by Tessa Gray
Their gazes locked, and she feared he’d tell her to take it now or he’d get rid of it.
He spoke, his tone tender. “Given how attached you are to it, no, I don’t mind keeping it here. When you’re ready to collect it, it’ll be right here, right in this spot.”
“I appreciate this so much. This dresser means the world to me, Jake . . .”
He shrugged. “Just take the stuff you need. You can worry about the rest later. It’s not like I’m going anywhere.” He smiled after he said it, and quipped, “As you well know, I’m not exactly a world traveler.”
For a brief moment, she felt as though the man she’d known before the accident was surfacing—the one who always poked fun at himself—the one who rarely took himself seriously.
As he stared down at the bed, the bed the two had shared for years, she wondered what he was thinking. Their gazes locked suddenly, but he quickly turned away.
When he turned back around to face her, he spoke. “I’d like to apologize for the way I’ve been acting.”
“Jake—”
“Don’t, Rachel. Hear me out.”
“Of course. I’m sorry.”
“What you said really hit home about how my accident is having a ripple effect on everyone around me. I hadn’t really thought much about it, but you were right. I’d like to apologize for acting like such a jerk. I promise to do better.”
Her eyes welled up, and she was unable to speak. She wanted so much to touch him, to wrap her arms about him and thank him for coming back to them. This was a turning point, and it overwhelmed her that despite everything that had happened, he could be so incredibly forgiving.
She moved toward him, but he quickly backed away and spoke. “I’d better hit the road. The bar will be opening in a couple of hours. I need to check on things.”
He was working again. That came as a relief. The man was getting on with his life, just as she’d hoped he would.
As he headed to the front door, he turned around suddenly. “The keys to the place are on the kitchen table. Take all the time you need to gather those items you left. You can lock up after yourself. And don’t worry about the dresser, I can store it here for as long as you like.”
As he adjusted his crutches and made his way out, she breathed a sigh of relief that the old Jake was resurfacing.
After he left, she sat down on the sofa, digesting all that had happened. Jake’s apology had been sincere—the kind that comes straight from the heart.
A wave of relief washed over her. At long last, Jake was back.
Chapter 9
On a hot August morning, Jake walked about the Commons at Sul Ross University. He hadn’t seen Rachel since she’d dropped by to ask him about the dresser. She’d mentioned taking cooking classes at the college, but so far, he hadn’t run into her. Maybe she’d given up on the idea of opening up her own café and would move back to Dallas. If she did, it sure would make his life a whole lot easier.
Exhausted from his three back-to-back classes, he wondered why he’d let Adam rope him into this. Being in class with a bunch of knuckleheads half his age wasn’t exactly his idea of a good time. Aware he was sounding like a curmudgeon, he reminded himself that he actually liked learning new things. And he did seem to have a knack for it, just as Adam said he would.
With time to kill, he headed into the study area that overlooked the trees and surrounding hills. He’d go over his notes before his next class started. If he’d missed something, he could bring it up to his instructor. So far, the professors he had were more than happy to clarify anything he didn’t understand.
He flopped down on a leather sofa, positioning himself so he could stare out the window. Opening his notebook, he began pouring through his notes when a young man approached him.
“Mind if I sit down, sir?”
Sir? Really?
“Be my guest.” Jake motioned the young man to sit, and as the kid rearranged his backpack and checked his phone messages, Jake smiled, amazed how obsessed these young people were with their phones.
That curmudgeon thing again.
He could feel the young man’s eyes on him as he sifted through his note cards. Nearly a minute passed before the kid spoke. “You know, man, you can just take pictures of what the professor writes on the board and keep it in your phone.”
At first Jake was offended some smartass kid was telling him what to do, but as he thought about it, he realized that for him, writing everything down helped him remember.
He decided to share a few tips of his own. “The instructor told us that during the tests we aren’t allowed to have our phones out, but we can use the notes we take. I’m just planning ahead. Taking notes is actually a pretty good strategy when you think about it. When I write things down, it helps me remember better. You might want to give it a try.”
The kid shrugged, looked away for a second as though giving it some consideration, and finally introduced himself. “I’m Justin Benbrook.”
“Jake Crenshaw. I think I might have gone to high school with your dad. Was his name Jacob, by any chance?”
The kid smiled and nodded. “Yup, that’s my pop.”
They spoke for several minutes and as their conversation continued, it became clear that Justin was already contemplating dropping a class. The pace for the classes was grueling, but for this kid to give up after only a few sessions was ridiculous.
Part of Jake wanted to bawl the kid out, to tell him to suck it up and that everything in life didn’t come easy. But as he watched the young man’s demeanor change and watched his face morph into a frown, he tossed the kid a lifeline. In some ways, the kid reminded Jake of himself.
