by S. Moose
“Hey buddy. How are you?” Lucas smiles and waves.
“Mr. Greene, Mama looks so beautiful!”
I kneel down in front of Lucas, “Call me Jacob little man.”
He holds his hand out indicting a high five. I put my hand on his and we both laugh. There’s something about him that makes me feel comfortable and I like being around him. “What are you up to tonight?”
He thinks for a moment before answering, “Aunt Heather and I are going out to dinner and then getting ice cream!”
“Oh wow that sounds fun!”
“Jacob, come to the living room and play with me!” He takes my hand and brings me to the living room. He points to the couch for me to sit down. I do as I’m instructed and wait to see what he has for me. Lucas grabs a piece of paper from his table and brings it over to me.
“Oh thank you Lucas. I can’t wait to see what this is.” I unfold the paper and there’s a smile face on the light blue paper. On the bottom it says, “Have fun.” I get up from the couch and kneel down in front of him and put my hand up for a high five. “Thanks buddy.”
Lucas turns his head towards the stairs and smiles. When I turn my head to see what he’s smiling at, my breathing stops. I slowly get up and walk over to her.
The strapless black sweetheart neckline dress looks incredible on Abigail. Her hair is in curls and there’s a smile on her face. Wow. She stops on the last step and looks at me. I take in a deep breath and reach out for her hand, “You look beautiful Abigail.”
She smiles and looks away, “Thank you Jacob.”
I take her hand to my lips and gently kiss her. “Come, on let’s go.”
We say bye to Lucas and Heather before making our way out the door. “Heather, call me if you need anything okay?”
“Go! Have fun!”
Abigail gives Lucas a hug and a kiss. She whispers something in his ear, making him laugh. “You look like a princess, Mama.” They give each other another hug. The love between Abigail and Lucas is sweet. I can’t stop the thought of being here more often and getting to know both of them.
I open the front door for her and lead her to the limo. Gary opens the door for us and I let her go in first. Once we’re in, I hand her the bouquet. “These are for you.”
“Oh,” she touches her chest, “Thank you Jacob. They’re beautiful.”
“Just like you Abigail.” I grab the bottle of champagne and pour us each a glass. The conversation is light. She slowly starts to open up to me and I feel her walls gradually falling apart but I keep my distance. “How are you feeling?”
She looks at me, but she seems to be somewhere else. “Alright. Lucas and I went for a walk and we did some cleaning even though he complained most of the time.”
“I admire you Abigail.”
“Why’s that?”
“You raised Lucas on your own and built this great life for your family.” I reach over and touch her hand. The touch is soft and I see a small smile on her face. I wish she would sit closer to me but tonight is all about getting to know Abigail and taking it slow. She’s not like the other women and I want to treat her with respect and show her a great time tonight. When Gary pulls up to the restaurant, I ask Abigail to close her eyes. The limo comes to a stop and Gary comes to open the door. I get out first and lead Abigail out. Her eyes are still closed. “Okay open.”
Heather told me that Distina’s has always been a place Abigail wanted to have dinner but she never took herself. She once told Heather her perfect date would be here. I called the restaurant and made arrangements to reserve their private room.
‘Jacob, oh my.” There are windows all over the small brick building. Inside, it’s dim and there are candles on the sill of each window. We walk to the hidden entrance and are greeted by a lovely hostess. She welcomes us inside as we follow her to our table. There are two candles in the center with red rose petals scattered around. A note rests on Abigail’s plate.
“Jacob, what’s this?” She asks while sitting down.
“Open it.” I take my napkin and rest it on my lap. There’s a bottle of wine chilling in an icebox. I pull it out and uncork the bottle-a 2000 Chateau Petrus Pomerol. I watch Abigail open the note I wrote for her while taking a drink of my wine. “Read it aloud.”
