Evolve (Soulmates Book 4)

by Dykes, Nicole

3 Years Later…

  I threw an empty bottle in the trash and looked over at Maddy who was picking up trash off of the floor in her apartment. Her place was totally trashed from the surprise birthday party we had for her, but something told me she couldn’t have cared less. She had a huge grin on her face as Jake wrapped his arms around her. They looked so happy together.

  A lot had changed in three years. Maddy had been engaged to a guy she met in college and she had recently broken the engagement and moved back here after her college graduation. Michelle, Paul, Shelley, Andy and I all graduated from college and Jake moved back from Alaska.

  I watched Maddy and Jake together and it seemed like they were going to make it work this time. I felt strong arms go around my waist and pull me back toward a hard body and grinned when I heard Andy’s voice in my ear, “You ready to get out of here?”

  I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I can’t yet. We can’t leave Maddy’s apartment like this on her birthday.” It was just Maddy, Jake, Michelle, Andy and I left in Maddy’s tiny apartment after the party.

  He leaned down and kissed my forehead, “Okay, what’s left to do?”

  I handed him a trash bag, “Lot’s of trash pickup.”

  He took the bag and went around picking up trash and I moved into the kitchen to help Michelle. She was putting dishes into the dishwasher, “People are fucking pigs.”

  I laughed, “Yeah. I don’t know how it got so messy; we didn’t even invite that many people.”

  “Yeah I know.” She glanced at Maddy and Jake and shook her head, but had a slight smile on her face, “You think they are gonna work out this time?”

  “Yeah I do. They love each other.”

  “Sometimes love isn’t enough.”

  I was putting away food in the fridge, “Sometimes it is.”

  “I guess so. So how is living with Andy?”

  Since graduation, Andy and I had pretty much been living at the lake house. When Jake came back Andy asked me if I would move in with him and I agreed. We found a cute little house to rent and moved in together a few days before. “It’s great. I mean not as great as living with you, Michelle, but it’s been really nice so far.”

  She laughed, “Well I knew it wouldn’t be as good as living with me was, but I’m glad it’s working out.”

  “Yeah the only thing that sucks is we are on totally different work schedules.” Andy had received his degree in physical education and had worked his ass off taking summer classes and really thrived in college. He got a great job at our old high school teaching P.E. and was the assistant football couch, which in our little town was a total honor.

  I had received my degree in television journalism and interned at the local news station my junior and senior year of college and when I graduated they offered me a job on air. The only bad thing was that I was on at midnight to two in the morning, so I didn’t have a ton of viewers. It was a nice start though and I was proud of my job.

  Michelle turned on the dishwasher, “Well you guys have the weekends at least.”

  Maddy walked into the kitchen as Jake and Andy finished picking up trash. She had the biggest smile I had ever seen on her face. Michelle and I laughed when we saw her.

  “What are you guys laughing at?”

  I poured three glasses of wine and handed one to Maddy and one to Michelle, “You look really happy.”

  She took a sip, “I am. I mean he’s really here and he’s here for me.”

  It had seemed like something had been missing from Maddy’s life for the past few years and I was so glad to see her get it back, “I’m happy for you.”

  Jake and Andy walked in. Jake wrapped his arms around Maddy and Andy stood next to me. Andy took a sip of my wine, “I think we got everything.”

  Maddy looked around, “Thank you guys for the party and for helping me clean up.”

  Michelle took a drink of wine and pointed at Jake, “So you are back for good?”

  He nodded, “Yep. You guys are stuck with me.”

  We all laughed and finished our wine while catching up. Eventually Michelle left and then Andy and I drove to our new house.

  Andy parked his car and we walked up to our two bedroom house. He unlocked the door and when we walked in we were greeted by our puppy, Charlie. I kneeled down on the ground and cuddled with him. “Well hi!”

  Andy laughed and locked the door behind us, “He’s excited to see us.”

  “Yeah, well he’s been alone for like six hours. Poor thing.” I stood up and walked into the kitchen to refill his food.

