“That’s not true. When we were in training, they told us that relationships were the enemy. Getting caught up in emotions would get us killed.” He’s eyes seemed to beg her to understand.
She hadn’t thought of that. Softening only slightly when she recognized the hurt on her high school sweetheart’s face. His pain both visible and raw.
He stared at her. “You’ve changed.”
“Ya’ think?” She’d matured alright, no longer the schoolgirl he’d left behind. “You’ve changed too.”
“I knew I shouldn’t have come back,” Jake mumbled.
She whirled on him, stabbing a finger into his chest. “Oh really. Well I have a few things to say. Did it ever dawn on you to ask how many dates I’ve been on? How many guys I dumped? Or what I’ve done for the past almost six years?” Carrie was practically shouting. She sounded like a shrew. Tears filled her eyes. Gasping for air, her shoulders heaving with each breath. She sniffed. “The house is yours, do what you want.” She grabbed her purse and left. She had to get out of there before she said something she couldn’t take back.
Twenty minutes later, Carrie was still seething when she let herself into the office. She was glad to have the place to herself. The last thing she wanted was to bark at anyone when her anger lay solely on Jake.
She got straight to work and became so involved she didn’t stop until she signed the last document. Her phone pinged. It was Erica telling her where to meet.
After locking the office, she hit the drive through coffee shack for blended mocha drinks, topped with whipped cream. She parked behind the shoe repair shop. Two blocks later she joined Erica, handing her an icy drink.
She spent the remainder of the parade sharing her frustration about Jake with her friend. “He makes me crazy.”
“Only because you love him.”
“When did I say I didn’t? That has never been in question.”
Erica snorted. “The problem is you two really never dealt with his leaving. He thought he was doing the right thing, freeing you before he left. Unfortunately, you didn’t let go. You two would have been better off just getting married.”
“I’d have done that in a heartbeat, but he didn’t offer.”
“Oh please, you’ve only had eyes for Jake since Freshman year. And whether he knows it or not, which I highly doubt, you’ve been waiting for him ever since, though Lord knows why. I mean, it’s not like you haven’t been asked out—you just haven’t jumped at the bait.”
Carrie stilled. What her friend said was true. She had waited for Jake.
While they were at the parade, Boomer hit the paint shop to pick up Carrie’s order and when the women pulled up to the house, the men had already arrived and had the windows taped off, ready to start.
Boomer helped Erica out of the car. He kissed his wife, then rubbed her stomach.
Erica stroked his cheek, giggling when the babies kicked his hand.
Carrie couldn’t be happier for her friends, but at the same time, pure and simple, she was jealous.
Settling into the kitchen, Carrie started a large pot of tea brewing on the back burner, then pulled two slabs of tri tip, three chickens, and a large bag of shrimp from the refrigerator to marinate.
By the time Erica joined her, the meat was back in the fridge and she had begun to shuck the corn.
“Where’s Jake?” she asked. “I want to say hi.”
“I haven’t seen him.” She stopped what she was doing when the image of Jake, unconscious and bleeding on her bathroom floor, spurred her out of the room. The only shower was upstairs. “Jake.” She stood at the bottom of the steps, listening hesitantly.
There was no response.
She tossed the ear of corn onto the counter and flew up the stairs, she stumbled banging her shin, then tore into the bathroom where she ran smack dab into the chest of a very naked Jake. “Ah—I—I’m sorry.” She tried to back away, but Jake had thrown his arms around her to keep from falling. She managed two steps backward then froze.
She cupped his upper arms, stabilizing him, staring at his wet body, eyes glued to his arousal. Unsure if she was more embarrassed or grateful that he was okay, she took another step back but still couldn’t break her gaze.
He gave a practiced sniff of derision then let out a chuckle. “Like what you see?” Jake didn’t bother to cover himself or look away. Instead, he cocked his head and grinned, then pulled the protective sleeve over his stump, then casually reached for his prosthesis which leaned against the wall. He fastened it into place. In fact, he continued to smile. A lecherous grin was the only thing he wore, proudly.
