TRUSTING JAKE: MONTGOMERY HEROES OF ALASKA

by Becca Monroe

  “Oh, I didn’t know that.” He was continuously surprising me. Something that I enjoyed yet found annoying at the same time. I hated how wonderful he was, and every moment I spent in his perfect house was another moment spent falling for him. “Are you still going into town?”

  “Yes, I have a few lessons today that I need to take care of and check on the status of your heater. Hopefully, it will get here on time for you, but as of now, they delayed it to next Friday.”

  I could almost feel the color wash out of my skin. That meant more time here, with him. “The day after Thanksgiving,” I said.

  “Yes, so looks like you’re stuck with me until then,” he smiled and walked around the island until he was standing next to me. “Do you think you can handle it?” he asked with a flirty grin on his face.

  “You’re easy to handle, Jake Montgomery. You don’t scare me,” I joked.

  His face turned from joking to serious in a second. “I hope I never scare you,” he said, tapping the tip of my nose with his finger. “We still on for dinner?”

  “Yes, that’s why I wanted to know if you were going into town. I need to get some groceries. Is there anything you don’t like, food-wise?”

  He pretended to rub his fake belly and laughed. “I am six-four and weigh 230 pounds. I love all food.”

  “You weigh 230 pounds? There is no way that’s true.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  I waved my hand up and down his body. “Because look at you, your nothing but solid muscle, there isn’t an ounce of fat on you. It’s disgusting, really. Do you know how hard women work to lose an ounce of fat? It isn’t fair and you are just, well, just standing there all sex and muscle,” I rambled on, again.

  He chuckled, rather pleased with himself. “Sex and muscle, huh?”

  “Oh my God, forget I said anything. Can you give me a ride into town?”

  He moved until he was standing right in front of me. “You think I’m sexy?” he asked.

  I didn’t dare look into his brilliant honey-colored eyes, because he’d know I was lying. “No, I didn’t say that.”

  “Delaney,” he whispered, tilting his head down to where our eyes met.

  “Yes?” I said, my voice not sounding as strong as I was hoping.

  “Do you find me sexy?” he asked in that deep, raspy voice that I had grown to love these past few days.

  My eyes lifted to his, and he held them there. “Yes,” I whispered, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks. We stood there for a few moments, not saying anything. I wanted him to kiss me. He wanted that too, at least it felt as though he did, but neither of us moved.

  “We should go,” I managed. “I have a long day of preparing and cooking for tonight, and I would like to get started as soon as I can.” I smiled, but my insides felt like a bundle of nerves exposed to the elements. I wanted Jake Montgomery, and I was doing a horrible job of pretending that I didn’t.

  He leaned close to my ear, and his whispered words set my skin on fire. “Okay, but I plan on finishing this conversation later, over dessert.” He winked.

  Good lord, if there was ever a man on this planet who could make women’s panties wet, just from uttering whispered words, it was Jake Montgomery. He was all masculine, good, and everything inside me cried out for more of him.

  He stepped back from me and smiled. “You can drop me at the gym, then use my truck for the day. Mike can run me home after, so I’ll be here for dinner, say around five?”

  I nodded, it was all I could manage. If I tried to use my words, he might see that I was nothing but a scared woman who wanted something she knew she couldn’t have. Dinner tonight would be nice because it was my thank you to him, but after tonight, I needed to make other arrangements. Staying in this house with Jake for another week wasn’t a good idea.

  Jake

  Delaney dropped me at the gym and never said a word about her nightmare last night or the fact that I held her so she could feel safe and rest. At some point I had to share what happened, maybe, I don’t know. I was going to call the doc and see if he could make a trip out to see her and talk to her. Perhaps she would speak to a professional who had no personal ties to her as everyone here did. I wanted to help but wasn’t certain how to go about it. Maybe he had some ideas.

  Josh and Mike were talking in the gym office when I arrived and several members were doing workouts on the floor, including Brittany. Whom I’d been avoiding.

