Joan nodded.
“Let’s support him, together. He needs you too. I am not leaving Jake’s side ever again and I won’t let him leave me. I will fight for him.”
Joan gave her a proud smile. “You’re a strong woman Sydney McAdams.”
Sydney smiled. “I learned from the strongest woman I know. You.”
“Now you’re just buttering me up so I will smile and play nice.’
“I would love it if you would play nice.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
SYDNEY, HAYLEE AND Jake sat around the kitchen table with their three small guests, who enjoyed the muffins Jake had picked up. They’d finally revealed their names, as though it was a secret they weren’t allowed to share, along with small tidbits about themselves from the mouth of Lucy. After she'd had a good night’s sleep and nibbles on a chocolate chip muffin she had become a little chatterbox.
Lucy was the middle child. She was six years old, her birthday was the first of June, but she didn’t get anything this year because her mommy wasn’t with her. She liked movies and playing in the sand.
Eleven-year-old Mia was quiet and observant, and she had laid a continual stream of hush up looks in her sister’s direction all morning.
Benjamin, who answered to Benji, was a shy three-year-old attached to his oldest sister, the sole caretaker of this group.
Jake had a muffin in front of him but he wasn't eating, instead he had a strange look on his face. He seemed lost since he’d emerged from her bedroom, like all the worries had slammed into him the moment the water stopped.
Sydney shot him pleading looks to get the ball rolling. The faster he got some answers and left, which she was having an especially hard time dealing with, the faster he would be back. If it was as dangerous as Joan feared, Sydney wasn’t sure why they hadn’t phoned the police. However, neither she nor Jake was open to that discussion. Hopefully one of these children gave them something to go on.
Jake looked the children over.
“So...” he began, slowly going from one to the next. “...How did you end up here?”
“In a car,” Mia answered.
His eyes widened and shot back to Sydney. She could tell her didn’t know what to do that elusive answer. He had to keep going.
“Whose car?” Sydney asked, trying to sound casual rather than the prying they were pressing.
Mia ignored her and continued eating her muffin.
Jake, please don't leave them with me.
She felt like jumping on his motorcycle and finding the two MIA women would be easier than watching Mia. The motorcycle was her downfall but it was looking like a better option than this crowd.
“Beth’s friend,” Lucy supplied.
“Lucy,” Mia scolded.
“What?”
Mia rolled her eyes.
“What was Beth’s friend’s name?” Jake asked.
A shrug.
“What does he look like?”
“A man,” said Mia.
“Brown hair,” said Lucy, followed by another glare from Mia.
Jake ran his hand through his hair looking fed up and frustrated. Sydney stood to offer more juice, sensing where this was going, but Jake dove in deeper.
“Alright, listen here. I understand that Beth told you that I'm keeping you and dropped you off and you have it in your little heads that I’m your new watcher or whatever. Now, let's clear something up. I'm not.”
Sydney slunk back down in the chair. She was tempted to throw her muffin at his face.
Haylee sent her a surprised look but what was Sydney supposed to do? It wasn't her family, so she shrugged back at her. Haylee looked like she wanted to hide behind a muffin.
“I'm going to find your mother and grandmother and figure out exactly what is going on with the two of them. And I’ll drag them back so they can keep you.”
It sounded so much more awful then he could possibly understand.
“Good,” Mia said. “Cuz we don't want to be stuck here with you forever. We didn’t ask to be here.”
“Good. Then help me find them.”
Lucy reached across the table, unfazed by Jake’s aggression or her sister’s attitude and grabbed a slice of apple. “I don't mind staying here. I like it here.” She sent Sydney a shy smile, which she returned. Well one of these kids kind of liked her. That would make Jake’s departure a little easier.
“Where are they?” Jake demanded.
Mia shrugged.
“Where did your grandmother say she was going?”
“We don't call her that.”
He sucked in a deep breath before rephrasing his sentence. “Where did Beth say she was going?”
“Away.”
“Away where?”
“I don't know. I'm ten.”
Sydney saw another war building up in Jake so she quickly stood up. “Will you excuse us?” She rounded the table and grabbed his arm, surprising him.
***
SYDNEY’S WARM FINGERS let Jake’s arm go once she had dragged them onto the porch. He didn’t like the stare she was giving him since he’d had plenty of attitude from Mia. He was tired of fighting. He was tired of defending himself. He was tired of trying to figure out how to fix this. He was just plain tired.
His hand reached for her crossed-attitude arms and pulled her against him.
She giggled. He liked her giggle, her smile, the way just her presence comforted him.
He grinned down at her and asked, “You trying to sneak a private moment with me?”
Pink colored her face, and then she sent him a seductive smile. Seductive! It wasn’t the first one she flashed at him in the last day, but it still surprised him that she had such a smile. Her seductive smile triggered a desire in him to sweep her off her feet and back into her bedroom.
“No, but I’m not objecting to the idea.” The sexiness of her tone doubled his reaction.
