Not able to see Jake and Robyn, Lacey listened intently. So Robyn had left town and now she was back? How did Jake feel about that? If they were dating, did this mean he would start dating her again?
Despair swept over her.
She’d known this was too good to be true. Jake was a great guy, but now that Robyn was back in town, he was going to be yanked away from her before they’d even had a chance to see where things between them could lead. Wasn’t that just her luck?
“So, Jake” Robyn said, and Lacey renewed her focus on the conversation happening downstairs. She pictured them standing close together, Robyn’s hands wrapped in Jake’s larger ones, their gazes focused intently on each other. “The reason I came by today was to ask you a favor.”
Jake’s eyebrows bunched. “What?”
Robyn reached out and placed her hands on his. The feel of her butter-soft skin on his hands touched off memories of holding hands with her multiple times, which sent a rush of warmth to his heart.
Then he reminded himself that Robyn had chosen her job over him. And he had just started dating Lacey. He didn’t want to get sidetracked.
“I need a place to stay for a few days,” she said, a soft smile on her face. Before he could answer, she added, “I don’t expect anything from you. I just need a place to crash until the current tenants move out of the place I’ll be moving into.”
Why was she coming to him? Was she hoping to rekindle their relationship? “What about one of your girlfriends?”
“I checked with them, but for one reason or another it won’t work.”
Convenient. “What about a hotel?”
She withdrew her hands from his, leaving him feeling slightly bereft at the absence, then she looked at the floor before meeting his gaze. “I, uh, I can’t really afford to.” Her eyes were steady on his. “Just a few days, Jake. I promise.”
As much as he wanted to tell her no, it wasn’t in his nature to turn away someone who needed help.
Holding her breath, Lacey waited to hear what Jake would say. After several moments of silence, he said, “I need to think about it.”
What was there to think about? Did he care for this woman or not? If he did, he would say yes. If he didn’t, he would say no.
Say no, Jake, she thought. Please, please, please say no.
It wasn’t until the moment this other woman—this interloper—had shown up at Jake’s door that Lacey had realized just how much she was falling for him.
The floor creaked, then Jake said, “I’m going to get something to drink. Do you want anything?”
“Sure.”
Lacey heard them walking down the hall towards the kitchen.
“I don’t mean to pressure you,” Robyn said, “but I kind of need to know right away. I, uh, I don’t have anyplace to stay tonight.”
Several moments of silence, then, “Fine.” Jake’s voice was resigned. “But just for a few days.”
“You’re the best, Jake.” Pure happiness enveloped every word. “I can’t believe I left you. I must have been crazy. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“It was your decision,” Jake said, and Lacey was certain he’d completely forgotten she was in his house.
She had to leave. Now. Right now.
Gripping the handrail, she tiptoed down the stairs, grateful that the base of the stairs ended near the front door and out of sight of the kitchen. She twisted the doorknob as silently as she could, and when it opened wide enough for her to squeeze through, she slipped out and fled to her car. It was only when she’d reached the driver’s door that she realized she’d left her purse inside the house.
Twenty-Three
No way was she going back in there. Not as long as that other woman was there.
Lacey reached into her back pocket as she walked along the sidewalk, grateful that she’d stuck her cell phone in there earlier. Pulling it out now, she knew she had no choice but to call Amber. A few moments later Amber picked up.
“Hey,” Lacey said. “How’s it going?”
“You tell me. You’re the one on a hot grouting date.”
Lacey forced a laugh. “About that.”
“Oh no. Don’t tell me. You’re cutting it short again.” Exasperation was obvious in Amber’s voice.
Sighing, Lacey explained what had happened. “It had been going so well until this Robyn showed up.”
“Wait a minute. Some chick from his past showed up and he said she could move in with him? What’s wrong with him?”
Devastated by what had happened, Lacey didn’t want to talk about what may or may not be wrong with Jake. She just wanted to go home. Glancing at the house that she was passing, she said, “Could you come get me? I…I can’t drive home. I…” She was such an idiot. “I left my purse in his house.”
“Of course. I’ll take an early lunch.”
Closing her eyes in relief, Lacey said, “Thank you so much. You’re the best.”
“Where are you?”
Lacey looked at the nearest street sign and told Amber the address of the house she was passing.
“Okay. I’ll be there in, like, ten minutes.”
“Thank you. I’ll keep walking and I’ll look for you.”
Fifteen minutes later Amber pulled up next to Lacey. Lacey climbed in and smiled at Amber with gratitude.
“I can’t believe he did this to you,” Amber said before Lacey had closed her door. “I thought he was a good guy. But it sounds like he’s a complete jerk.”
She didn’t hate him. It was actually kind of the opposite. Lacey fastened her seat belt, then turned to Amber. “This woman—Robyn?—she’s gorgeous, Amber. I don’t…” She softly sighed. “She said she regrets leaving.”
Amber’s eyebrows pulled together. “Oh boy.”
