Page 75 of Faking It with Mr. Uptight

I was about to launch into a detailed analysis of the room's feng shui (or lack thereof) when Jake suddenly grabbed my hands, spinning me around like we were in some cheesy rom-com dance scene.

"Whoa there, twinkle toes!" I laughed, trying not to lose my balance. "What's gotten into you?"

Jake's eyes were soft, his gaze so intense I felt like I might spontaneously combust. "Shh, just let me look at you for a minute. You're so beautiful, Molly. You know that, right?"

My cheeks heated and I rolled my eyes in a vain attempt to play it cool. But inside? Inside, my heart was doing the macarena. "Oh, stop it. What are you buttering me up for? "

He pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me. "Nothing, I just want to enjoy this moment with the woman I love. Is that such a crime?"

Hold up. Did he just say...?

"I'm sorry, I must have misheard you. What did you just say?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jake's grin was brighter than a Times Square billboard. "I said, I love you. I'm head over heels, crazy in love with you, Molly Sinclair."

I blinked, my brain short-circuiting. "You love me? Like, love-love me?"

"Is that so hard to believe?" he asked, tilting his head in that adorable way that made my knees go weak.

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of disbelief. "No, but... I mean, are you sure? Because I'm kind of a hot mess, if you haven't noticed."

He pulled me flush against him, his lips hovering just inches from mine. "Hot? yes—A mess?” He shrugged and pursed his lips as if to say sometimes. “You’re perfect for me."

I was drowning in his eyes, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure the neighbors could hear it. His words echoed in my head, sending shivers down my spine. I couldn't fight the goofy grin spreading across my face.

"I love you, too," I breathed, the words tumbling out before I could second-guess myself. Sure, it had only been a what a month, but when you know, you know. And I knew, with every fiber of my being, that I was hopelessly, irrevocably in love with Jake Kingsbury.

"I was hoping you'd say that," he murmured, closing the gap between us and capturing my lips in a kiss so tender, so full of love, that I thought I might melt into a puddle right then and there.

I wanted him, needed him, right that very second, but I knew he had to go make dinner for Hailey, and I didn't want to scar the poor girl for life by getting caught in a compromising position amidst the cluttered, guest room-nursery.

As if reading my mind, Jake pulled back, his eyes dark with desire. "Come over for dinner," he whispered, his breath hot against my ear.

"Yes," I managed, my voice trembling with anticipation.

And with that, we reluctantly disentangled ourselves, sharing secret smiles as we straightened our shirts and tried to look like we hadn't just been seconds away from tearing each other's clothes off in a fit of passion.

Instead, we walked back over to his house and played house. It was nice to do normal simply things like have dinner, the three of us. Before Jake, I had never been in a relationship with someone who was a parent. Things really did go at a different speed, but I was loving it.

The rest of the week flew by faster than a cheetah on Red Bull. It was like the universe knew that Jake and I were trying to savor every last moment together, so it decided to hit the fast-forward button just to mess with us.

Before I knew it, it was time for me to move back into my cottage. As much as I had tried to convince myself that I was totally fine with it, my heart felt heavier than a lead balloon.

The inspection went off without a hitch, which was great news for my bank account but not so much for my emotional state. I mean, couldn't they have found a tiny little problem that would've delayed my move by, say, a few more weeks? Months? Years?

The first night back was weirder than a three-dollar bill. Don't get me wrong, I still loved my house and all its quirky charm and whimsical decor. But I hated the distance, even if it was only a mental construct.

That night sleep was about as elusive as a unicorn in a haystack, and trust me, I've looked. Finally, I gave up and dragged myself to the kitchen, figuring a cup of tea might help soothe my restless mind. I plopped down on the couch, the flickering light from the TV casting eerie shadows on the walls. It was like a scene straight out of a bad horror movie, except instead of a masked killer, I was being haunted by my own thoughts.

After what felt like an eternity, I drifted off to sleep. My alarm came all too quickly. I cursed the wretched machine and silenced it, then rolled back over, lying to myself that it was only for five more minutes. My face felt puffy from lack of sleep. Great, —a froggy-eyed day. Just what I needed. This week needed to hurry up and end.

My phone buzzed with a text message, startling me from near sleep.

Jake: Is it weird that I miss knowing you are next door.

My heart squeezed. He felt it too.

Me: No! I feel it too.

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