He chuckled. He knew she had dragged him out here to give him a speech about how to talk to the kids, but he would rather just hold her in his arms and feel the stress of his day diminish.
He tenderly bent his head and kissed her warm lips. Instantly he felt the all-natural high that wasn’t a result of the wonderful flavor of green ginseng tea, a morning staple for Sydney, but rather her intoxicating lips.
If only Joan’s words weren’t burrowing a hole of irritation into the blissful embrace with Sydney.
After catching another conversation that he had no right eavesdropping on in less than twelve hours he was beginning to feel like a busybody listening in on everyone else’s business. Normally he would have made himself known before letting all the details reach his ears, but when he realized it was him they were talking about, his legs simply stopped moving and his ears were locked on every word.
Jake pulled his head away and her eyes gazed up at him with the same bliss he felt. Her tongue ran across her lips and he wanted to take them into his mouth again.
He will hurt you...That’s what Jake Stow does...The words were scalding hot in his brain. I will never let him leave me...I will fight for him.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
What if Joan is right? What if I hurt you? What if I will always hurt you...?
“I’m not getting any answers in there.”
“With that snappy tone of yours the only things you are going to get are snappy answers.”
“I don't feel like taking all day.” He would rather search out Adalyn and Beth, reunite with the three kids, maybe even help them figure out what to do next. More than that, he wanted to be with the woman in his arms and never let go.
In the end, I will fight for them until my death.
“Replace your frustrated tone, you know the one that furrows your brows and makes the veins in your neck pop out...” He was sure she was exaggerating. “...with an understanding tone and listen to their answers to find the right questions to ask.” That was no more helpful than the rationalizing battle taking place in his head.<
br />
He stared at her dumbfounded.
She shook her head with a little giggle at his unawareness. “Give me your phone.” Her little hand popped up between them waiting.
He reached into his back pocket and handed it over breaking the warm contact.
Sydney quickly jotted some questions down and he looked them over.
“Ask them these questions.”
She sent him an encouraging smile and he pulled her into a simple hug. He needed her right now more than anything. He would never be able to do this alone, he wouldn’t want ,to. He wanted her for the rest of their lives. He wanted all of her more than their friendship, more than the last ten years and he never in his life wanted anything more than a complete and fulfilled life with this woman.
As they walked back into the kitchen, he skimmed the questions once more and used the advice she’d given him about his furrowing brows, which he noted were already furrowing and his neck pulsing.
He will always hurt you...
Jake would never intentionally hurt Sydney, or anyone else for that matter. He wanted to protect Sydney−even from the pain and hurt he had inflicted on her. So, in the end, would she end up hurt at his hand? In the end, would it be a continual path of pain for Sydney if they were together? He didn’t want that. He wished his dad were here. Moments like this he missed the advice his dad would dish out...and his dad was always keen on dishing out advice...if only Jake had listened better.
Jake sat on the chair and all eyes were on him. All he could think about was if he would hurt the only blue eyes, encouraging him with all her caring heart.
***
STANDING IN THE driveway, Sydney watched as Jake straddled his bike, wishing it was her instead. She felt a deep worry about him leaving. Mia had answered his questions...sort of...and he was leaving to an address she had finally spilled that they had lived at before Adalyn left them with Beth.
She leaned against his leg with her arms folded in front of her. “Be careful.”
“I will.”
“And you use your phone. Call or text me when you get there, when you leave. Just so I know you’re okay.”
He made a face at her like she was overreacting. Maybe she was, but she didn’t know what he was walking into, not like he knew, not like Joan knew.
He grabbed for his helmet and she grabbed him for a kiss.
He’d been acting a little strange since the shower, a little distant, but it was probably his departure and having to talk to the kids and all the worry he was carrying, so she let it slide.
When he pulled away he grinned. “Out in the open. How very brave.”
She smiled. “Let me know when you get there.”
He nodded.
“Promise.”
“I promise.”
“And when you leave.”
“I promise.”
She breathed a bit easier as she watched him drive away on his Harley. A bit...she was still scared of what he was walking into. She watched until his bike turned at the end of the road before heading back toward the house. This was going to be an interesting day.
Chapter Twenty-Six
THE ADDRESS MIA had given him turned out to be an apartment building. Not just any apartment building, a deluxe high-rise condo in a high-end of the city. Jake hadn’t been prepared for that. Where did Adalyn get the money to afford a place like this? Jake had Adalyn’s money from their dad put away in an account but she didn’t have access to it.
Drake? The thought infuriated him.
This could definitely work to my advantage, he thought, setting his helmet on the handle and raking his hand over his head.
He found the manager button and listened to it ring as he thought about everything Joan had said to Sydney. He hadn’t stopped the steaming sentence repeating through his head since he climbed on his bike and left Willow Valley.
“Hello?” A young voice crackled over the system and he shook his head. Deal with this first and think about that later. Who was he trying to kid? He’d been thinking about it the whole drive up here.
“Hi, my name is Jake. I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time to ask some questions about my sister. She used to live here.”
