by Terri Osburn
“Really? How many places have you been?”
Jacob shook his head. “We’ll get to that later. Right now, I get to ask the questions.”
Properly chastised, I sat up straighter. “Yes, sir. Next question then.”
He consulted his list once again. “If your apartment was on fire, what’s the one thing you would grab before running out?”
Again, I didn’t have to think about my answer. “Milo.”
“Your cat?”
“Yes, my cat. Who wouldn’t save their cat?”
“I didn’t say anything,” he replied. “Just most people say their phone or their laptop.”
Heartless people, maybe. “Those can both be replaced. I couldn’t replace Milo.”
“You couldn’t find another cat?”
“I didn’t say that. I said I couldn’t find another Milo.” Jacob pulled a pen from his back pocket and wrote something on his list of questions. “What was that?” I asked.
“I’m giving you bonus points for that one.”
He really knew what to say to make a girl swoon. “That’s very sweet of you.”
Clicking the pen, he read the next question. “How would you describe your dream date?”
Two answers came to mind, but I needed a little clarification. “Date as in the person or the activity?”
“The activity.”
“Oh, that’s another easy one.”
Clicking the pen again as if ready to take notes, he said, “I’m listening.” I waited until he looked at me. “Well?”
“This,” I said. “This is how I would describe my perfect date.”
Crossing his arms on the table, Jacob leaned forward. “You’re an easy woman to please, then.”
“If you think getting here was easy, you haven’t been paying attention.”
His laughter surrounded me, and I knew I would never get tired of that sound.
Jacob reached down and tugged my chair across the pavement until my knees slid in between his. “I’m glad you didn’t give up before our date.”
My mouth went dry as his voice dropped an octave, and I could feel his warm breath on my cheek. “I’m glad you were the one on that boat.”
His eyes dropped to my lips. “I’d really like to kiss you right now.”
Breathless, I whispered, “I really wish you would.”
When our lips met, his hot and soft and gentle against mine, there was no panic or doubt or urge to run away. I slid my hands into his thick hair and leaned in for more, amazed that anything could feel so perfect.
When we drew apart, he pressed his forehead to mine. “I want to keep seeing you, Becca.”
Impatient for more kissing, I murmured, “Yes. Definitely, yes.”
Epilogue
Like most places around the United States, Pittsburgh offered an epic fireworks display every Fourth of July, and the best place to watch the show was from the Mt. Washington overlook. A quick ten-minute walk from my apartment and I had the best view in the city, provided I didn’t mind squeezing in with a few thousand other onlookers.
My proximity to the action meant that all of my friends gathered at my place in the evening after spending most of the day with their families. This year, we had two extra guests.
“We need to start walking that way in about fifteen minutes,” I said, while Josie and Lindsey finished stuffing leftovers into my fridge. Their mothers insisted that they take home enough food for an army, and for some reason, most of it always ended up at my place.
It was as if they feared my lack of cooking skills would result in total starvation, which was ridiculous when I had cold cereal and could order in whenever I got hungry. At least this year I had someone to help me eat it all.
“Be easy with him, honey,” Jacob told Sophie, who was being overly affectionate with Milo. Since I’d adopted him as a full-grown cat shortly after losing Brian, I had no idea if the furball had ever been around children. Thankfully, he showed immense patience with Sophie despite her exuberant hugs.
“She’s okay,” I said. “I think he likes the attention.”
“I don’t want her to hurt him,” he replied. “I know how much that cat means to you.”
After nearly a month of dating, I still pinched myself that this dear, caring man had fallen into my life. We’d survived the busy month of weddings, mostly due to Jacob not minding weeknight dates and not having to rush home for work in the mornings.
This was my second time meeting Sophie, and I was pretty sure she only liked me because of Milo. Apparently, her mother was not a pet person. If her adoration of my cat was any indication, her father would have a kitten by the end of the summer.
“Hey, Sophie,” Megan said. “Do you like to read books?”
“I do,” she said in her cute little voice. Truly, everything about the child was adorable, and she had the calmest nature. I had a good hunch where she got that from.