Her face blushes but she accepts my challenge. “Abigail, I hope tonight is everything you have ever wished for. You captivate me and I want to learn more about you. I’ve enjoyed your company and look forward to more moments with you. Jacob.” She puts the note down and takes the glass to her lips. I watch her take a drink. She licks her lips and looks down, “You never know what will happen.”
I squeeze my eyes when I hear the words. Is she serious? A sly smile comes on my face and I bring my glass of wine to my lips. “I guess you’re right Ms. Anderson.” Her confidence is sexy and I can already tell she’s going to be fun to be around. “Tell me more about yourself.”
“Well you already know I have a son and I’m a teacher. What else do you want to know?”
“What brought you here? Where did you grow up?”
“So many questions,” she says, drinking her wine. “I grew up in California and moved her a few years ago. I needed a fresh start.” She lets out an uneasy laugh.
I watch Abigail and see her body starting to become rigid so I decide to change the topic but before I do, our sever comes to the table and hands us both a menu. “I’ll give you some time to look through the menu and if you have any questions, please let me know.”
“Will do, thank you.”
Abigail looks at the menu and her nose squishes into her face. God, that face is adorable and she’s remarkable. Most women wouldn’t care about the price of the food or anything else but Abigail is different and I want to know more. “Order anything you like, please.”
“Hmmm,” she taps her finger against her lips. “Can we start with pan-seared scallops?”
“Certainly. Would you like anything else?”
“Ummm the filet halibut with braised fennel sounds good. What are you getting?”
I put the menu down, “The roasted lobster tail and baby artichoke sounds good.”
“It does sounds good!”
Our server comes back and I put in our orders. Abigail leans back in her chair with her wine and I hear her let out a gentle sigh. Tonight is going well. She’s relaxed and now maybe she’ll start letting me in.
Our food starts arriving and the conversation with Abigail is nice. She feeds me her halibut and I give her some of my lobster. I can’t stop looking at her smile and see the happiness gleaming in her eyes. When we finish dinner, I take Abigail’s hand and lead her back to the limo. We don’t say much and I can’t stop looking at her. The way she looks keeps me in awe. She looks like she’s thinking too much again and won’t look at me. “Abigail?”
She turns her head and smiles. “Yes?”
I move closer to her and place my arm around her shoulders. I feel her tension and wonder what’s on her mind. She looks out the window and ignores me while we drive back to her house. I don’t want to scare her, “What’s wrong?”
She sighs, “Nothing. This is just all new to me.”
“This is new to me as well.”
She shoots a look at me, “Really? Then who was that woman in the bar and the one you were on the phone with?”
Oh fuck. I should tell her about Madison. I don’t want to ruin this night. “She was a friend. We had a relationship but she started to develop feelings I couldn’t return and I broke it off with her.” I hope she doesn’t think differently of me. I look at her but I can’t read what she is thinking. “Are you upset?”
“Why would I be?”
Abigail’s voice is like a dagger cutting me. There is ice and pain. She looks away from me again and I don’t know what else to say.
We get back to her house after an uncomfortable ride back. Gary opens the door and I get out. I reach my hand for hers and she takes it reluctantly. “Abigail, I’d love to see yo
u again. Tonight has been amazing.”
She shakes her head. “I can’t be who you want me to be in your life. I can be your friend Jacob and that’s it.”
She begins to walk away but I can’t let her go. I grab her hand and bring her close to me. “Not if I have a say in the matter.” My lips crash into hers. The softness of her lips brings me great pleasure. I drag my hand through her hair and her body falls limp in my arms. I hear the soft moans coming from her beautiful lips. I slide my tongue along the bottom of her lip and when she opens her mouth, my tongue goes in exploring her. Kissing her is incredible. My hands rest on her back as her hands run through my hair. I want her to be mine. She needs to know how much I care about her and how she is always on my mind.
I break away from her and look at her, “I want you to know how I feel.”
“I’m just scared.” Abigail’s forehead rests on mine and I can see the sadness in her eyes. “I like you Jacob. A lot.”