There was silence. Maybe he’d given too much information and should have waited for him to come out.
“Be out in a second.”
On second hand, maybe not. The term on second hand had been drilling his mind the long drive up here. He’d even needed to pull over a couple times to shake away the emotions building up inside him. He couldn’t help think that Joan was right about him. He wasn’t good enough for Sydney. His life brought pain, his past was dreadful and there were secrets about him that Sydney still didn’t know.
Sydney was smart, sweet and so full of life that if she spent the rest of hers with him, he feared he would drag her down.
Curious eyes stared out behind black-rimmed glasses. A tall, skinny man wearing black dress pants and a button-up shirt came out to meet Jake. He pushed open the glass door and offered his hand. “Hello, I’m Robbie Dalton, Manager,” he said.
Jake met Robbie’ weak handshake with his own−forceful and solid. “Jake.”
“What can I do for you?”
“A year ago my sister lived here with three children. Mia, Lucy and Benjamin.”
Robbie nodded and a light broke his suspicious eyes as he recalled Adalyn’s family. That was good right? That light lit up his eyes?
“Yes, Maria. I never had a problem with Maria and her family. They lived here for almost eight years and were one of my better tenants.”
Jake shook his head. “Adalyn,” he corrected.
The man shook his wavy hair. “No, her name was Maria.”
That was strange. Why was Adalyn using the name Maria? Why hadn’t the kids said anything to him? Why did they still refer to her as Adalyn?
“I have never rented to an Adalyn...is that what you said her name was?”
Jake nodded. Adalyn, what is going on? “Do you know where Maria may have gone?”
He shook his head. “No, she left in the middle of the night while her boyfriend was in the hospital after he was involved a car crash.” More information that the kids could have shared with him. “When he was released two weeks later, Maria and the kids were gone. I noticed them gone, but it wasn’t until he came pounding on my door that I knew something was wrong.”
“Maria didn’t say anything to you?”
“No.”
“Was she acting differently before she left?”
“She was upset about the accident, but that’s normal and I thought they were at the hospital while he was recovering. Again, I didn’t know anything was wrong until he came pounding on my door.”
“Did he call the cops? Report them missing?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure. He left shortly after, so I assumed he’d located them. He packed everything up, paid the rent and left. He didn’t say anything and I didn’t want to pry.”
“Do you know where he went?”
“He left a forwarding address for his mail.”
That was perfect. “Could I have it?”
The man eyed him up suddenly as though maybe he had said too much and was now starting to regret it.
“What did you say your name was?”
“Jake. Jake Stow.”
“But you’re looking for an Adalyn?”
Yes, that was right. “Maria is her middle name.”
It wasn’t and this guy wasn’t buying it.
“Listen, I’m not looking for any trouble. I am worried about my sister’s well-being and if this guy knows where she could be I would be grateful to be able to reach him. What did you say his name was?” He hadn’t and he wasn’t about to now.
“I will see what I can do. What’s your cell number? If I find anything I will let you know.”
Jake was feeling defeated but there wasn’t much more he could do. He jotted his number down for the guy then offered his hand. “Thank
s.”
The scrawny man shook his hand and simply nodded.
On Jake’s way out he turned back. “Hey, how were they?” he asked. “How were the kids? Maria? Did they seem alright?” The guy whose name you won’t tell me.
He smiled again and nodded. “Like I said, I never had any problems with them. The kids seemed happy and friendly and didn’t cause me any trouble. They paid their rent and weren’t loud. They seemed like a happy family.” His face was solemn. “Is there a reason you would think they are in trouble?”
Jake didn’t want to involve anyone but in the same thought he wanted that address. He nodded. “There is and I am very worried about my sister.”
With that, he left and climbed back onto his bike, shot Sydney a quick, I’m leaving text and hit the road.
He hoped his phone vibrated with the address to Adalyn’s boyfriend so he would have another lead. If he didn’t get the call, he would be asking Mia and this time he wanted all the answers.
But you’re still young, Sydney. You could have the guy that won’t chase after demons in his past.
That was exactly what Jake was doing, chasing after demons from his past.
If Adalyn’s boyfriend didn’t give him a good lead then he would be left with no other alternative then to return to the darkest place he’d ever experienced. Possibly he would find his mother there, possibly he would find Adalyn. Either way, if he ended up back there they would know Jake was the snitch that landed them all in the slammer. He wondered who was in charge there now. Who he would have to face. He didn’t want to face any of them and if he did...Joan’s words haunted him...Sydney deserved better than this.
The life he had thought he was done with was now thrown back at him. The bottom line was: that was his life. He would always be the son of the drug addict. He would be the snitch to save his family.
Sydney deserved better. Sydney didn’t deserve the life he could offer.
Dammit. The thought made him so furious he pulled his bike over on the side of the gravel road...again...and tore off into a panicked pace...again.
He should have never initiated a relationship with Sydney on that beach or chased her down on the boat after she reminded him of his past.
Lakeshore Love: The McAdams Sisters (By The Lake Book 3) Page 17