“Well, I have some in my bag. Do you want to check them out?”
I may have given Megan a heads-up that Sophie would be joining us. I didn’t exactly keep toys around my apartment, and I’d been afraid she’d get bored.
“Sure,” she said, shoving Milo onto the floor as she slid off the couch. Reaching Megan, she leaned on the arm of her chair and asked, “What do you have?”
The librarian pulled three books out of her bag. “Have you read any of these?”
Clapping with excitement, the child pointed to the last one. “I love this one. Can I read it now?”
“We have to leave soon,” Jacob reminded her.
With big brown eyes that matched her father’s, she looked up with a protruding bottom lip. “I can read until we go, can’t I, Daddy?”
Crumbling immediately, he said, “Okay, honey.”
The poor man didn’t stand a chance. I could only imagine what lay ahead in his future, and I grinned thinking about watching her wrap him even tighter around her finger. It was cute now, but in another ten years he would be pulling his hair out in frustration.
And I would still be enjoying the show. Hopefully.
As Sophie carried the book back to the couch, Josie sat down on the floor by the window. “Meg, are you going to play softball again this year?”
“You play softball?” Jacob asked.
“Don’t look so surprised,” she replied.
All of my friends had taken to Jacob as soon as they’d met him, and he’d developed a quick rapport with each of them. He and Josie picked at each other. Donna, who had yet to arrive, had taken to calling him hot stuff, which made him blush every time. And Megan had won him over with her love of history. The pair had spent nearly an hour the first night they met discussing everything from the Revolutionary War to the Geneva Peace Accords.
“Megan shakes off her quiet librarian persona once she hits the field,” I explained. “She can throw a mean line drive to first base, and pitchers hate her because they can’t find her strike zone.”
“An added benefit of being short,” Megan added.
She and I high-fived, united in our petiteness.
“What team this time?” Lindsey asked, joining us with a handful of corn chips.
“It’s a new coed team. We don’t start until September so I don’t know the whole roster yet, but I’ve heard a few familiar names tossed around. Unfortunately, Fletcher is one of them.”
Us girls collectively growled, and Jacob said, “We don’t like Fletcher?”
“He’s her ex,” Lindsey said around the chip in her mouth. “After three years, he told her she was boring and dumped her for his secretary.”
“Lindsey,” I snapped.
“What? He asked.”
“It’s okay,” Megan said. “All of that is true.”
“He sounds like a real jerk,” Jacob said.
“He is,” Josie confirmed. “He’ll be laughing out his ass when that secretary figures out what a piece of crap he is.”
“We must be talking about Fletcher,” Donna said as s
he strolled in with more leftovers.
“How did she know that?” Jacob whispered. I kissed him on the cheek and said, “You’ll get used to it.” To Donna, I said, “You cannot put any more food in my fridge. I already have too much.”
“Okay. I mean, if you don’t want Mom’s potato salad…”
I leaped off my chair and grabbed the bag dangling from her hand. “I can make room.” After doing just that, I checked the clock. “Donna, you’re just in time. We need to head out if we’re going find a spot where the little one can see, too.”
Megan went straight to Sophie and offered a hand. “You want to walk with me?”
“Sure,” the little girl said.
I set my chin on Jacob’s shoulder. “You’d never know she runs the children’s program at the library, would you?”
“I’d never have guessed.”
The group headed out, with Megan and Sophie leading the way, Donna, Josie, and Lindsey in the middle, and Jacob and I pulling up the rear. A block from my building, he placed a kiss on the back of my hand and said, “Have I told you how pretty you look today?”
“Not in the last hour,” I replied.
Nodding toward the crowd in front of us, he said, “I think Sophie is having a good time.”
We’d spent the day with my parents, who’d doted on her from the minute we walked in. Mom was practically giddy for the last week since I’d told her we were bringing Jacob’s daughter. She’d even gone out and bought games and puzzles and a kit to make slime so that Sophie would have plenty to do. Though I was pretty sure most of the purchases had been an excuse for her to practice her grandma skills.
