25. Jacob

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

jacob

L acey is still pissed at me, and to be honest, I can't blame her. I deserve it. She doesn't speak a word to me the whole way into town. I drop her off at the flower shop and drive over to my office to call around for a starter for Lacey's truck and to rearrange my day. Luckily, I find a place in Bozeman that has one in stock. It's close to lunchtime when I make it to Bozeman, so I stop by Mia's shop after and take her to lunch.

"Obviously, I'm always happy to let my brother buy me lunch..." Mia pauses, knowing I technically didn't offer to pay yet.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are."

"But what is this secret errand that brings you to Bozeman in the middle of the day on a weekday? Shouldn't you be kicking shit in a barn somewhere right now?"

Releasing an audible exhale, I observe Mia, debating the safest way to answer her question.

"Don't blow this all out of proportion and try to turn it into something it's not," I say, "but I'm fixing Lacey's truck and had to come to Bozeman for a part."

"Jacob," Mia says as she leans back in her chair, "this is significant. You're finally making a move on Mom's new employee?"

"We're just friends," I insist. Mia raises an eyebrow at me. "I'm helping a friend. Don't read into it."

"You forget we're twins." Mia picks up her fork and takes another bite.

"So?" I drop my napkin on my plate, finished with my lunch.

"So I can see right through your bullshit. You really like her."

"I hardly know her," I lie.

"Okay, then you really want to bone her."

"Mia . . ."

"See? You're making a move."

"It's just a good deed. That's all."

I don't want Lacey to be upset with me. I promised myself I wouldn't hurt her, and I've got to make this right while I still can. My plan is to show her I'm sorry by doing something for her. Then, just maybe she will forgive me, and things can go back to the way they were.

I drive back to Lacey's and get started on her truck repairs. I've got the battery disconnected, and I'm lying on my back removing the old starter when the gravel crunches in the driveway behind Lacey's truck. Someone gets out of the vehicle and their footsteps approach. A not so gentle kick to the bottom of my boot causes me to yank my leg up and ram my knee against the truck.

"Damn it to fucking hell!"

I roll out from under the truck, rubbing my throbbing knee. Jalynn stands back, hands on her hips and her little foot tapping away impatiently. I'm not going to lie, she's pretty damn intimidating. I've listened to George's stories about the pregnancy hormones running rampant in her body, and it looks like I've got some angry ones focused on me right now.

"Yes?" I ask, looking up at her.

"I thought I saw you drive by. What are your intentions with my bestie?" Jalynn asks.

"I don't have any intentions. I'm just trying to fix her truck."

"Wrong answer." Jalynn's hands move from her hips, and she folds her arms above her pregnant belly.

"What's the right answer, then, Jalynn?" I rub my knee some more, trying to work the soreness out.

"There are several acceptable answers, frankly." Now she's pacing back and forth in front of me and counting out the acceptable answers on her fingers. "Date her, marry her, ravish her beautiful body, just to name the most obvious ones."

Jalynn turns back to me and shrugs. She watches me expectantly.

"I can't date your friend." I pick at the dirt sticking to the sole of my boot with the rachet I was just using to remove the starter.

"Why not?"

"There are several acceptable answers," I say, mimicking Jalynn. I count the reasons out on my fingers as I continue. "I break her heart and you murder me, you forbid George to associate with me, she breaks me, or I become addicted to her and can't let her go."

"Let's shoot for the latter," Jalynn says, grinning. "Seriously, though, Jacob, I don't know what your deal is, but you are an absolute moron if you don't ask Lacey out."

"I don't want a relationship. It will change everything. And what's to say she won't just break up with me after a few weeks like she did with Caleb?" I reach over to the box with the new starter and pull it out. This conversation is getting too personal, and I need something to busy my hands.

"She doesn't want a relationship with Caleb." Jalynn's hands are back on her hips.

"What makes me any different?"

"If you were paying any attention you wouldn't have to ask me that right now. Trust me, this isn't an opportunity you want to miss out on because you're too chickenshit to ask her out. Lacey is one of those once-in-a-lifetime girls. You won't get a chance with another one. I don't know what's been up your ass, but it's time to pull it out and be a man."

Jalynn turns and leaves without waiting for a response. I swipe my forehead with the back of my dirty hand and lie back down on the ground to continue the repair. I attach the wires to the new starter, then smash the hell out of my finger as I try to get it positioned right to bolt it in. I let out another expletive, pick the ratchet back up, and begin tightening the bolts down.

Confident that the new starter is secure, I climb out from under the truck. I hook up the battery again and close the hood of the truck. I don't have Lacey's key, so I'll have to wait to see if I fixed the problem or not.

Maybe Jalynn is right. Maybe Lacey is a once-in-a-lifetime girl. I know I already don't want to let go of her, and she's not even mine, yet. I wipe off my hands and check the time. Lacey will get off work soon, so I gather up my tools and drive into town.

I walk into the flower shop as Lacey's gathering her stuff to leave. She looks me up and down, her eyes pausing over the grease stains on my dirty T-shirt. I probably should have changed before I came to pick her up. Observing her expressionless face, I try to judge if it is safe for me to approach.

"May I come in?" I ask.

"Yeah," she says and rolls her eyes.

I slowly walk up to the counter, not taking my eyes off of her. I'm still not sure if I'm about to be attacked by this tiny little gremlin or not.

"I just need to run this deposit over to the bank really quick," she says.

"Let's go, then, Gypsy."

In the truck, Lacey scoots toward the center of the bench seat and takes control of the radio. That's a good sign. In no time, I have her chatting and joking like usual. She seems to be over our argument from last night. Stopping next to her pickup, I shift in my seat to look at Lacey.

"You ready to give her a try? See if my mechanic skills paid off?" I nod toward her truck.

"You fixed my truck?" she asks in surprise.

"I gave it my best shot."

I climb out of the truck and hold open the door for Lacey to follow. She slides out and rushes over to her truck. Looking up at me, she twists the key in the ignition. The truck roars to life.

"You did it! I can't believe you fixed my truck!" she says, practically jumping into my arms to hug me. I stumble back a half step, then catch my footing and hug her back. "What do I owe you?" she asks.

She leans back to look at me but stays within my grasp. All of the anger and hurt in her eyes from last night and this morning are gone. I tighten my hold on her, liking the way she fits against my body.

"Go on a date with me," I say quietly.

"Come again?"

"Let's start over, you and me. Go on a date with me."

She's studying my face, either trying to decide how to respond or waiting for me to take it back, but that's not going to happen.

"Okay," she finally says.