  Andy went into our bedroom and I spent a little bit of time petting Charlie before walking toward the bedroom and stopped by the doorway of the bathroom in the hallway. Andy was shirtless and brushing his teeth. He stopped when he saw my reflection in the mirror. “What?”

  “Nothing, just admiring.” I didn’t think it could be possible a few years ago, but Andy’s body had gotten even better. He stayed pretty active with his job and he went for a run and to the gym every day.

  He shook his head and spit toothpaste into the sink. He rinsed his mouth out and flexed like a goofball in the mirror. I laughed and folded my arms around his sculpted abs. “I love you.”

  He turned around so that he was facing me, “I love you too. I’m heading to bed, you gonna join me?”

  “Yes, I’ll be in soon.”

  He walked out of the bathroom and I brushed my teeth and changed into my favorite lacy, nearly see-through, chemise.

  When I walked into the bedroom, Andy was sitting up in bed, on top of the covers, leaning against the headboard and reading some book about coaching effectively. He looked up when I walked in and his gaze went up and down my body slowly. “Damn.”

  I grinned, “Good damn?”

  He held out his arms, signaling me to go closer to him, “Great damn.”

  I walked over to the bed and he didn’t waste any time, quickly pulling me onto him. I had one leg on each side of his and leaned down to kiss him. I never got tired of kissing Andy. There were times at work my mind would drift to thinking about kissing him even after four years together.

  We undressed each other and I slowly moved down, allowing him to slide into me. We didn’t have to worry about condoms anymore. I had been on the pill since we first started having sex. He massaged my breasts as I sucked gently on his neck until we were both totally spent. I spent that night, like most nights, cuddled up to Andy in our bed.

  Andy

  I woke up the next morning with Jackie’s naked body tangled with mine. I kissed her temple and reluctantly and very carefully got out of bed. I showered, dressed, and went for a run before meeting Jake at the gym. I didn’t wake Jackie. She would know exactly where I was at because it was my routine every morning. Only difference today was Jake was back in town so I had someone to go to the gym with. Jackie went to the gym a few days a week, but usually went late in the afternoon.

  When I parked my car in the parking lot of the gym, I saw Jake walking into the front door. I followed him in. He looked exhausted, “Maddy wear you out last night?”

  He grinned, “We haven’t been together for three years, what do you think?”

  “I think it’s amazing that you are here at eight in the morning.”

  He nodded and after an intense workout we went and got breakfast at a local diner. We ordered and he took a drink of his coffee, “So my mom signed the lake house over to me.”

  “You’re kidding, just like that?”

  “Yeah, someone told her I was home and she showed up at the lake house with the deed and said she didn’t want anything to do with it.”

  Jake’s mom was a real piece of work. “That’s it?”

  “Yep. Didn’t ask me how I was and I didn’t ask her what husband she was on. She just handed over the lake house and left. I guess that was her way of saying welcome home son, I love you.”

  He laughed a bitter laugh and I know it hurt him, but didn’t push it. “Well that’s
cool. I mean it was pretty much always yours anyway.”

  “Yeah. So I’m taking some of the money I have saved from working in Alaska and letting Maddy go wild with remolding.”

  I laughed, “So she’s already moved in?”

  “I hope she will soon, but I’m not going there just yet.”

  Our waitress brought out our food and I took a huge bite of my scrambled eggs. “That’s good. There’s no rush.”

  The next couple of months were fairly uneventful. Maddy sublet her apartment and moved into the lake house with Jake two months after he got back. I was busy with football season and we were all working different, crazy hours so we didn’t have much time together.

  Maddy had decided to play hostess for that Thanksgiving. Jake, Paul, and I met at the local bar the night before. I walked in at around ten o’clock. Jackie didn’t come with me because she had to be at the station at eleven, Maddy was at home preparing food for the next day and Shelley was there helping her so we made it a guys night.

