Jake dropped by his mom’s house to shower and change. He took off his badge and gun holster and laid them on his dresser. Coming out of the shower, he chose faded jeans and a black t-shirt that stretched across his chest. He kept in shape working out 3 times a week at the local gym and running every morning before going to the station. He had never had a problem attracting women but was cautious about sleeping around. Fairfield wasn’t a small town, but neither was it a large metropolis. He had no desire to run into previous one night stands while on the job. Before Tom met Carol, Tom had no such cares and had his fair share of one night conquests. Afterwards, Tom instantly gave up his man whore ways and was completely whipped.
Their friend Rob, a local firefighter/EMT had met his girlfriend, Laurie, when there was a fire at the elementary school where she was a new teacher. All three were over six feet tall and turned the ladies’ eyes whenever they made an appearance. But since Laurie and Carol had entered the scene, Jake was often the odd man out, unless he brought a date.
It wasn’t as though Jake did not want a relationship – he just had not found the right woman yet. Finding a woman who would meet his standards and understand his life choices was difficult. Usually as soon as a woman found out that he was thirty-three years old and living in his mother’s house, she would declare that a deal breaker and not come around again. He had his reasons, and if a woman couldn’t understand his situation, then he wasn’t interested in her either. But it made life a little lonely.
Looking in the mirror before heading out, the thought that he certainly wouldn’t be finding the love of his life tonight went through his head. He knew he was running late, but what the hell, he had no one to impress. Sighing to himself, Jake left his room.
Mary Campbell looked up smiling as Jake came down the stairs. She was sitting in a comfortable chair, her Kindle in her lap. “Hey sweetheart, are you heading out now?” she asked. She wished that his father could have seen what a wonderful man Jake was. Her son looked so much like her late husband that she sometimes had to pinch herself to remember who she was looking at. Jake’s father would have been so proud of him, just as she was.
“Yeah, mom. Are you going to be all right here tonight? I may be late, but I can easily cut this evening short. In fact, I may want to cut it short,” he added, ruefully rubbing his hands through his thick sandy colored hair.
“Of course,” Mary replied. “I don’t have to go upstairs for anything, and I have my walker right next to my chair if I need it. Have a good time.”
Leaning down, Jake kissed his mother on the cheek before he headed out of the door. Jake’s dad had been diagnosed with cancer soon after Jake had graduated from the police academy, and he came back to Fairfield to help out. Soon after his dad passed away, his mother was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and was having difficulty taking care of things by herself. Jake moved out of his apartment and back into her home to help out. He did not begrudge his choices, but knew that it would take a very special woman to ever be able to have a relationship with him. He sighed deeply and headed downtown to the bar.
*
Laurie, Rob, Tom, and Carol were sitting at a table in the back of the bar where there was more room to move around. Emma had arrived about thirty minutes earlier, much to the delight of Laurie.
Smokey’s had a homey feel with rich dark wood on the floor and the bar. Behind the bar was an old fashioned mirror with brass light fixtures. Tables and booths lined one side and were in the back, along with an area for a few pool tables. Smokey’s also served great food, one of the reasons Laurie chose this as their meeting place. The bar was run by Wendy and Bill Evans, longtime town residents, who knew everyone and everything going on in the town.
“God, I can’t believe you are finally here and not just visiting but staying!” Laurie said while not letting go of Emma’s hands. Laurie, like Emma, was petite but her thick brown hair hung in soft waves down her back. Emma was a brunette with auburn highlights that fell to just below her shoulders. Emma had the dark brown eyes of her parents, but Laurie’s were stormy grey, a trait they could only assume came from her father.
“It was time for a change, and I figured I might as well come to where my only family was,” Emma replied, smiling at her niece.
Seeing Laurie sitting next to Rob, Emma noticed the way they looked at each other. Rob was tall and powerfully built. He wore faded jeans, a navy t-shirt fitted tightly to his torso, and cowboy boots.
“Rob, I’m so glad to meet you. I can tell by the way Laurie is looking at you, this is the real deal,” Emma said enthusiastically.