“I like you a lot too Abigail and I want to give us a try. I can make you happy and I know you’re nervous but so am I.” A give her another kiss on her lips. “Just try.”
*****
Gary drops me off and I make my way into my loft. I think about the date with Abigail and feel better knowing she’ll think about giving us a try. I walk over to my mini bar and pour myself a glass of scotch but then I feel her behind me. I turn around and Katherine is sitting at the kitchen island with a smile on her face. “Did you have fun tonight?”
I finish pouring my drink and take a sip. I look at her and try to figure out if I’m dreaming or if this is real. “I did, thank you.” I walk over to her and set the glass down. “Am I imagining this?”
“Kind of. You see Jacob, I can’t move on until I know you’re happy. Let yourself be happy. She’s a wonderful person and I know she can make you happy. I don’t want you to be alone anymore.”
I run my hand through my hair. “I don’t want to be alone either but I miss you Katherine. Every day.”
She touches my arm. “I know you do but that part of your life is over and it’s time to move on. Trust me, you’ll be okay.”
She lets go of my arm and when I look back, she’s gone and here I am alone in the dark.
Chapter 14
Abigail
Jacob comes over every other night for the past few weeks. He plays with Lucas and talks to Heather about the business. Lucas jumps up and down when Jacob pulls in and runs to the door to greet him. It’s sweet to see how they are together. Jacob listens to Lucas when he talks and is attentive. We tuck in Lucas together and spend the rest of the night talking and drinking wine. The way he looks at me makes me nervous but happy. He’s constantly watching me and I feel confident and beautiful with him. There’s nothing else I want than to be in his arms each night. He hasn’t spent the night and each time we say good night, a part of me is sad and wishes he would stay. My heart beats for Jacob and every day I’m learning how to fall for him, possibly even love him.
I know he sees me as more than a friend. Everyone that sees us together looks at us with awe and smiles. Every time our eyes meet, I see the love he feels but if only I can fully trust him.
Marilyn and I researched him one day and saw multiple pictures and articles. There was one that caught my eye. Rumored magazine had it that Jacob was linked with supermodel Audrina and he was going to propose to her. There were pictures of them kissing and holding hands. It made me sick and sad. This was why I couldn’t be with him. She’s absolutely gorgeous and I’m just me. I’m not a supermodel or rich or fancy. I lived a simple life as a teacher, mother, friend and sister. But then there was an article about Katherine and how Jacob was the sole survivor of the accident that killed her. I told Marilyn about it and she said I needed to tell him but how could I? I didn’t really want to bring up the past. Ryan wasn’t in Lucas’s life and Katherine has been dead for four years now.
Jacob is coming over this evening and I keep playing Marilyn’s words over and over again. A part of me wants to tell him about Katherine and Ryan but I can’t do it. He can’t know about my connection with Ryan and Katherine. I have worked too hard for this to unravel.
The door bells rings interrupting my thoughts. Lucas runs up to answer the door. Dinner is almost ready. I have the chicken baking in the oven and the vegetables boiling on top of the stove. The rice is all set and Heather is finishing up putting together the dinner table. I take in a deep breath and forget about how Katherine and Jacob used to be in love. It kills me to think I have this secret and it’s just eating away at me. I flip flop in my head if I should even tell him. What difference will it make?
All of a sudden his arms wrap around my waist and he rests his chin on my shoulder. “Hi beautiful,” he says while kissing my cheek. “How was your day?”
I look at him and kiss the top of his nose. “Better now.”
Jacob and Lucas bring the platters of food out to the table. We all sit down. Lucas and Heather are on one side while Jacob and I are on the other. It feels good to have all of us together but I still feel uncomfortable being around Jacob and keeping this secret from him. Jacob takes my hand and squeezes it. He shows me his reassuring smile and I melt inside. Why does he have this power over me?
We listen to Lucas talk about how excited he is that school is almost over.
“Jacob you have to come with us to the beach on Sundays when summer is here!”