Retreat was all she could think about, but when she backed up, she banged her head against the door frame, then turned and raced back to the safety of the kitchen.
Jake’s laugh rang out as she pounded down the stairs.
“What was that all about?” Erica asked, unable to hide her curiosity.
“Nothing.” If her face were any warmer, she’d need a cold shower before she could face her friend.
“Nothing, my foot. What happened?”
Carrie had never been able to hide anything from her friend. She opened her mouth to admit her faux pas, but clamped it shut when she heard an unsteady gait on the stairs. Opening the freezer door, she pretended she was searching for something, plucking and moving a variety of items.
“That’s not going to help.” He pulled her out of the freezer, spun her around and planted a kiss on her lips. And what a kiss. She found herself leaning into it when he pulled away. Jake, dressed in clean camo pants, an army t-shirt, and combat boots, poured himself a glass of orange juice, pressed a kiss to her cheek, then went outside and joined his buddies, whistling as the door slammed.
As much as she hated to admit it, Jake looked better than any man had the right to. It took no effort to see past the angry scars on his face because his eyes still sparkled with mirth. And though his smile was now crooked, he hadn’t lost one ounce of sexual magnetism. There was no denying they still had chemistry. If Erica hadn’t been present, there was no telling where that kiss would have taken them. She let out an audible sigh.
Erica crossed her arms then leaned against the fridge, forcing Carrie to face her. “Okay, what gives? The room is positively sizzling. What happened?”
“Oh God,” Carrie said. Leaning over, she tucked her head between her knees trying to slow her breath. “Remember, I told you Jake spent the night. Well, what I didn’t tell you is we had an argument this morning. He wanted to take a shower and I asked him not to, until I got back home—”
“Say no more…” Her giggle built into a full-on belly laugh. “How much did you see?”
Carrie straightened, opened her mouth and delivered a squeak. She covered her face and slid to the floor.
Outside laughter erupted.
“He didn’t.” Carrie tucked her leg, rolled to her knees, and struggled to rise. “He wouldn’t.” She made it to her feet.
She and Erica peeked out the kitchen window.
The guys all threw their heads back and laughed, waving toward the kitchen.
Shorty pointed to them.
Dizzy clapped Digger on the back.
Digger leaned forward laughing hysterically.
“He did.”
“Sorry, Honey, you know how they are.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah…don’t remind me.” There was a slight breeze blowing into the open window. She focused on the grass bending in the wind. Leaves skittered across the yard.
Erica put together her famous pinwheels, filled with cream cheese, ham, sweet pickles and pimentos. She covered them with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge then moved on to a seven-layer bean dip.
Carrie mixed up a batch of her homemade buttermilk ranch dressing and put it in the fridge to chill, then set about chopping vegetables to go with the dip.
On and on they continued to construct enough snacks to feed an army, but in truth, the men painting her house would most likely demolish
everything they would prepare and ask for more.
When the snacks were done, they moved on to the dessert.
Carrie made a cheesecake.
Erica made a fresh fruit salad, drizzled with amaretto plus a chocolate cake, Boomer’s favorite.
With the decadent treats in each of her double ovens, she and Erica threw together a dozen sandwiches for lunch. Together they delivered the food and a huge pitcher of tea to the guys, who attacked the meal with a vengeance.
The front of her house was nearly done. Their hard work was making her visions of her home a reality. “Thanks guy, it looks wonderful.”
After they delivered the food, Carrie and Erica made their way back to the kitchen.
Digger and Dizzy already had the left side of the house taped, then moved onto the back.
“At this rate, all you’ll have to do is the trim.” Erica filled the sink and began to wash dishes.
Carrie cleared the counter then wiped it down, sterilized the chopping block before they continued. “I can’t believe it. My house is almost done.”