“Look, how about we go over my notes? I wrote down all the steps for creating the spread sheet the instructor talked about. I own a business and I do spreadsheets all the time.”
They went over most of Jake’s notes, and by the time the kid gathered his things to leave, it was clear he felt much better about the class. As unfocused as Jake normally was, it somehow grounded him to have the responsibility of helping someone else succeed.
He jumped to his feet and shook Jake’s hand. “Thanks, sir. I appreciate all the help you’ve given me. Is there any chance you could help me out again if I run into a snag? I’ll be honest, my math skills aren’t exactly up to snuff, and things don’t come easily for me. But I think maybe if I work hard, I can do this.”
“Anytime, Justin. And seriously, you got this.”
As the young man left, Jake noticed a woman standing across the room watching him. He stared at her as she twisted her dark hair. When he got closer, he realized it was Rachel.
He checked his watch. His next class wouldn’t start for fifteen minutes.
As she strolled over to where he sat, he dipped his head, trying not to stare at the white shorts she was wearing, revealing the shapely legs that always took his breath away. The woman could complain all she wanted about turning forty-three, but she had the body of a very young woman.
Things would have been so much simpler if she’d just moved back to Dallas after they broke up. That way he wouldn’t have to see her. But he decided to do the polite thing and carry on a conversation.
~ ~ ~
As Rachel made her way over to where Jake sat, he got to his feet. He stood stiffly, as though not sure what to say.
She studied him thoroughly—pleased that he appeared to be getting his groove back. He appeared well-rested and the neatly trimmed beard he now wore made him look sophisticated. His hair was still short, and she very much liked how well-kept he looked. The golf shirt and khaki pants he wore were something she’d rarely seen him dressed in. She liked how the black, snug fitting shirt complimented his dark hair. Clearly, he wasn’t sitting around in his boxer shorts swilling down beer.
“Hello
, Jake. I didn’t expect to see you here.” The second she said it, she cringed, aware he might take it the wrong way.
His mouth tugged into a smile. Stepping forward, he reached out, drawing her into his arms. “It’s good to see you, Rachel. What have you been up to?”
When he released her, she answered his question. “I’m taking those cooking classes I talked about. I know most people think that switching from teaching to cooking is a bit of a stretch, but it’s something I feel passionate about.”
“Then, I’m glad for you, Rachel.” After he said it, she breathed a sigh of relief, thankful he hadn’t poked fun at her career change.
“How are your classes going?”
He shrugged and gave her that slow, lazy smile that took forever to crawl across his face. But then he grew serious. “You know, college actually isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I’ll be the first to admit Adam talked me into this, but the truth is I’m doing this for myself, not anyone else. And I have to say, attending college isn’t as painful as I thought it would be.”
“I noticed that you were helping that young man.”
To her disappointment, he began gathering his things. “My next class is in a few minutes. I’d probably better get a move on.”
She tried one last time to reach out. “I know that your studies probably take up a great deal of your time. If you ever need help at the bar, Jake, just say the word. I’d be happy to pitch in.”
When he shrugged, it became clear he wasn’t going to accept her help. “I should probably get to class.”
“Goodbye, Jake. It was good seeing you again.”
As she watched him walk down the corridor, she wished she was a mind-reader. Did he blame her for the accident? He had every reason to.
She’d have to tell him at some point. But right now, he was still in the healing process. The last thing she wanted to do was upset him. When the time was right, she’d come clean.
~ ~ ~
Late that evening, Jake headed to the diner for a cup of coffee. He generally studied at the college library instead of going home to an empty house, but tonight he decided to mix things up a bit. Glancing at his watch, he was shocked how late it was.
The instant he walked through the door, Rachel greeted him, dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt with the diner logo on it. He hadn’t realized she worked here.
“Well—aren’t you just full of surprises. You work here, now?”
“Indeed I do.” She laughed aloud—that gentle lilt floating through the air—and led him to a booth. Handing him a menu, she replied, “I’ll go ahead and get you some coffee.”
“Thanks. That’ll be all. Just coffee.”
She cocked her head to one side before speaking. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like something to eat. I’ll bet you haven’t had dinner yet.” The golden flecks in her eyes lit up, and he realized that, despite her promise to leave him alone, she still fussed over him.
“Well, I suppose I could talk myself into something. And you’re right, I haven’t eaten anything since lunch.”
“My shift just ended. I’ll be happy to keep you company if you’d like.”
He hesitated, wondering if this was a good idea. But when she dipped her head and stared down at the floor, he relented. “Sure. It’ll be nice holding down a conversation with someone who isn’t half my age.”
She laughed and quickly headed over to the kitchen. “I’ll go ahead and get that coffee.”
Within half a minute she returned to the table with his coffee.