  Jake and Paul were already there sitting at a table with a couple of beers in front of them. I walked over to them and pulled up a chair. Jake tipped his beer toward me, “About time you showed up.”

  “Yeah I had dinner with Jackie first.”

  Jake made a whipped sound and I laughed, “Yeah like you’re not just as whipped.”

  Paul laughed, “If not more so.”

  Jake looked at Paul, “You’re kidding right? You’ve been totally fucking whipped since freshmen year.”

  He nodded proudly, “You’re damn right. There’s nothing better.”

  My favorite waitress, Bonnie, who had to be in her late forties and always called me “sugar” walked over to our table. “Well hey sugar! What can I get you tonight?”

  “I’ll take a Coors Light. Thank s Bonnie.”

  She winked at me and went to get my beer. Jake laughed, “I’m pretty sure you could have her.”

  “I’m good. I’m a one woman kind of man.”

  Jake took a sip of his beer and shook his head, “Who the hell would have thought we would ever be here, three guys totally whipped and happy.”

  Bonnie brought my beer over and I thanked her. I took a drink, “I mean Paul sure. But us? Never thought that would happen.”

  Paul snickered, “I always knew you two would wise up eventually.”

  I notice Paul was in an exceptionally good mood, he was usually the happier of the three of us, but there was something different. Jake must have noticed too because he looked at Paul, “What’s up with you tonight?”

  Paul got a little nervous, “What? Nothing.”

  I examined his face closer. He was definitely hiding something. “Nah something’s up.”

  Jake ordered another round, “Come on. What’s going on? Let me guess. You finally had some good ole fashioned boring marital sex, right?”

  Paul looked amused, “I probably have more sex than the two of you assholes combined. And there’s nothing boring about it.”

  I prodded, “Okay so what’s up then?”

  Bonnie brought our drinks over and Paul took a big gulp, “Drop it okay?”

  I threw a random guess out, “Let me guess. You’re gonna be daddy.”

  The color drained from Paul’s face and he didn’t say a word. Jake looked at him and then at me and the both turned to him again. Jake slapped him on the back, “Shelley’s pregnant? Holy shit!”

  Paul rolled his eyes, defeated, “Okay, but both of you keep your mouths shut about it.”

  I popped a pretzel in my mouth, “Why? What’s the big deal? That’s fucking awesome.”

  He was picking at the label on the beer bottle, “Yeah I know. Shelley is just really superstitious and doesn’t want to tell anyone until she’s three months along. And she’s only like three weeks along so not a word.”

  I nodded, “I won’t say a word. Congrats man.”

  He thanked me and then turned to Jake, “Not a word.”

  Jake laughed and held his hands up in surrender, “Not a word, but you are going to have to get a hell of a lot better at lying man.”

  I agreed and after another hour Paul left us to go home to his pregnant wife. At midnight I asked Bonnie to turn the TV to the local news station and saw Jackie in a black blazer talking about gas prices in the area going up again. I watched her with pride and listened to the drunken idiots catcall at the TV. I couldn’t blame them though, she was gorgeous.

  Jake laughed at me, “Man she really does have you wrapped around her finger.”

  “Shut up shithead.”

  He pointed to the TV, “So who’s the douche next to her?”

  Douche was right. “Todd McConnell, he’s been an on air anchor for several different channels for like fifteen years or some shit. He hates Jackie.”

  “Why?”

  “I think he’s afraid she’s gonna be promoted before him. He told her she was a glorified intern and told her to get him some coffee one of the first days they worked together.”

  Jake looked pissed, “What the hell? You wanna go fuck him up?”

  I chuckled and took a drink of beer, “I almost did when Jackie told me about it, but she wouldn’t let me. She told him to get his own coffee though and he hasn’t said much since.”

  “That you know of?”

  “Right, I doubt she would tell me, but I guess she can handle things herself.”

  “You think she tells Michelle?”

  “Tell me what?” Jake and I both jumped at the sound of Michelle’s voice behind us.

  Jake looked at her, “Fuck Michelle. What are you doing here?”

