Chapter 16

sixteen

JACOB

I knocked on Andrew’s door, exhausted after the long night at the hospital. The porch light flickered on, and a moment later Andrew opened the door. He was wearing sweatpants and a faded t-shirt, his dark hair tousled as if he’d been trying to sleep.

“Jacob.” Relief flooded his face. “How’s Paul?”

“He’s okay now. It was appendicitis. They rushed him into surgery as soon as we got to the hospital.” I ran a hand through my hair. “If he wasn’t at the wedding, it could have been a lot worse.”

Andrew stepped back, gesturing for me to come in. “Thank goodness you got him to the hospital in time. Is Liam staying with him?”

“Yeah.” I followed him into his warm living room. The house smelled like freshly baked bread. “He wouldn’t leave Paul’s side. They’re keeping him for a couple days, but he should recover fine.”

“Do you want some coffee? I just made a fresh pot.” Andrew was already heading toward the kitchen. “You look like you could use some.”

“Coffee would be great.” I sank into one of his comfortable armchairs, feeling the tension of the night slowly start to drain away. “I can’t believe he’d been walking around in so much pain for five days.”

Andrew returned with two steaming mugs. “That’s Paul for you. He’s a great guy, but hates going to the doctor.” He handed me a mug and grinned. “You might have changed his mind today, though.”

“Hopefully,” I replied. “But even if he’d seen the doctor in Sunrise Bay, he would have had to go to the hospital in Boulder.”

Andrew sat beside me. “It’s one of the downfalls of living in a small town. I’ll let Shane and Jonathon know that Paul’s okay. They were worried when they heard what had happened.”

“He’ll never forget their wedding,” I said, taking a sip of the perfect coffee. Trust Andrew to know exactly how I liked it. “Paul and Liam told me they’re adopting a baby boy.”

Andrew’s smile softened. “His name is Joseph. Some paperwork still needs to be finished, but it shouldn’t be too much longer before he’s here.” He pulled his legs up under him, wrapping both hands around his mug. “You did good today, Jacob.”

The smile he sent me made my heart skip. Even when Andrew was tired, he was gorgeous. Our eyes met, and suddenly the air was charged with electricity. I set my coffee down slowly.

“Andrew—”

He put down his own mug. “I tried to sleep, but I kept thinking about Paul... and you.”

“I wanted to come straight here after the hospital,” I admitted. “I needed to see you.”

His hand found mine, our fingers intertwining naturally. “I’m glad you did.”

With a pounding heart, I turned to face him. “This thing between us… I haven’t felt anything like it for a long time.”

“I know,” he whispered. “It’s the same for me.”

I reached up with my free hand and gently touched Andrew’s cheek. His eyes closed for a moment, then opened to meet mine. Without hesitation, I leaned in and kissed him softly, sweetly. His hand tightened in mine as he kissed me back.

When we parted, Andrew sighed. “I’ve been wanting to do that for days.”

A spark of mischief made me smile. “Does that mean you’d kiss me again?”

Andrew’s gaze dropped to my mouth.

My spark of mischief flared to a raging firestorm. It took all of my willpower not to pull him close and kiss him again.

“I like the way you kiss,” he said softly. “But you’re only staying in Sunrise Bay for a couple of weeks.”

“Would it make a difference if I was living here?”

Andrew frowned. “Maybe, but that can’t be the only reason you stay.”

I nodded, even though I didn’t entirely agree with him. I’d made many life-changing decisions based on a lot less than wanting to be close to someone. But if I stayed, it wouldn’t only be my heart on the line. Andrew needed someone who could make him laugh, make him look forward to a brighter future. He needed someone he could trust.

All I could offer him was myself, and I didn’t know if that would ever be enough. “It’s late and we’ve both got a busy day ahead of us. I should go home.”

Andrew walked with me to the front door. Before I left, he kissed my cheek. “Thanks for taking care of Paul.”

“I’m glad I was here.”

“So am I.”

Before I changed my mind, I picked up my jacket and opened the door. When I’d planned my trip home, I had no intention of staying in Colorado. But now, after meeting Andrew and helping Paul, I didn’t know if I wanted to go back to Kabul.

For the first time in my life, I was torn between two worlds—and I wasn’t sure which one would win.