“I’m the lucky one,” Rob replied, smiling back at the lady who had given up everything to raise the woman he loved.
Carol and Tom sat across from Emma. Carol was a beautiful slim woman with blonde hair stylishly cut to just below her shoulders. She had an angelic aura about her. Her husband, Tom, was slightly leaner than Rob, with the same yellow blond hair that his wife had. Carol wiggled in her seat, trying to disguise the rumbling of her stomach. Her husband gazed at her with a questioning look on his face.
“I’m sorry, I’m just really hungry. I haven’t eaten since breakfast,” Carol said sheepishly.
Laurie looked around, not seeing Jake. “I wanted to wait and order when Jake got here. Where is he?” she said, agitated. Tom and Rob shared a look over their wives’ heads.
Emma grinned. “Am I being stood up, gentlemen?” Emma, never taking herself too seriously, knew that life was too precious to waste on things that just did not matter. And being stood up by a man she had never met would certainly not break her.
Laurie snapped her head around, looking up at Rob to see what she was missing. Her temper began to rise, but Rob quickly spoke to calm her.
“He would never skip out – he knows how important this dinner is to you.”
“Yeah,” Tom added. “He’s just running late.”
“Well, while we are waiting on him, why don’t you go ahead and order appetizers? I am going to run to the ladies room.” Emma stood and walked over toward the hall by the bar.
Chapter 2
Jake pulled his pickup truck up to the bar, but didn’t get out right away. He didn’t know why he was so opposed to going inside to have dinner with his friends. He understood he wasn’t being “set up” with Laurie’s aunt; he was just supposed to meet her and sit with her so she would have a dinner partner. But being there watching Rob and Tom have what he wanted was just going to be one more reason for delaying. He was happy his friends had found amazing, beautiful women. Rob and Tom were his best friends and deserved the best. But… Jake shook his head to clear his thoughts. Taking a deep breath, he hopped out of his truck.
Approaching the door to the bar, he saw a tall, skinny blonde with painted on blue jeans, hanging around the front. Recognizing the young woman as Brandi, a notorious flirt always looking for attention, he tried to walk by. She turned around, a huge hungry smile covering her face.
“Jake,” she purred. “I was supposed to meet someone, but he isn’t here yet, so you can buy me a drink.” She latched onto his arm, dragging a long red fingernail down his chest.
“Sorry, Brandi, but I am meeting friends,” he said as he tried to disentangle himself.
“Well, since you didn’t come with anyone, I can be your date,” she said as they walked inside the bar.
Brandi, barely old enough to drink legally, was too young to be a barfly, but Jake knew that her father always asked the bar owner Bill, to keep an eye on her.
Not wanting to be seen with Brandi and knowing Laurie would be furious if she saw her, Jake took her firmly by the arms and pushed her back. “Brandi, I’m not your date. I’m here to meet Laurie’s aunt. You need to go find your friends.”
“Her aunt?” Brandi laughed. “You don’t want some old lady for your date!”
*
Turning, Jake glimpsed his friends sitting at the back. He started towards them, but a movement near the bar caught his eye. A
petite brunette with tight jeans that cupped a luscious ass was walking by the bar.
That’s new. I’d sure have remembered her if I’d seen her before!
Damn, of all the times to be unavailable, this would be the night that he saw someone that made his pulse quicken. His eyes followed the woman as she turned and headed toward the back of the bar. He glimpsed enough of her profile to see that her tits were as luscious as her ass. The mystery woman stopped at Laurie’s table.
Not seeing an older woman sitting at the table, he decided to get over there quickly to meet the new woman, before having to meet Laurie’s aunt. As he approached the table, the mystery woman turned around.
Jake found himself looking down into sparkling eyes as dark as chocolate and a full mouth just made for kissing. Her dark brown hair hung in waves below her shoulders, auburn highlights shining under the barroom lights, and he instantly thought of what it would feel like to tangle his hands in her hair as he took her. She was petite, probably only a couple of inches over five feet, but up close he could see the curves that he had noticed over by the bar. Her light pink top was clingy but not slutty and scooped down in the front just enough that he could glimpse the tops of her breasts.