Bringing the cup to his mouth, he took a gulp, trying to recall how much coffee he’d consumed today. “Thanks. This hits the spot. I never cared much for that fancy ass coffee they have at the campus.”
She laughed aloud, and he realized how much he missed her. Despite how things had ended, he always enjoyed her company. Maybe he was just lonely. Maybe that was it.
As she slid into the other side of the booth, her expression grew serious.
“I was wondering about something,” she began. “I’d like to cook you my meema’s favorite recipe—chicken and dumplings. How about if I pick up the ingredients at the supermarket and drop by one evening to make dinner?” She sat perfectly still, her head cocked to one side, waiting for his answer.
“I suppose that would be all right.”
Several minutes later, another waitress brought the food. He picked up the burger he’d ordered and began eating. Rachel grew quiet as she sat there, sipping a glass of water. He had the feeling she had something else on her mind.
“Jake.”
“Yes?”
“I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a while. I’ve tried several times, but we always got interrupted. It—it’s about the night of the accident . . .”
He studied the way her eyes widened—the way her brows were furrowing—the way she’d begun fidgeting with the napkin holder. The better angels in him took over, and he made the decision to make things easy for her.
“Look, I know that it was you who made the call that night. I was parked at the stoplight when my phone rang. It was difficult seeing the screen with the rain coming down, but I’ve suspected all along that it was you who made that call.”
She bowed her head and let out a deep sigh. “I was going to tell you, Jake. Honest, I was. But it never seemed like the right time. I wouldn’t blame you if you never spoke to me again.”
Reaching over, he touched her hand, and when her eyes brimmed with tears, he felt bad for her.
They sat for nearly a minute as she ran her fingers along the palm of his hand. As her lower lip trembled, he wondered if he’d done the right thing, telling her the truth.
She was squeezing his hand, now, blinking back tears. And suddenly it occurred to him. Maybe she might try to do something stupid like get the two of them back together, in an effort to appease her guilt.
And that was the last thing he wanted.
Chapter 10
Two nights later, Rachel stepped through the door of The Blue Depot and scanned the room. While she generally preferred to be on a date when walking into a dance hall, she’d become stir crazy and needed to get out and mingle.
But as she watched the sea of people interacting with one another, she suddenly felt out of place.
Several men sat at a table drinking beers. When she walked past them, she could feel their eyes on her. “Hey, pretty lady. How about I buy you a drink?” She kept her back to them and walked over to order a glass of wine.
Initially she’d come here to get her mind off her problems, but as she watched several couples swaying to the music on the dance floor, it brought back memories. She suddenly felt lonely.
She handed the bartender some cash for the chardonnay and wandered over to a corner table.
As the sound of laughter rippled across the dance floor, she stared over at a table across the room to see where it was coming from.
Jake sat with a group of women, and one of them had her arm draped about him. By all accounts, he was getting his groove back.
She continued watching him. Suddenly he looked up, making eye contact with her. They stared at each other for several seconds before he leaned over and said something to one of the women.
Grabbing his crutches, he slowly made his way toward her.
He wore blue jeans and a black Henley shirt that brought out the dark brown color in his eyes. The man looked amazing, and she suspected every woman at that table had her eye on him.
As he got closer, a smile crawled up his face—a smile she was relieved to see return.
~ ~ ~
Jake got halfway over to the small, circular table where Rachel sat before realizing reaching out to her like this wasn’t using good judgment.
When he arrived at her table, she took a gulp of wi
ne and motioned him to sit next to her. Determined not to create the wrong impression, he positioned himself directly across from her-maintaining a safe distance between.
She drummed several fingers on the table, and he waited for her to say something. When she didn’t, he studied the way her hair shimmered under the soft lighting—lighting which brought out the deep shade of green in her eyes.
“We never did set a date for me to come over and cook for you.” She smiled.
“I generally just grab something from the diner on the way home. It’s easier that way.”
Her eyes narrowed and she stared down at her drink. “I suppose you’re right. Between working and going to school, we’re both pretty busy.”
Frustrated things between them were so awkward, he cut their conversation short. “I’d better head back to my table. I’ll see you around.” He slowly climbed to his feet when she touched his arm.
“I know we’re not together anymore, Jake, but you do know that I still care about you, right?”
“Of course I do.”
“I’d really like to cook that meal for you that I talked about before.” Her gaze penetrated him.
Maybe the smart thing to do was to take her up on her offer and just be done with it.
“I have an exam on Wednesday, so we’ll probably get out of class early. How about if you make me dinner then?”
Her face lit up, and her eyes sparkled. “That sounds perfect.” After she said it, she hesitated, as though she had something else to say.
When she didn’t, he made certain she wouldn’t get the wrong idea about this—wouldn’t think he still had a thing for her. “Just to set the record straight, this isn’t a date or anything like that. Just dinner.”