  “I came to get your dumb ass. Maddy’s freaking out. Whose idea was it to let her cook tomorrow?”

  I took a sip of beer, “She volunteered.”

  Jake looked slightly worried. “She’s that stressed?”

  “Yeah, let’s go.” Michelle looked at me, “You coming?”

  I shook my head, “No I’m good. I’m gonna head home. See y’all tomorrow.”

  We all said our goodbyes and Jake reluctantly went with Michelle. I nursed my beer and hung out for a little bit before driving home. I had only had a couple of beers over four hours so I knew I was fine to drive.

  Jackie still wasn’t home when I got there so I climbed in bed and fell asleep.

  Chapter 18

  Jackie

  Thanksgiving Day, Andy and I drove out to lake and knocked on the front door of the lake house around ten in the morning. We were both tired because Andy had been out at the bar with Jake and Paul until after two in the morning and I didn’t get home until three.

  Jake answered the door wearing really nice dress slacks and a button up shirt, which was so weird for him. He was a jeans and t-shirt only type of guy. Andy and I must have had funny looks on our faces because he said, “Don’t judge me. And stay out of her way.”

  I laughed and handed Jake the bottle of wine we brought and walked inside. It was so weird being at the lake house for a “grown up” occasion. We had so many parties here in our teen years and Maddy had done an amazing job at transforming it into their home, complete with throw pillows on a brand new suede couch and with matching curtains.

  Paul and a guy that was a few years older than us, but now worked with Jake on the oilfield, were sitting on the couch watching ESPN. Jake had started working for the same company as soon as he came back into town and was even promoted to a supervisor position a few months ago.

  Jake put the wine on the dining room table and quickly walked over to them. Andy gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and went to join them.

  I walked into the kitchen where Maddy, Michelle, and Shelley were. “Hey, girls.”

  They greeted me and Maddy was flying around the kitchen like a madwoman trying to get everything perfect.

  I whispered to Michelle, “Why does she care so much?”

  “I have no idea, I mean she invited her parents, Jake’s mom, and Andy’s parents so maybe that’s it.”

  “Do
you think Jake’s mom will show?”

  She shook her head. Jake’s mom was even worse than my own, who I hadn’t talked to in months. It wasn’t that I hated my mother. I just needed some space.

  We helped Maddy as much as we could and then Maddy’s parents showed up along with her little sister and the best guests of all were Andy’s parents.

  Janet walked in and complemented Maddy and Jake on their home and then she walked over to me and hugged me tight, “Well hi sweetie!”

  I hugged her back, Janet and I had gotten even closer of the years and she had become the mom I never had. I had been devastated two years before when she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, but she was in remission and doing really well. She held my face in her hands, “Oh I saw your pretty face on the news last night!”

  I laughed, “I really hope you didn’t stay up that late just to watch.”

  She dropped her hands to her sides. “Well maybe I watched it on the DVR this morning, but it still counts right?”

  I laughed, “Of course.”

  Andy came over and gave his mom a gentle hug. He was always very careful with his mom since she was diagnosed; it had scared the hell out of him. “Mom, how are you?”

  She hugged him tighter, “I’m just fine.”

  Andy’s dad shook his hand and pulled him in for a hug. “She really is okay, son.”

  We hadn’t seen them for a couple of months. We had been so busy with work, but it was no excuse and we needed to make a better effort to see them more.

  Jake’s mom never showed up and Maddy finally calmed down after dessert when all of the parents left and Jake’s friend. When it was just our small group left we all sat around the large flat screen television in the living room and watched football.

  I curled up on Andy’s lap in an oversized chair. Jake, Maddy, and Michelle were on the large couch and Paul and Shelley were on the loveseat. Jake reached for a bowl of chips on the coffee table and looked over at Michelle, “So when the hell are you gonna couple up?”

  She looked annoyed, “Try never. Why would I do that?”

  Maddy laughed, “It’s gonna get you someday Michelle.”

  I agreed. “It will.”