Series: Webs We Weave Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 145038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
“You’re a good person, too.”
I snort.
“I’m serious, baby. I think I’ve gotten to know you pretty well so far.” His eyes move over a bookshelf, and I’m sensing he sees a bystander-turned-eavesdropper.
I’m careful not to act suspicious, so I just stay in tune with Jake as he says, “Like how you love teatime, only for the finger sandwiches and petit fours.”
True. I smile. “Who doesn’t love a tiny bite-sized cake?”
“You’re very familiar with etiquette. But you prefer when there are less forks set out, purely because they take up space on the table.”
Also true.
“It’s not practical,” I note.
“You love the sand. Most people hate when it gets in their toes and ends up everywhere in their house, but you love the remnants of a place. You love taking pieces of somewhere with you.”
Chills slip down my arms from being seen. It’s not uncomfortable like I’m standing naked in front of Jake.
I realize I like that he sees me.
His eyes flit from me to the bystander, then back down to me. “And you’re damn near proficient at beating me at poker. You’ve never lost on purpose, which I appreciate.”
“Hailey taught me, you know. She’s way better than I am. You should ask her to play sometime.”
“And that right there—it’s not self-deprecation as much as it is your love of her.” He reads me. “You ride hard for others more than you ride for yourself.”
“All likely true.” I motion back to him. “You absolutely adore animals, but you don’t have any pets of your own. It’s not that it’s too much work, because you’re used to juggling a thousand and one errands and tasks. You just don’t want them to be lonely when you’re not around.”
He seems impressed, but then says, “You’re the second to notice.”
I’m interested. “Who’s the first?”
“Who do you think?” Must be someone I know by the way he’s speaking.
I squint at him. “Hailey?”
“Yeah. Hailey.” He has a soft smile, and I love that he’s grown fond of her. Who wouldn’t? She’s amazing.
“She would solve the mystery of Jake Waterford before me.” That’s my best friend! I could shout it from the rooftops of the world. “But you weren’t that hard to crack.”
“A little hard, come on.” We share a smile.
“You hold people at arm’s length,” I mention. “You’re scared to let them into your world, but you’ve let us in.”
He nods. “Yeah, I have.”
I nod back, too, because we’ve done the same for him. Then I point out, “And you hate cilantro.”
He opens his hand like it’s obvious why. “It tastes like soap.”
“It’s delicious, and you’re not the only one who thinks it’s soap.”
“Grey,” he nods, already knowing. We really have spent too much time with each other. Unlike Jake, Rocky will eat anything with cilantro, despite being repulsed by the flavor, and Jake will pick out every speck of green leaf with his fork.
I smile bigger, just thinking about Rocky, and Jake is witnessing my mushy, too lovey-dovey reaction.
I scrunch my face.
He just says, “He’s your forever person.”
It’s not even a question. “I can’t lose him.” It’d feel really catastrophic now, but likely, it always would’ve.
I think about how Jake has never wanted to bring a date home to his family, and he’s lived a life trying to protect everyone around him, much like Rocky. Only, Rocky has finally let himself chase after love and be with me, despite the risks around us.
Jake isn’t willing to take those kinds of risks for love. Not until he’s usurped his family.
“Maybe one day, you’ll be able to have a forever person, too,” I tell him.
“Maybe,” he breathes, then his brows furrow at the window. “He’s jogging over here.”
Sure enough, Rocky is jaywalking across the street to reach the bookstore. I press my lips together to keep the enthusiasm at bay.
Once on the sidewalk, Rocky forces a smile at Jake through the shop window. It looks like a fuck you smile, and Jake side-eyes me. “Your ex.”
“You mean, you didn’t sign us up for a couple’s date with the devil?” I mouth, My favorite.
He laughs.
I hear the chime of the door as Rocky enters Baubles & Bookends.
My real boyfriend finds me with my fake one in the back. He pretends to examine the many shelves, but really, he’s taking stock of potential eavesdroppers. “So your brother is a real sack of shit,” Rocky states quietly enough.
“He’s getting worse with Phoebe, isn’t he?” Jake asks, concern and anger hardening his face.
Rocky speaks in a harsh whisper. “The longer you’re with her, the more he wants her. It’s that painfully simple, unfortunately.”
Jake rubs the bridge of his nose, and when they both stare down at me like I’m the fragile doll threatening to crack, I’m offended. I’ve worked so hard not to be the one to compromise a job.
I can’t be the reason they start backing out now.