she liked, but a guy like him wasn’t going to be interested in a girl like her that way.
Still, it sent a little thrill through her when he offered his arm. She slipped hers through it, with a smile. No guy had ever done that with her before; she’d only seen people do it in old movies. It was cool!