  Mike waved me into the office. “Close the door.”

  Noting the concern in their expressions, I did as he said. “What’s going on?”

  Josh shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I checked for the information we wanted to get David regarding Delaney, but we have a problem.”

  “What’s the problem?”

  “Mom has no social security information, or personal information and no bank data for Delaney,” Josh said.

  “There has to be information so Delaney can get paid. Maybe you just missed it?”

  Mike shook his head. “Delaney isn’t getting a paycheck.”

  “What? She’s been working for mom at the restaurant and covering the store for months and she isn’t getting paid?”

  There’s no record of any Delaney Newcomb working for the businesses. “It appears she’s just working for tips under the table,” Josh said and tossed his mother’s tip receipt book on the desk. “Mom isn’t even tracking how much she gets under her name. The only other person listed in that book over the past three years is a girl by the name of Candy. I’m assuming that must be Delaney. Mom told me her average the other day, but there’s no paper trail of her working for the business. I let David know and he is trying a few different things to see if he can figure out who she is.”

  My mind thought back to yesterday and this morning. She was real or I wouldn’t be having dreams about making love to her, although I would not say that aloud. “Ok, maybe she and mom have some other agreement, but Delaney is Delaney, it isn’t like she’s not a real person.”

  Mike shook his head. “David can’t find a record of anyone by the name of Delaney Newcomb matching her age and description in any system.”

  “This makes little sense. There must be a logical explanation. We need to speak to momma,” I said.

  “She’s in Anchorage until Sunday. David took her to see some musical in town she’s been wanting to see. They’ll be back Sunday evening,” Josh said. “But I agree with you. We need to talk to mom.”

  Mike waved a hand to the glass-paned door, shooing someone away for a moment. “David said if we can get a picture of her, or her fingerprint on a glass or something, he can just run those things with his buddy at the FBI and see what turns up, but…”

  “No!” I said. “Look, is this strange? Yes. But it isn’t if what we think is happening, is in fact the case. If she’s hiding from someone, it makes sense that she wouldn’t be using her actual name and information. She doesn’t want anyone to find her. I’ve spent a lot of time with her the past few days, and she isn’t a bad person, she isn’t hiding so she can do bad things or have some ulterior motive. If she’s hiding, she’s terrified of someone finding her. Let me keep trying to get her to tell me what happened to her. Last night, she suffered a horrible nightmare, and I held her all night trying to keep her calm. She didn’t say a word about it this morning. I’m not sure if she even remembered it. I don’t want to do all this behind her back. Fingerprints, photos, it’s wrong. If we spook her, she’ll run, and I can’t lose her.” The second the words left my mouth, I knew the admission would get a reaction from the guys.

  “You can’t lose her?” Josh asked. “You’re falling for her, aren’t you?”

  Mike smirked and leaned back in his chair. “I think he fell a long time ago, he’s just able to admit it at this point.”

  I shook my head. “You two done?”

  “Not really, but we can pick it up later,” Mike said, laughing. “I agree with you, though. It would be best if she talks to you on h
er own. How do you know it was a traumatic nightmare if she never woke up from it?”

  “She was bawling, rapid eye movements, sweating, crying for mercy. When I say that, I mean, begging someone to stop hurting her and if they did, she would be a good girl. It was horrible seeing her like that.”

  Josh was slower to anger than Mike and me, he always had been. His gift was humor, and he loved to make people laugh during bad times, but his eyes were dark right now. “Delaney? Crying and begging for mercy from someone?” He stood up and started pacing in the office. “What the hell, man? We need to talk to her. Next to Josie, she’s the sweetest person I’ve ever met. I can’t even wrap my head around someone harming her.”

  Mike and I looked at each other and back to Josh. He was having a tough time with this. “I think we should all sit down with her and just ask her. She’d tell us.”

  “No, she wouldn’t.” Mike and I both said at the same time.

  “Why not? She knows we care about her. I think she would.”