Lacey wanted Amber to say something to give her hope, but she knew that wouldn’t be happening. Turning toward the passenger window, she stared at the houses they passed, but all she could see was Robyn. How could she compete with her? Especially if Jake had been in a relationship with her. And now she was going to move in with him? Did that mean he was still in love with her?
Trying to focus on the beauty around her instead of the despair that was pouring into her heart, she asked herself if she would ever find her Prince Charming.
“So he actually said she could move in?” Amber’s tone was sharp with disbelief.
Lacey frowned at Amber. “Yeah. Insane, huh?” She chuckled, but her stomach roiled. Picturing Robyn and Jake getting cozy at his house made the roiling turn to cramps. Closing her eyes as she clutched her stomach, she reminded herself to breathe, and after her stomach settled, she said, “She told him it’s only for a few days, but since she also said she was crazy to leave…” Tightening her jaw, Lacey shook her head. “You know what that means, right?”
“That she’s going to try to get him back?”
“Gotta be, right?” The stomach cramps returned.
Amber glanced at Lacey again before focusing back on the road. “That’s what I would do.”
She would too. Especially if that someone was Jake. If she was Robyn, she would fight for him.
Wait. Should she be fighting for him? But she had barely met him and they had only been out a few times. She wasn’t…she couldn’t.
She gnawed on her lower lip.
It was only for a few days, right? She needed to give Jake his space, right? Who was she to tell him what to do? Right?
But what about her feelings? Didn’t she matter? Didn’t what she wanted matter? She was capable. She was strong. Eric was wrong about her. Of course she wasn’t perfect—no one was. But she could do things. She could even grout. A tiny smile pulled up the corners of her mouth. Thanks to Jake.
But this was his life, his decision. Should she say anything? Did she have any right to? Anyway, why did any of it matter when he was going to drop her like a bad habit? Now that Robyn was back, why would he want to be with her anyway?
Her thoughts went round
and round until she wanted to scream.
She didn’t know what to do.
Amber glanced at her. “How are you going to get your purse?”
Beyond relieved to think of something else, Lacey’s attention turned to Amber. “I don’t know yet.”
“Well, you’re going to need it. Your driver’s license and everything is in there. Plus your car’s still at his house.”
“I know.” She looked at her lap, then looked at Amber. “Maybe you could get my purse for me?”
“Yeah, I could do that.”
Exhaling audibly, she leaned her head back.
She wished getting her purse back was the only thing she had to worry about.
Jake couldn’t believe what he had just agreed to. He had to be nuts. What did he think was going to happen now? He looked at Robyn’s profile while she dug through her oversized purse as they stood in the kitchen.
“I know it’s in here somewhere,” she said, throwing him a winning smile—the smile that used to melt his heart. Now though, it just irritated him.
He was letting her take advantage of him. He knew it.
“Here it is,” she said in triumph as she pulled out her rental agreement. She unfolded it and held it out to him. “See?” She pointed to a date. “It says I can move in seven days from now.”
She had said a few days. Evidently to her a few meant seven. At least there was an end date.
“Okay,” he said, not sure what she expected him to say. He’d already agreed she could stay for the duration. He wasn’t going to back out now because of the extra days. Still, he wasn’t thrilled with the arrangement.
“My stuff’s in my car,” she said. “I can bring it in now, if that’s okay?”
When Robyn ran in to Lacey upstairs it was going to be awkward. Feeling like a complete jerk for letting Robyn interrupt his date with Lacey, Jake said, “Yeah, go ahead and bring it in.” And while she was out there, he would try to explain this to Lacey.
Robyn wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, taking him by surprise.
“Thank you so much, Jake.” She released him and smiled broadly. “We’re going to have a blast while I’m here. You’ll see.” Then she turned around, and after throwing him a wink, she headed to her car.
Not wasting any time, Jake raced up the stairs to talk to Lacey, but as he searched each room without finding her, he began to panic. He went to the bedroom that overlooked the front of the house and saw her car still parked at the curb. Confused, he searched the upstairs once more, but he still didn’t find her.
Where had she gone? Did she go downstairs?
He flew down the stairs, then searched every room. Again, she was nowhere to be found.
Had she left?
Her purse was still in the kitchen. More confused than ever, he was about to call her when Robyn walked back inside.
“Where should I put my stuff?”
“Uh, I’ll show you.” He led the way up the stairs, the scent of her familiar perfume surrounding him, filling his mind with memories of the good times they’d spent together. They entered the bedroom where she would stay.
“This is nice,” she said as she set her things on the bed.
“By the way,” he said, “I’ll be on shift for the next two days.”
“That’s okay. And don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your house.” A secret smile curved her mouth. “I might even have a surprise waiting for you when you get home.”
Great. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I know. I want to. You know, to thank you for your generosity.”
An image of Lacey filled Jake’s mind. “I have somewhere I need to go.”
Robyn tilted her head. “I can go with you if you want.”
Definitely not. “That’s okay.” He smiled tightly. “I’ll see you later.”
She raised one hand and wiggled her fingers. “Bye, Jake.”
