Chapter 17

17

T he next week had gone well, with Jake sneaking into Claire's bunk or hotel room most nights. He had never slept so well as he did when she was wrapped in his arms. The group had a small break near Napa Valley, so they made their way to some wineries to tour. The fresh air was just what they needed.

"How much I wish I could have wine right now," Claire said as she rubbed her growing belly.

The two of them had gotten separated from the others. Most of the guys wanted to relax in a tasting room, but since Claire couldn't drink, Jake suggested they walk around. Seeing as the place was nearly deserted, they weren't worried about crowd control, so the security guards gave them free rein for the most part. They still followed behind, but at a more leisurely pace.

Jake smiled at her and tugged his baseball cap lower on his head as a group of women passed them. He tipped his head toward a small gift shop.

"Let's get some."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I would love to, but I'm kind of pregnant."

Jake chuckled. "I'm aware. I meant let's get some for after you have the baby. It can be your celebratory beverage."

The excitement that blossomed on her face had him wanting to buy out the entire damn winery.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves , he told himself.

He took her hand in his and tugged her toward the gift shop doors. The welcoming cool air blasted them as soon as they stepped inside.

"Pick whatever you want," he said.

She smiled brightly at him as they walked down the aisles. There wasn't a huge selection as it was a fairly small winery, but Claire took her time reading the notes on each bottle.

"I'll be right back." He glanced behind them to find Lonnie only a few steps away. Jake tipped his head toward the register and Lonnie gave him a nod, as if to say it was okay.

The place was pretty quiet, with only a few people in the gift shop, so even if he was recognized, it was a manageable crowd.

"Excuse me," he said to the woman standing behind the register.

"Yes, how can I help you?" She was an older lady, he would guess in her sixties, so he didn't expect she would recognize him, thankfully.

Jake glanced behind her at the six different types of wine on display.

"Could I get two bottles of each to fill a case?"

The lady smiled at him. "Of course."

She pulled out a box and put two of each bottle inside before taping the top shut and ringing him up. He paid and asked if they could pick it up on their way out. She agreed and set it aside. When she asked for his name, he gave Lonnie's just in case she might recognize his. She smiled and thanked him for his purchase.

He joined Claire, who was still examining each bottle.

"These all look so good. I don't know which one I want."

Jake laughed. "That's okay. I got two of each."

Claire looked up, startled. "You what?"

Jake motioned toward the register. "I just bought two of each so you can try them all."

Tears sprang to her eyes, and she dipped her head.

He frowned. "Hey, it's okay. What's wrong?"

He tugged her into his chest and hugged her, not caring if Ben saw them. If they weren't careful, Ben would catch them soon. They had become less cautious, but Jake almost wanted Ben to catch them. Sneaking around was exhausting, and he knew the longer it went without them coming clean, the harder it would be. The last thing they wanted to do was hurt Ben, but they also weren't ready to expose their relationship to him.

Jake wasn't sure how Ben would react, but he still wasn't ready to find out.

"You're just so nice," she said into his chest, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

He chuckled. "Okay."

"I'm not used to it."

He had almost forgotten that she had an abusive ex, but that brought everything right back into perspective.

"Hey." He pulled back and tipped her chin so she looked at him. "Buying some wine to share after the baby is born is the bare minimum of what you deserve. I hope you know I would do anything for you."

A look crossed her face that she quickly masked. It almost looked pained, but before he could question it, she smiled up at him and stepped away.

"That's because you're an amazing man."

They continued walking around the winery and toward a stage where a band was playing. They found some chairs and sat down, listening to the music as the sun set. Jake stole several glances at Claire, who seemed to carry a troubled look on her face. Things with Charles hadn't seemed to get better as he was still smearing her to the press, but Jake knew deep down that her look had nothing to do with Charles.

And it had everything to do with him.

His stomach felt uneasy. But this wasn't the time nor the place to have a conversation about it.

Slowly, the rest of the group joined them, and they all listened to the local band play. When the winery got busier, they decided it would be best to leave before they drew a crowd.