When I’d told her about Jacob and that he had a little girl, I’d thought she might pass out from excitement. Not just because of the potential ready-made grandchild, but because it was obvious how happy I was.
And I was happy. Blissfully so.
“I’m surprised she hasn’t passed out yet,” I said. The Finnegans had stopped by my parent’s house with Penelope, who had been even more excited than Mom at this new tiny playmate. The pair had run around the backyard until I was exhausted just from watching them.
“I’ll have to carry her back after the fireworks,” Jacob said. “I can already tell that she’s running on fumes.”
Tucking in close to his side, I said, “I’m really glad you got to bring her today. She’s so sweet.”
“Thanks for letting me. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it.”
I tugged on his hand. “Jacob, she’s welcome anytime. I told you before, you having a daughter doesn’t scare me off. I mean, it’s early and I’m still nervous around her, but she’s part of you, and that’s all that matters.”
Dropping his voice so the others couldn’t hear, he said, “Is there anything that would scare you off?”
“Is this another test?” I asked.
“Not a test. Just a question.”
Leaning my head against his shoulder, I squeezed his hand. “I don’t think so.”
“What if I said I love you?”
Jerking my head up, I met his eyes. “You love me?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I think I do.”
Unable to contain my smile, I said, “I think I might love you, too. Are we crazy?”
“Probably,” he said, lifting me off the ground in a tight hug. “But it’s the best kind of crazy.”
I heard Sophie say, “What are they doing back there?”
“They’re just excited for the fireworks,” Lindsey said, earning a laugh from the rest of the group.
Jacob put me back on my feet, but I was pretty sure I would not be touching the ground for the rest of the night. Or for the rest of my life.
Thank you for reading Not You Again. I hope you enjoyed Becca and Jacob’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. An honest review is always appreciated!
If you’d like to read the next book in the series coming out later this summer, pre-order Not Playing Fair now and see if Megan finds her own happy ending on the softball field.
Lastly, if you’d like to keep up with me and my books, you’re always welcome to subscribe to my newsletter. You’ll get a free short story just for signing up. And if you turn the page here, you’ll see the full list of my other books.
Thank you again and happy reading!
Terri
Also by Terri Osburn
Find them all here
Anchor Island Series
Meant To Be
Up To The Challenge
Home To Stay
More To Give
In Over Her Head
Christmas On Anchor Island*
*coming Oct 2021
Ardent Springs Series
His First And Last
Our Now And Forever
My One And Only
Her Hopes And Dreams
The Last In Love
Shooting Stars Series
Rising Star
Falling Star
Wishing On A Star
Among The Stars
Stand-Alones
Ask Me To Stay
Wrecked
Awakening Anna
Acknowledgments
I first have to say thank you to the two Kims in my life. To Kim Law for all the brainstorming and plotting and laughter that kept me sane over the last year. And to Kimberly Dawn for being my trusty copyeditor with the endless patience to fix my same mistakes over and over again. I’d say that one day I’ll get them right, but we both know that’s unlikely.
I’d also like to thank my family back in Pittsburgh for answering the most random questions at the most random times. I lived in the burgh back in the early 90s, and as expected, much has changed since then. At the same time, much has stayed the same. I hope I captured the personality of the city and look forward to spotlighting it even more as the series goes along.
Now to the readers who have stuck by me and been patient while I dug myself out of a mental hole. A year without releasing a book is a very long time, but you jumped right back in when I finally put another one out and I cannot thank you enough for your support and for your kindness toward my work.
You brighten my life daily and I can never thank you enough for that. Much love and happy reading!
About the Author
Terri Osburn writes contemporary romance with heart, hope, and lots of humor. After landing on the bestseller lists with her Anchor Island Series, she moved on to the Ardent Springs series, which earned her a Book Buyers Best award in 2016. Terri’s work has been translated into five languages, and sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide. She resides in middle Tennessee with four frisky felines and two high-maintenance terrier mixes. Learn more about this author on her website or check out her Facebook page.