Broken Ties (The Healing Series Book 5)

by Kelly Seibold

  "Ahem."

  Jake gave her one last peck on her lips before pulling back entirely as pink rushed up her face. He stood, turned, and looked at his mother, who had visions of grandchildren dancing in her eyes. Something else he needed to talk to Stephanie about. He hadn't delved into that part of her medical records. It seemed too personal, and he didn't want to pry. Was she able to have children now? It didn't make a difference to him and hoped it didn't matter to her either.

  "I'm sorry. Jake, I need your help setting the table. Move one chair out on one side for her chair. Take it to the living room. We don't have room in here."

  "I could sit in a regular chair."

  "Nonsense. Jake, now."

  "Yes, ma'am." He squeezed Stephanie's knee. "Watch football with my dad for a bit. Is that okay?"

  "It's fine."

  He rolled her over to Michael and left to help his mom.

  Gloria practically attacked him when he got into the kitchen. "Why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend?" she whispered. "And Stephanie to boot. I knew you always liked her. That explains why your father suddenly made me dinner the other night. I knew he hadn't suddenly turned romantic."

  Jake laughed, turned back to the living room, and watched Stephanie throw her head back in laughter. The sound was beautiful and melodic, and he wanted to hear it for the rest of his life. His dad was leaning forward with sparkles in his eyes as he looked at her. He’d probably just told the lamest dad joke ever. Something caught in his chest, and the smile slipped from his face.

  His mom grabbed his hand, squeezing it lightly between her fingers. "Don't you feel guilty today, son." How did she know what he was thinking?

  "I do," he whispered, close to tears. His dad laughed in the other room. "Excuse me." He hurriedly went out the back door, not wanting to cry in front of everyone. The door closed heavily behind him.

  He leaned over the fence that bordered a house on the back street and looked up to the sky. Guilt pushed down on his chest, and his hands clenched into fists. "Jacob?" Stephanie rolled out the door, and someone closed it behind her.

  "What are you doing out here?"

  "I'm worried about you. What's wrong? And I would come to you, but I probably shouldn’t roll this thing in the grass."

  He walked over and sat heavily on a chair beside her.

  She reached and grabbed his hand. "Talk to me, please."

  "This really isn't the time."

  "Jacob."

  "My dad."

  "Is fantastic."

  Jake smiled. "He is."

  "And losing his legs didn't change that."

  "You're right."

  "Now, I just need to take my own words of encouragement and apply them to my life."

  Jake threaded his fingers through hers and looked up at the sky. "It's supposed to snow tonight."

  "Will you take me out to the courtyard so I can watch it better?"

  "Yes."

  "Hear me out, and don't get mad, but I think you need to talk to your dad about this. Apologize to him if you feel so inclined. Fourteen years is a long time to blame yourself for something."

  "I-I don't know if I can."

  "You said it yourself; he knows. He hasn't treated you any differently. He won't start if you talk to him about it."

  "Food's ready, kids," his dad announced from the doorway. Stephanie squeezed his hand before turning the chair around herself. Michael held the door open as she rolled herself inside.

  "Can we talk?" Jake asked. Suddenly his hands shook, and he shoved them down in his pockets to stop the tremble.

  "Anytime. You know that."

  Jake looked at this father. He still stood tall, still had permanent eye wrinkles from years of laughter, and was still the greatest man he had ever known. "Dad," he choked out, and Michael wrapped him up in his arms.

  "Shhh. It's okay."

  "I'm sorry I didn't change the brakes," he cried.

  "Listen to me, Jake," he demanded and held him at arm's length. "You stop this blame game. Okay? I've had a great life. I have a great life. Don't let your guilt stop you from having one too. I'm sorry I haven't talked to you about this before now. I guess I just thought we should forget about it and move on, and that's on me."

  "Are you disappointed that I didn't continue my football career?"

  "Are you kidding? My boy helps save lives. How could I ever be disappointed in that? I know I'm the reason you became a doctor and why you can't sleep half the time. Am I also the reason you never dated? Never asked that girl sitting in there out?"

