I woke up the next morning with a slight sense of unease. After our encounter, Jake cleaned himself off and stumbled to bed without another word, so I ended up finishing myself off. It was easy, though. I was so turned on by that point, that I came in under a minute.
I wasn't sure how Jake would feel about me sleeping beside him, so I chose the couch. Fortunately, it was comfy, and I found a blanket in a nearby closet.
I rose from the couch and scanned the room. The open bedroom door revealed a pristine space with a perfectly made bed that looked untouched. Either Jake was remarkably meticulous, or I had imagined the whole event.
After a quick wash-up, I stepped outside to a radiant morning. A clear sky and vibrant field greeted me, and I took a moment to absorb the beauty before heading to the main house.
As I entered the living room, a mouth-watering scent filled the air. Bob emerged from the kitchen, holding a platter of sausages, with pancakes, bacon and eggs already on the table.
"Morning, Stephen," Bob said, smiling. "Sleep well?"
"Very well, thank you. Your guesthouse is fantastic. I was just telling Jake how impressed I am with what you've done with it."
"That's good to hear," Bob replied. "Jake's out riding but told me we should start breakfast without him."
"Ah, I see," I said, managing to keep my surprise in check as I sat down.
"So, what's on the agenda for you two today?" he asked.
"Actually, I'm thinking of heading back home," I responded as I took a seat at the table. "You both seem busy, and I don't want to impose."
"Don't be silly, we're glad you're here," Bob assured me. "Jake speaks so highly of you and how you flew all the way to LA to live your dream. I always tell him to be a little more adventurous, but he seems happy just being here with me, doing the same old thing. Maybe you can help him break out of his shell a little. You know, try new things." He then walked over and spooned a large sausage onto my plate.
"Believe me, Jake's more adventurous than you might think," I said, biting my lip.
After breakfast, I courteously told Bob I had to go. As we walked to the door, he insisted on Jake saying goodbye. Scanning the yard, he called for him, but Jake was nowhere to be found. I gave a reassuring smile, telling him it was okay, and then took my leave.
For days, my phone was as useful as a brick--zero texts, zilch from Jake. I'd pretty much convinced myself that he'd regretted the whole thing and didn't want anything to do with me anymore. So, I didn't text him either.
Then, while I'm in my room dancing full-out to Pon de Replay, pretending I'm Rihanna, my phone vibrates.
"Hey"
It was him! I immediately hit pause on my iPod and stared intently at the single word text. How the hell was I supposed to respond? After agonizing for a few minutes, typing and deleting various replies, I settle on:
"Hey"
Not exactly Pulitzer-worthy, I know. But come on, what else was I supposed to say?
"Sorry I didn't say bye to you that day. Something came up and I had to handle it."
Uh huh.
"Don't worry about it," I texted back. "I'm sure you were busy."
It took a full fifteen minutes before he responded. (Yes, I counted)
"Let me make it up to you. I'm at Blockbuster now and Mean Girls is available to rent. You wanna watch it together? I remember you recommending it. No horseback riding, I promise."
Anxiety churned within me, my heart pounding like a drum. How could I possibly turn down an invitation like that?
"Sure. When?"
"I'm free anytime this week. How about tomorrow?"
I couldn't help but grin. Clearly, he was eager to see me. Keep it together, Stephen.
"I should be free. "
"Cool, I'll be around. Swing by whenever."
I arrived at the main house the next afternoon, having given Jake a heads-up via text an hour earlier. He was waiting outside as I pulled in, dressed in flannel and jeans for once. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal tanned, muscular forearms lightly covered with hair. As soon as I stepped out of the car, his face lit up with a broad smile.
"Good to see you again," he said, pulling me into a friendly hug, which I happily reciprocated. "You want some water or anything? And hey, you like popcorn, right? A movie just isn't the same without it for me."
"Thought I'd give her another go," I said, grinning.
"Really? After that puddle incident, I thought you'd had enough."
"I'm a big believer in second chances," I replied, maintaining my smile. "The first time's just a trial run. The second is when you really dive in."