  I pointed to the chair. “Sit down man, you’re making me nervous with all your angry pacing.” He did as I asked. “She’d leave. It’s something she’s seriously considering now. We push her and she’s gone.”

  Josh’s eyes lit up. “Josie. They’re friends. Maybe she can talk to her. They’re supposed to have lunch today or something.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed. “I’ll ask her right now.”

  Mike just shook his head and chuckled. “He’s a search and rescue pilot for the United States Coast Guard, he captains those birds in some of the most dangerous conditions you can imagine up here, even uses night-vision goggles because of how dark it gets sometimes. But he’s got his panties all in a bunch over this situation with Delaney.”

  Josh told Josie to hang on for a second and glared at Mike over the desk. “Delaney is a good friend to me, and for me to not see how much she’s hurting means I’ve been a selfish shit of a friend to her. When my crew lost that family in September, she and Josie stayed with me the entire three days it took me to get out of bed. So shut the hell up, Mike. If we can help her, we have to.”

  Mike raised his hands in the air. “I surrender man, sorry. Just don’t see you worked up often. We’ll help her.”

  Josh stepped out to talk to Josie and Brittany used it as an opportunity to walk in without knocking, forcing us to look her way. “Jake, Delaney is here and says there’s an issue with your truck,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  “Uh, thanks. I’ll be right out.”

  Mike’s curiosity got the better of him. “Did you end shit with her yet? Because if she learns you have the hots for Delaney, she’ll make her life a living hell.”

  “I ended it weeks ago, that’s why I was ignoring her the other day when she was in here, and at the bar that night. It was over even before Delaney and I were a possibility,” I said as I headed out to meet with her.

  When I walked up, Brittany was saying something that was upsetting her. Josh joined me with the two of them, after ending his call with Josie. “She said your truck is making that weird knocking noise, and she was nervous driving it, because there are groceries in the back. Why is she driving your truck with groceries in it, Jake?”

  Delaney looked upset, Brittany looked pissed and Josh was trying to stifle a chuckle. Josh turned his attention to Delaney and smiled. “Hey, the heater should be here next Friday. I haven’t seen you too much this week, but wanted to say hello,” Josh said.

  “Thank you for letting me know. Jake told me this morning about the delay. I’m glad you said hi. I’ve missed you,” she said, giving him a hug. “Your off duty for a few weeks now, right?”

  “Yes, looking forward to Thanksgiving,” he said. “Let’s have coffee soon and catch up, okay? I need to take off.”

  Delaney handed me my keys and turned to Josh. “Could you give me a ride? I don’t want to drive Jake’s truck anymore.”

  I reached for her wrist, but she pulled it out of my grasp. “It’s just a minor adjustment I need to make. It’s perfectly safe for you to drive, I promise.”

  Brittany’s eyes were searing through Delaney. “Why is she driving your truck in the first place, isn’t she still just a server at your mom’s restaurant?” Brittany chastised.

  “Britt, that’s enough,” I said.

  “What? That’s all she is.”

  Delaney looked as though she’d been slapped, but she tried to force a smile, glancing between Brittany and me. “Yes, that’s all I am, just a server who needed to borrow a truck for today. Josh, can you please give me a ride?” She asked again, turning to face him.

  Josh looked pissed, but his tone remained kind as he handed his keys to Delaney. “Absolutely,” he said. “Put the groceries in my jeep and I’ll be out in a minute.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered, heading out the door.

  “Delaney,” I said, trying to get her attention.

  She waved her hand in the air without looking my way.

  Josh glared at Brittany. “God, you’re such a bitch,” he said.

  “What did I say that wasn’t true? She is in fact a server,” she sneered, chomping on the piece of gum she had in her mouth.

  “You drive a car your daddy pays for, still live in his house, and use his credit cards. You’ve never done an honest day’s work in your life. All Delaney is trying to do is make her own way, which is more than I can say for you,” Josh blurted.