  Jake let out a deep breath, and Michael dropped his hands to his sides and shifted his weight to one hip.

  "Do you love her?"

  "I have always loved her," he admitted.

  "Then don't let her get away this time."

  "She didn't get away, I left, and she never knew how I felt about her."

  "Make sure she knows it now."

  "I broke her heart, and I didn't even know it."

  "Don't break it again."

  "Yes, sir."

  Michael smiled at him, and Jake smiled back.

  "Now, meatloaf. Let's go."

  They entered the room. Michael sent a wink at Stephanie as he sat down by his wife. Jake circled the table and sat beside Stephanie. "Are you all right?" she mouthed.

  He wondered if she could tell he'd been teary-eyed outside. He nodded his answer. He wasn't sure he was all right but felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his chest. Maybe he would be better now. The food was passed around, and everyone dug in. His grandfather's meatloaf could win awards.

  "We sold the house!" Gloria suddenly announced. "We found an apartment that we looked at yesterday and signed the lease. The movers arrive tomorrow! Jake, you can stay with us until you find a place."

  "Well, wow. That's great. This boy has been staying at his office."

  "Gramps!"

  "Yeah, I know you aren't at no extended stay. Don't even tell me that lie again."

  Jake opened his mouth to protest, but what was the point? So he shoved more mashed potatoes in his mouth instead. He could see Stephanie looking at him out of the corner of his eye. He turned to face her, but she had already gone back to her plate, and her brow was furrowed.

  "Jacob!" his mom admonished. "I knew you hadn't been sleeping."

  "Mom, can we not talk about this now?"

  "Sure, baby," she relented, "But I want you to start staying with us. Do you still have all your stuff in storage?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, after the moving truck arrives tomorrow, please take it and get your stuff so you don't have to pay for that anymore."

  "I have meetings all day tomorrow. I'm not sure I can do that then. I didn't know this was happening, and I can't take off tomorrow. Is someone going to be there to help?"

  "Yes, we have movers, and I called Marlon and Cheryl. They are coming over to help, so cool your jets, Jacob," his mom told him.

  He crumpled the napkin in his hand. He shouldn't be angry about this, but he needed to help his parents. His dad especially.

  "Don't worry, Jacob," Michael said. "They are moving my recliner first and hooking up the TV, and I'm sitting there, watching them work while I do absolutely nothing."

  Jake could only nod.

  He glanced over at Stephanie. She had placed her fork down and was staring at her plate. What was going on in her mind? His hand landed on her knee, and she let out a breath.

  "We need to go soon," Stephanie announced. "I-I need pain pills."

  "Are you hurting?"

  "I need to go," she said softly. Her eyes looked watery.

  He looked up at his parents, and they looked concerned. "Okay, baby, we can go."

  "Thank you, Gramps. Mister. Um, I mean, Michael and Gloria, it was very nice seeing you again."

  "You too, sweetheart. You guys go. I'll help dad clean this up."

  He stood and pulled Stephanie from the table and mouthed a "thank you" over her head toward his mother
.

  "Come back soon, young lady," Gramps told her.

  "I will. Thank you. I'm sorry."

  "No worries. Get some rest, sweetheart."

  They loaded up, and as soon as he climbed in on the driver's side, he turned to her. He was worried. "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing."

  "Stephanie."

  She held up her hand. "Will you please give me a moment to get my thoughts together?"

  "Anything you need."

  "Take me somewhere so I can lie down."

  He drove to the same hotel and went inside the lobby. Luckily the room was vacant, and he drove down and parked in front of it. He retrieved her chair from the back, and she climbed in it by herself, rolled to the door, and waited for him to unlock it.

  As soon as it opened, she wheeled herself to the bathroom and locked herself inside. Jake ran his hands through his hair. What was happening right now?

  Chapter 21

  "Get it together," Stephanie said to herself in the bathroom mirror. She took several deep breaths. In and out. In and out. She unlocked the door, and the first thing she noticed was Jake pacing back and forth. His hands were in his hair, and he looked so worried. And now that he had seen her, he looked unsure of what to do. He took a step forward and paused. "Will you get my backpack? I have pain pills in there," she said.