The women worked efficiently, knowing what had to be done and doing it. They’d always been like that.
Carrie was grateful to her friends. These same guys had prepped and painted her interior once she got the keys. And little by little the house took shape. It was still a bit sparse, but she wasn’t anxious to fill it simply because she had the room.
“What does Jake think of the house?”
“He raised a brow but didn’t comment.” She bit her lip. “Things are still too strained and awkward between us.”
“Give it some time, now that he’s home where he belongs.” Erica wiped her brow, leaving a trail of bubbles across her forehead.
Carrie had just set the last of the ingredients for the frosting on the island when the back door opened.
Jake stepped into the room, looking from one woman to the other.
Carrie reached for the heavy whipping cream and poured it into a mixing bowl. She added vanilla then sifted a cup of powdered sugar and half a cup of cocoa powder into the mix. She started the mixer to avoid conversation.
She only turned off the mixer when she achieved the stiff peaks she wanted.
Jake jammed his hands into his back pockets and waited, smiling as if he knew what she was up to. “Boomer wants to know what time to start the BBQ? That way they can stop and clean up in time to set things up.”
Carrie looked to Erica. “What do you think?”
“Six is good. And, can you ask someone to make sure the fire pit is ready to go as well?” Erica rinsed the last plate and placed it in the rack to drain. She dried her hands and left the room. “The babies are sitting on my bladder. Back in a few.”
Jake moved to Carrie’s side, flicking a stand of hair over her shoulder.
Carrie brushed her hair behind her ear and took a step away.
“I like the house. You’ve done a great job with it.” Jake moved closer and indiscriminately bent down taking a sniff the way he used to. “You smell wonderful.”
Equally turned on and irritated, she chose to ignore him. There was no way they were going to ease back into what they had, not until they addressed to her satisfaction, why it had been so damn easy for him to walk away from her. As much as she loved him, she wouldn’t let him off the hook. Turning, she gave him her best scowl.
Jake only chuckled. “Nice try, Shortcake. You’re not as immune as you’d like me to believe.”
Carrie was so befuddled she did the only thing she could think of. She dipped her finger into the whipped cocoa and slathered it across his lips.
Jake took up her challenge and bent down to kiss her, smearing the sticky mess across her mouth as well. He straightened then took her hand in his and stuck her finger into his mouth, sucking the digit clean. He then licked his own lips. “Not bad. Not bad at all.” He swatted her bottom and went back outside.
“Damn, it’s hot in here.” Erica fanned herself.
“You’re no help.”
Erica let out a snicker, kissing her palm, and slapping her butt. “Can you hear that sizzle?”
She clamped her lips together, trying her best not to laugh, but her friend’s smile was too much. “I know. He’s still got it.” Carrie fanned her face, staring out the kitchen window at the man who just proved he still held her heart.
Chapter Six
The sun had just dipped behind the Rockies. In the sky above, oranges, reds and yellows lit the horizon. Hazy shades of lavender flashed prominently on the majestic snow-capped purple mountains.
Jake realized for the first time, in a very long time, he was where he needed to be.
Home.
He’d caught Carrie staring through the kitchen window at him twice in the last ten minutes. Feigning ignorance, he pretended to focus on the conversation between the guys, while inconspicuously searching her face for a hint at how to fix things.
Carrie’s sad, beautiful face gave nothing away.
He was no closer to an answer. She was slipping away.
Dizzy added another log to the fire, his girlfriend at his side. Melanie had joined them just in time for dinner, after her shift at the local market.
Digger nursed a beer as he sat in one the Adirondack chairs placed around the fire. His wife was visiting her sick mother in Denver.
Shorty was well on his way to a good drunk, disappearing into the booze to hide the pain of his wife leaving him for another man.
Boomer leaned close, flicking his chin to the house. “You’re not paying attention, why don’t you just go talk to her?
He didn’t need to be asked twice. His friend was right.