He should have told her no. He knew he was going to regret agreeing to this. He was already regretting it.
After stopping in the kitchen to grab Lacey’s purse, he ran out to his truck, all the while praying that Lacey would understand.
Twenty-Four
Driving slowly through his neighborhood, Jake continued to berate himself for letting things get away from him. First he had agreed to let his ex-girlfriend move in with him, and then the woman he had begun dating, a woman he knew he was falling for, had run away and he had no idea where she had gone. Good going.
Sighing in frustration, Jake’s head swiveled from side to side as he searched for a beautiful woman with long brown hair walking along the sidewalk. After ten minutes of doing this with zero success, he decided he should try to give her a call. For all he knew she had her cell phone with her. He hadn’t wanted to search her purse to see if it was in there, but he’d assumed it was.
Pulling over to the curb, he took his phone out of his pocket and dialed her number. It rang and rang. When it went to voicemail, he disconnected.
He hoped she was okay, but he figured she had her cell phone with her. He hadn’t heard it ringing in her purse. Unless she had it on mute.
Not really wanting to, he took a quick peek into her purse to see if her phone was in there. The purse was small—nothing like Robyn’s massive bag—so it only took a moment for him to ascertain that, in fact, her phone was not inside.
That was a good thing. Maybe she had called Amber to come get her.
He pulled away from the curb, determined to track her down and explain.
Lacey stared at Jake’s name in her recent calls list. Tucking her feet under her on the couch, she wondered what he would have said had she answered.
She would never know. All she knew was that he was allowing Robyn to move in with him. That had to mean he still cared about her, so why would he want to talk to her? To tell her he didn’t want to see her again?
Amber had dropped Lacey off and gone back to work, and as Lacey stewed in her misery, her thoughts continued to whirl. She couldn’t believe this had happened. When she’d woken up she’d had such high hopes. But now? Now everything was such a mess.
She sighed.
It was time to move on. Yeah, she wanted to fight for him, but who was she? Just some girl he only met recently. She was nothing to him.
Tears filled her eyes.
Maybe Eric was right. Maybe he was the only one who would ever love her.
After a few sniffles, she shook her head.
Whether Eric actually loved her or not was irrelevant. This wasn’t about Eric. This was about her and what she deserved. And she deserved to be happy. It was time to stop feeling sorry for herself and to stand up for herself, for what she wanted. She had left Eric, which was huge. She had started over. She had met a great guy. Now it was time to take the next step. To fight for what she wanted.
Feeling marginally better, she knew all that self-talk was meaningless without action.
But what? What should she do?
Moments later, a knock sounded at the door.
It was Jake. It had to be.
Heart thundering, eyes wide, Lacey’s mind raced.
Breathe. Breathe.
Taking deep breaths, she swung her legs to the floor and stood.
What should she do?
She closed her eyes and shook her head. Talk to him, of course.
Another knock, loud and sure, drew her gaze.
He was standing on the other side of that door. She had to talk to him. She had to take that step. She had to stand up for herself. She could do it.
Striding across the room, Lacey took a deep breath, slowly released it, then she opened the door. It was Jake. And he looked good. Like always.
How could she turn him away? She cared about him. A lot. She had to talk to him. But she had to stand up for herself. She had to.
“Hi, Lacey,” he said, a grim look on his face.
“Hey.” Her heart continued to jackhammer.
He glanced just past her shoulder
before meeting her gaze. “Would it be okay if I…came in?”
She could do it. She could.
Lacey opened the door wider and held out her arm in a gesture of invitation.
“Thanks,” he said as he walked in.
Lacey shut the door and turned to face him, which was when she noticed her purse slung over his shoulder. She was immediately reminded of the day of the fire when he’d done the same thing in an attempt to cheer her up, only that time he’d been wearing his firefighter gear so it had looked pretty ridiculous. Pointing to her purse, she smiled despite herself, which helped to settle her nerves. “I don’t think that matches your outfit.”
He chuckled before taking it off of his shoulder and holding it out to her.
“Thank you.” She set her purse on the kitchen table. “Do you want to sit down?”
“If that’s okay.”
“Of course.”
He sat on one end of the couch so Lacey sat on the other.
He shifted in his seat. “I’m sorry about what happened at my house.”
This was it. Lacey licked her lips. “What did happen?”
How could he explain this?
Jake saw confusion on Lacey’s face—and something else. Resolve? He shook his head. He was confused too. Not sure why he’d agreed to let Robyn move in, now he was stuck with that decision. For the next seven days, at least.
He took a deep breath, then began. “Robyn—that is, the woman who came over—she’s an old…friend.” No point muddying the waters with unnecessary explanations. “She, uh, she needs a place to stay for a few days.” Well, seven days, but who was counting?
“Oh.”
Jake couldn’t tell what Lacey was thinking, and her one syllable answer did little to shed light on that question. “Yeah, so, she’ll just be there for a few days.”
Rescue My Heart: Park City Firefighter Romance Page 11