Heather and I look at each other with alarm. Beach. Sundays. Jacob. Bathing suit. Oh no. “Honey, Jacob is probably so busy with everything!”
“Little man thank you for the offer. I’d love to join everyone on beach Sundays!” Jacob looks at me and grins again. Of course he’d want to come along with us.
“Oh this will be fun,” Heather says laughing softly. I give her the death glare causing her to laugh more.
Jacob leans in and whispers, “Seeing you in a bathing suit sounds hot. I know you want to see more of me.”
I’m so dead.
After dinner, Jacob and I sit outside on the deck, drinking wine and talking. He tells me about his life and his work while I sit and listen.
“Your life sounds busy.” My voice trails off and I look away from him.
“Don’t do that Abigail.”
“Do what?”
He brings himself closer to me and pulls my face closer to his. “Don’t look away from me. Even though I’m busy it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t drop what I’m doing to come see you. You can always call me, day or night. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but I’m falling for you Abigail.” He brings his lips to mine and we share a kiss.
“Jacob, you shouldn’t have done that.” I’m breathless and want more. I want him so badly.
He touches my face again and smiles. “I know I shouldn’t have done that but I wanted to.” He kisses me again. “Is this okay?”
I smile and nod my head. I bring my lips to his again and we share this special moment under the night skies.
Jacob’s deep voice interrupts our moment. “So about seeing you in a bathing suit,” he laughs while holding on my hand. He gets up and stands in front of me, “Dance with me.” Jacob’s hand extends to mine and I take his. He twirls me around and wraps his arms around my waist. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”
I blush and place my head on his shoulder. “You aren’t so bad yourself.”
We stay like this for a while and it’s an indescribable feeling. This beautiful man is amazing and I can’t wait to see what else happens between us.
Chapter 15
Jacob
Abigail and I have been growing closer but we’re taking it slow and I don’t want to pressure her but spending nearly every night with her has been the best feeling. I’ve asked her what we’re considered but she won’t make it official. I know she was nervous about who I am and committing to us but I won’t give up. I haven’t seen Katherine like I used to and I think I figured out what she meant about being patient. I’ve learned so much about her and
each day my feelings for her grow. She opened herself up to me one night while we were eating dinner at Pestello’s, an Italian restaurant both her and I enjoyed going to. We talked about Lucas and how happy he’s been lately. I’ve grown to love Lucas and the bond I have with him doesn’t scare me; it makes me feel wanted and needed. I held Abigail’s hand as she told me her fears. When I asked about Lucas’s father, she waved her hand and let out a laugh. She explained he walked out on her when she was two months pregnant and hasn’t heard from him since.
Mother wants us to come over for dinner. This will be the first time I will be introducing my family to Abigail and Lucas. We’re all nervous, especially Abigail. I sit in my car and look at the empty passenger seat when Katherine appears. She’s smiling and looking beautiful as ever. “Hi Jacob.”
“Katherine.”
She touches my arm and gives me a comforting squeeze. “Today’s a big day huh?” I laugh and rub the back of my head. “Go get them. Today will be great. You can do this Jacob.”
Before I can say anything, she disappears. I let out a few deep breaths and open the door to the two people I love and care about. I go up to the door and ring the doorbell. Abigail answers and she takes my breath away. “Hi.”
“Hi.” She leans in and wraps his arms around my neck. “You don’t have to knock you know.” I pull away from her and give her a questioning look. “Look at your key ring.” I do and notice another key.
“You gave me your house key?” She nods and I know she’s a little embarrassed. I kiss her on her lips. “I’m sorry I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay.” She gives me her warm smile again and we call Lucas to come down.
The thirty minute drive to my parent’s house is nice. Lucas talks about nearly everything known to man as I hold Abigail’s hand. She still won’t look at me so I give her a few squeezes to calm her down a little. “Where’s my smile?” She turns her face to me and my heart wildly beats. “There it is.” I bring her hand to my lips and continue to drive.