“While you’re at it, send Erica out,” Boomer said, nabbing the beer out of Jake’s hand. “You don’t need this.”
Lumbering his way to the house, he leaned on his cane and took the back steps slowly and carefully. He’d overdone it, trying to be of help. His leg ached miserably.
He watched Carrie though the screen door.
The kitchen was clean. The girls were preparing a tray of S’mores fixings. Carrie added a bag of marshmallows to the center of the tray then reached up and swiped at her eyes.
Erica added a plate of graham crackers to the tray then made her way to Carrie’s side. “I know hard it is on you, Honey, but it’s equally hard on Jake.” Erica was four months pregnant with twins, and blissfully happy. She arched her back and stiffened, placing a hand on her already rounded baby bump. “The babies don’t like when I get upset.”
“Really?”
Erica grabbed Carrie’s hand and set it on her stomach.
Carrie jumped, her eyes wide with excitement.
He watched as ever so slightly Carrie’s palm flicked. Again. And Again.
Carrie sucked in breath. “I can’t do this.” Dissolving into a weepy mess, she hugged her friend and raced out of the room.
Erica let out a sigh and whispered. “I know, Honey. I understand.”
Jake pulled open the screen door.
At the squeak, Erica turned, unable to mask her sad expression.
“Boomer wants you.”
“Of course, he does.”
“He’s worried about you…and the babies. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so excited,” Jake said, feeling the need to share this bit of insight.
“I know.” Erica beamed her face radiant. “Me too.” She stroked her belly.
A shadow of something he couldn’t read flitted across her face. “Are they okay?” Jake pointed to her stomach.
“So far, so good.” She cupped her precious cargo.
“Carrie?”
“Give her some time. This has been as tough on her as it is for you.” Erica patted his shoulder, then picked up the tray and headed outside. She stopped at the door. “I’ll take this out and give you two some time to talk. Don’t rush.”
Jake frowned and waited for Carrie to return. There was something going on, something about the way Carrie acted and Erica reacted. What w
ere they keeping from him?
“Sorry about that,” Carrie said, rounding the corner into the kitchen. “I still get emotional when I think about the—” She adjusted her shorts and stopped talking as soon as she laid eyes on Jake.
“The what?” Jake took a step closer. “What was that all about?”
Carrie’s face lost all color. Her body began to shake.
The hair on the back of his neck prickled. A trill of panic prickled its way down his spine. He felt like a heel for his lack of communication.
She stood still as a post, mute, unable to do anything but stare at him. Carrie ran her thumb across her bottom lip, then clamped her teeth down on her thumbnail.
Jake reached out and placed his hands on her hips, lifting her up onto the counter so he could step closer, forcing her to part her legs for him, bringing her up to a better height for kissing, even as his gut suggested retreat.
There was a subtle shift in the room’s atmosphere leaving him with a chill. He reached out and stroked her hair, needing to touch some small part of her. He wanted more and leaned in for a kiss. When their lips touched, their tongues went on a search…hungry, aching, filled with desire so intense it hurt.
She pushed him away abruptly, jumped down from the counter and stood, arms crossed in front of her in a protective gesture, while gazing up at him with a look of such deep, gut-wrenching sorrow.
Jake stepped close enough to touch her again and relished the feel of his erection pressed against her body until she pushed herself away from him again.
“What did I do now?” Jake scrubbed his hands through his hair. “What do you want from me?”
Carrie’s facial expression changed as she contemplated his question.
He recognized pain, hurt, indignation, and even fear. The longer it took her to respond, the more he worried.
“What do I want?” she mimicked. “If you’d asked me before you went into the military, I’d have said to marry you, have your babies, and spend my life trying to make you happy. But that was then—”
Her words came out sounding like a plea and tugged at his heart, but it was the tone of finality that scared him most. “And now?” He wanted all those things as well. But he had things he needed to do first, before he could make his life his own.
Country Wishes Page 33