The beauty standing in front of him looked up and smiled a genuine smile that lit her whole face. Jake couldn’t remember the last time he had seen such a look of unadulterated joy aimed at him. He could actually feel her smile deep inside.
*
Emma couldn’t believe how far up she had to look to see his face. He must be a foot taller than her and she scanned the masculine beauty towering over her. His eyes were the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen and his broad shoulders tapered down to trim hips. His black t-shirt was pulled tightly over his muscular chest and his bulging arms by his sides made her wonder what they would be like wrapped around her. Her eyes traveled down, noticing the fit of his jeans at his crotch and the muscular thighs stretching the jean material. Emma’s eyes continued their downward appraisal, ending with the cowboy boots on his feet.
Laurie’s voice carried over the jukebox music. “Jake, I’d like you to meet my aunt Emma and Emma, this is Jake.”
This is her date for the evening? Emma couldn’t believe her luck.
*
What? Laurie’s aunt? Jake was so stunned that he couldn’t even move. He just stood there dumbly staring. The smile seemed to drop from her face as her eyes searched his.
Before anyone could say anything, a voice beside him screeched, “You don’t look like some old lady.” Emma’s eyes quickly cut over to the very young blond Barbie doll holding on to Jake’s arm.
Laurie was furious. “What the hell are you doing here, Brandi?”
Brandi, oblivious to the glares coming her way, just stared at Emma in surprise. “Jake didn’t want to come in and be some ol’ lady’s date, but you don’t look old at all!”
Everyone sat for a moment in stunned silence. Emma, with a raised eyebrow, just looked from Jake to Brandi and then threw her head back and laughed. Not a sultry, fake laugh that some women use when they are trying to seduce a man, but a real laugh.
“Well thank you, I think,” Emma said. “I do believe I’ll take that as a compliment!”
Then chaos erupted. Laurie was so incensed at the insult to Emma she stood up ready to kick Brandi’s ass. Carol was equally ready to jump into the fray. Rob stood, put his hands on Laurie’s shoulders and pulled her back down. Tom shushed Carol and pulled her into his lap. Both Tom and Rob looked over at Jake, trying to understand how in the hell he could have walked in with Brandi when he was supposed to meet Emma. All the while, Jake and Emma just looked at each other while Brandi had gone on to her next thought.
“Oh my God. Are those Smokey’s’ hot wings?” Brandi squealed. “I love those!” She pushed her way passed Emma, knocking her into Jake, plopping down in Emma’s chair.
Jake grabbed Emma’s shoulders to keep her from stumbling. The touch sparked between them and she turned her eyes back up to Jake in surprise.
Jake was equally surprised. The only emotion he felt when Brandi’s arm was wrapped around his, was discomfort. But one accidental touch from Emma had him feeling alive. He could feel the blood heading south to his dick, but he forced himself to get those thoughts of Emma out of his head.
She’s a lady, and a tiny one at that. The last thing she needs is to see my hard on, straining in my jeans when we just met.
Jake had had enough of Brandi’s interference. He reluctantly released his hold on Emma’s shoulders, moving forward to haul Brandi out of Emma’s chair, but Emma jumped in to stop him.
“Oh please, let her sit. Here you sit with your… uh…date,” Emma said with a smirk, pointing to the chair next to Brandi. “I’ll find another chair.”
Before he knew what was happening, Emma had hurried over and pulled another chair by Laurie and Rob. Jake was furious. For a man who always liked to be in charge, he felt totally pushed around at the moment, first by Laurie, then by Brandi, and now by this pint-sized beauty who seemed to be finding the whole situation amusing.
“Well, now that introductions have been taken care of, let’s eat,” Tom said, trying to diffuse the situation and calm his wife who was still steaming. Rob, taking the hint, quickly agreed and waved the waitress over. Brandi, oblivious as ever, continued to fill her plate with hot wings, as the stares back and forth between the six other people at the table bounced all around. Laurie pulled out her cell phone, scrolling through her contacts.