  He didn't say anything, just rushed out the door and back with her backpack. He handed it to her, and she grabbed the pills; they rattled in her hand. He wrapped his hand around hers, gently removed the bottle, and took out the pills for her. He gave her some water from the sink, and she swallowed them.

  "I'm sorry. Help me in bed, please. My back is starting to tighten up, and I'm getting cramps in my legs."

  Jake helped her into the bed. "Do you want to take off your pants?"

  "Yeah."

  "Okay." He helped her remove them and get settled. He sat on the edge of the bed after covering her up.

  She grabbed his hand and held on tight. She bit her lip, and he gently removed the puffed lip from her mouth and massaged it with his thumb. "You're going to make yourself bleed," he said softly.

  "I knew you were sleeping at the hospital, but I was still angry at you, and I didn't want to care. Your parents are so lovely, and they're friends with my parents, which I haven't talked to in two weeks. I have never gone this long without speaking to them, and I didn't want to cry at your grandfather's in front of everyone."

  "It would have been fine."

  "I'm not ready to be that vulnerable in front of them. In front of anyone."

  Jake squeezed her hand. "They have always liked you. You don't have to worry about any of that. My mom would have just cried with you."

  Stephanie smiled, but it was sad.

  "I had a good talk with Dad. Thank you."

  "I didn't do anything."

  "You did more than you'll ever know. I also want to thank you for taking the pain meds."

  "I talked to Courtney about it. She helped me." Stephanie laid her head back and sighed. "When is the snow coming?"

  "Around midnight. So don't worry about the meds taking over and falling asleep."

  "Will you rub my legs?"

  "Of course."

  "No funny business, Dr. Stone."

  "You don't want me to rub something else?"

  "I do, but not right now."

  "Okay, say the word, and I'll rub your inner thighs and higher."

  "I want to talk about Matt."

  "Aaand there goes my boner."

  Stephanie burst out laughing, and Jake snickered as his hands continued to rub her calves. "You know Matt flirts with everyone, right?"

  "I'm aware of it. I'm waiting for a sexual harassment suit." His hands stopped, and he looked at her. "Has he been inappropriate toward you?"

  "Down, boy. No. He's very nice to me."

  "I will fire him, and then I'll beat him to a pulp."

  "I'm aware."

  "Okay, so what's going on?"

  "You can't tell anyone this. This is between you and me. I'm telling you this as my boyfriend, not the chief of staff at the facility."

  "That reminds me. I need to ask you out officially. My dad and grandpa would have a cow if they found out. Stephanie Waterford, will you go steady with me?"

  "Yes."

  "Are you going to cry?"

  "It's a possibility."

  Jake squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry it took me so long."

  Stephanie returned the squeeze. "Too heavy for my brain right now. Let's get back to Matt."

  "Do we have to?"

  "Yes. This requires not telling anyone, and you need to use your observational skills."

  "Because mine work so well," he said sarcastically.

  "That's true, but I'm giving you another chance," she yawned. "Now, back to his flirting."

  Jake scowled.

  "Jake, seriously. Let it go, dude."

  "Did you just call me dude?"

  "I did. Now, about Elizabeth and Matt."

  "Wait, together? Or separately?"

  "That's what we are trying to find out!"

  "Isn't he like ten, twelve years younger than her?"

  "Yep."

  "Why would she even?"

  "Have you seen Matt, Jake? And don't narrow your eyes at me. It's not like Elizabeth is ugly. I know you've seen her."

  "Elizabeth isn't like that."

  "Elizabeth is a full-blooded female who recently had her heart broken by some d-bag."

  "I still haven't talked to her about it."

  "Yeah, well. He cheated on her, so let's not talk about him today."

  "I never liked that guy."

  "She is aware."

  "Why would you even think of Matt and Elizabeth?" He shuddered.

  "Because I make money observing people. Something is going on, and I'm trying to figure out what. And once again, I feel the need to reiterate, do NOT talk about this with anyone but me."