  Then he turned his anger towards me. “And you. You owe Delaney an apology for letting this wench treat her like she’s nothing. Delaney is a better human being than Brittany will ever be and more lady than you deserve,” he said, walking out the door.

  Brittany gasped at Josh’s words.

  Shit. I would love to deck my little brother for talking to me like that, but nothing he said was inaccurate. Without realizing it, I let Brittany disrespect the woman I cared about. Maybe he was right, and I didn’t deserve her.

  I turned to Brittany, who was fuming about what Josh had said to her. “What is going on with you and Delaney?”

  My frustration was beyond a reasonable limit, and I motioned between Brittany and myself. “We aren’t together. I told you that weeks ago. Nothing in my life is your concern.”

  She jumped up and down, pouting. I knew the move well. She liked to make her fake tits bounce, hoping they would sway my mood whenever she upset me with her behavior. I’d love to say it never worked, but in the past it did.

  Now, not so much. “Jakey, come on, why are you so angry? We’ve always had a good time together. Let’s just go to my place and talk.”

  “Britt, enough. I will not be training you any longer, Mike can take over our sessions, or I will give you a refund for your classes and you can go elsewhere.”

  She crossed her arms in anger and stuck her bottom lip out. “You’re leaving me for that server girl?”

  Mike walked up behind Brittany and handed her an envelope. “What’s this?” she asked, taking it from him.

  He shrugged and plastered a grin on his face. “It’s a refund for your classes. I just canceled your membership to the gym. Talking down to someone who works for a living doesn’t fly with me, and I won’t tolerate it in my place of business. I’d like you to leave,” Mike said.

  “You know who my father is! I’ll make you lose this business!” She yelled, forcing all the eyes in the place to her.

  Mike leaned back, his laughter filling the gym. “Your father and my father served together, and he is one of our biggest clients with the number of people he brings in through his shipping company. He likes honest people who work hard because he made his fortune being one. It may not hurt you to pick up an honest job instead of living off daddy’s money.”

  Her face flushed red with anger. “You’ll regret this!”

  She turned to me and I couldn’t help but have an amused grin on my face. “We are so over!” She screeched, storming out of the building.

  “Thank God that’s done,” Mike said.<
br />
  I busted out laughing. “I can’t believe you did that, but I love you did.”

  “She tried to make another person feel like they were nothing because she works hard at an honest job. That’s bullshit, man. I’m sorry, but I look at Delaney like a little sister. I’m in protection mode over her, especially with the stuff we believe is going on. Brittany’s words stung, I could see the hurt in Delaney’s eyes all the way from the office. I’ll take the heat with Brittany’s dad if there is any. It was worth it.”

  “Delaney’s making me dinner tonight to thank me for letting her crash at the house. I mean, she was, I couldn’t blame her for wanting to rescind the offer now.”

  “She won’t do that. That girl is way too kindhearted to snatch something away that she was going to do as a thank you. But you need to talk to her and apologize. I realize you didn’t say the crap, Brittany did, but you didn’t tell her to shut up either.”

  “I didn’t even have a chance. It happened so fast, but I’ll talk to her. She isn’t just a server, not by a long shot.”

  Mike pulled into my driveway a little after five. It annoyed me when he showed me a text from Josh inviting him to dinner at my house. The quiet two-person dinner I was hoping for between Delaney and I had morphed into Josh, Mike, the two of us, and Josie. Great, the romantic dinner I wanted was now a group event.

  Laughter filled the house as we entered, and Delaney’s voice made me smile. Something about coming home to her made things feel right in my world. Josie and Josh were sitting at the island with drinks in hand, while Delaney was pulling a pan of something that smelled heavenly out of the oven. I stood there for a second and took in the scene. She was laughing and happy. The most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on. Their attention fell to us as we walked into the kitchen, but her smile disappeared when my eyes locked on hers. The reality of what happened earlier with Brittany came to the forefront of my mind.

  “Hello everyone,” I said, trying to ignore the fact that the mood in the room had gone from jovial to somber in less than two point five seconds.