“Who are you trying to call?” Rob asked, leaning over her shoulder to see the screen.
Laurie looked directly at Jake when she answered. “Mike. I thought I would see if he was free tonight to join us.”
Mike was another one of their unattached friends who worked with Jake and Tom on the police force. Mike was a good looking guy, and Jake knew exactly what Laurie was trying to do; he would be damned before he let her set Emma up with someone else. He may have made an error in judgment when it came to meeting Emma, but planned on rectifying that as soon as he could.
“Mike’s on duty tonight,” Jake spoke up.
Laurie looked frustrated as she slid her phone back into her pocket.
Tom looked over at Jake; he knew Mike wasn’t on duty. Tom chuckled, knowing exactly what Jake had done. Mike was known as a player, and Jake was making sure that Emma wasn’t going to be his next conquest.
Emma smiled at the table full of friends, deciding that she was going to like Fairfield.
“So I know Laurie works at the elementary school, and Rob works as a firefighter. What about you all?” she said in her slightly southern drawl.
Carol, who was still shooting daggers at Brandi, looked over at Emma and smiled. “I’m a nurse over at Fairfield Hospital, and Tom is a detective with the Fairfield Police,” she said as she adoringly looked up at her husband.
Looking at the two couples sitting at the table, Emma could not help but have a pang of envy. With their beautiful women, Tom and Rob looked happy. She spared a glance at Jake and Barbie doll – okay, that’s not fair she admonished herself, the girl’s name is Brandi.
“And you two?” she asked.
Jake, jaw tight, growled, “We’re not together.”
“Okaaay,” Emma said, trying to hold in a smile. “But I still would like to know more about you.”
Before Jake could growl again, Tom quickly spoke up. “Jake is my partner.”
“That’s wonderful,” Emma exclaimed, “I feel safe! Two detectives and a firefighter!” They laughed and the tension around the table seemed to loosen.
Jake couldn’t help but look over at Emma; the smile on her face reached her eyes as she looked around their group of friends. She was definitely different from many women he knew. Most women would have been incensed that their date was sitting with another woman, but she seemed to take it all in stride. He glanced at Brandi, who still oblivious to the mess she had caused, was now sitting back twirling her hair and looking
around. Laurie, who had finally calmed down, was holding Emma’s hand and smiling.
Carol turned to them. “I just have to ask you two – how is it that you are so young and yet you raised Laurie? You look like sisters, not aunt and niece!”
Laurie and Emma smiled at each other, years of understanding passing between them.
Laurie smiled, nodding to Emma. “You can tell our story. We’re all friends here.”
“Well, Laurie’s mother was my sister, although she was about ten years older than I was.” Laughing, Emma confessed, “My parents used to call me their ‘oops’ baby. I was only six years old when Laurie was born, and they lived with us. My father died when I was a teenager so for a while it was just a house full of girls. So, you see, Laurie and I were raised very much like sisters.” Emma smiled. “In fact, I thought Laurie was my live doll baby.”
Laurie, taking over the story, continued, “That’s right! I grew up always being dressed up in cute clothes!”
“So that’s where the ‘I need more clothes’ comes from,” Rob joked. They all laughed, knowing how Laurie loved clothes.
“Hey, you can’t blame that on me!” exclaimed Emma.
“Please continue,” Carol pleaded.
“Well, when I was eighteen, I went to college about an hour away from home. I was about halfway through the first semester when I was called home.” Emma’s smile left her face, and she reached over to take Laurie’s hand again. Jake, as a detective had been trained to read people’s faces. He knew whatever was coming next was important. He was interested to see what Emma would say.
“My mom and Sarah were killed in a car accident.” No one spoke. Laurie wiped a tear from her cheek as Rob pulled her in for a hug.
“So it was just Laurie and I left,” Emma stated.
“But you were only eighteen… how did you take care of her?” Carol interjected.
Emma looked up, smiling. “Well,” she drawled, “I was the only living relative, so of course I became her guardian.”
Emma's Home (The Fairfield Series) Page 2