  "Okay, okay."

  "Are you going to lie down with me? We should have just gone back to the facility." Her eyes closed as tiredness began to seep over. "I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

  "I can check some emails on my phone. Before you ask, I can't take anything. I do have meetings tomorrow, so I need to sleep tonight. And how are my parents going to get moved when it's supposed to snow tonight? I didn't think about that earlier."

  "Those movers are probably used to the snow. It will be fine. And why are you having meetings on Sunday?"

  "Only day available to everybody. Let me get comfortable. I'll get in with you, and you can sleep on me. I'll take something when I get to the hospital." He lifted his shirt over his head and tossed it to the side. His abs were on full display, and Stephanie licked her lips in appreciation. He smirked, unbuckled his belt, and let his pants slide down his legs. "No funny business, Dr. Waterford."

  "Holy crap. Why are you so fine?"

  "I don't sleep, so I work out." He picked up his phone from the table and slid in next to Stephanie.

  She turned over with a grimace but settled into his side. "I'm sorry."

  "Not your fault, baby," he said and kissed the top of her head.

  "We should have just gone back to the facility. You shouldn't have to pay for this. We aren't even staying the night." She yawned again and snuggled closer.

  "I wanted you to feel comfortable talking to me. Plus, the bed is bigger here, and I wanted to hold you."

  "This is nice," she sighed. She wrapped her hand around his and didn't say anything else. She was asleep five minutes later.

  ********

  Stephanie had been asleep for a few hours. It was growing darker and colder outside. They had moved up the predicted time the snow would start, so he needed to wake her up, but oh how he hated to. Her hair was spread out on her pillow, and he let it slide through his fingers. It was silky. She had a slight smile on her face, which was unusual for her recently.

  Thinking back on their high school days, he remembered how she w
as always smiling and laughing with her friends. Laughing with him.

  Sneaking Tootsie Rolls and other candies into the movies was a favorite pastime of hers when she wasn't in the gym practicing three-pointers. He let the strands of her hair fall through his fingers one more time before reluctantly sliding out of bed to get dressed. He needed to turn on the heat in the car so she would be toasty and warm on the ride back to the facility.

  He turned on the fireplace to warm the room that had a slight chill now that the temperature was beginning to drop outside.

  "Damn," Stephanie's sexy, sleepy tone had him looking in her direction. "You got dressed."

  "I can just as easily get undressed," he replied and stalked toward the bed.

  She rolled on her back and watched him come closer, her eyes widening as his shirt came off, and he held it as he carefully straddled her hips. "Jacob."

  He dropped the shirt, bent, and kissed her, his tongue sliding over hers in a seductive dance. She moaned into his mouth. Her hands landed on his waist, and her fingers ran over his abs.

  It was his turn to moan. Her hands traveled down his torso to the button of his jeans, and she paused. He kissed down the side of her neck, careful to keep his weight off her. "What's the matter?" he asked when he realized she had stopped her exploring.

  "I-I want to touch you," she whispered.

  He raised on his knees and undid his zipper, pulling down both his pants and boxers past his ass until his erection sprang free. "Touch me then." His voice dropped an octave, and Stephanie squeezed her thighs together. Jake's chest was rising and falling rapidly, and he was already sweating.

  She reached and wrapped her hand around his cock, and his hips bucked forward. "Stroke me, Annie. As hard as you like."

  She choked down at the base, stroking him from base to tip, and he moaned, throwing his head back. She repeated the motion slowly, and Jake hissed out a breath.

  She got quicker, and he couldn't stop his hips from thrusting into her hand. A drop of precum appeared on the tip, and she wiped it with her hand, spreading it on his dick. "Oh fuck," he breathed. "I'm going to come on your shirt if you don't lift it."

  She pulled up her shirt. Her bra had a front clasp, and she undid it, letting her tits spring free, and Jake's cock jerked. She grabbed him again and continued stroking at a frenzied pace.

  "You are so beautiful," he managed to rasp as his hips jerked forward. "I-I'm going to..." He groaned as he shot his load all over her breasts.