Page 63 of The Rookie's Second Chance

The early afternoon streamed into my living room as my phone buzzed on the coffee table. Seeing Jake's name light up the screen sent an unexpected rush of warmth through me.

"Hey," I answered, trying to sound casual.

"Kayla, you up for a late lunch today?" His voice, even over the phone, had that gravelly edge that tugged at me.

I hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty crossing my mind. "Wouldn't that be a risk, though? We're still supposed to be keeping a low profile, right?"

"We can head out to the ranch and have a picnic there. Keep it quiet. I doubt the stalker will come back again, and if he does—we’ll be there to catch him." A hopeful note in his voice made it hard to resist.

A smile crept onto my face, the idea appealing more than I wanted to admit. "Okay, sounds nice. I'll grab some takeout."

"I'll pick you up in an hour?" he suggested.

"Perfect. See you then."

I ended the call and took a moment to savor the silence before getting ready. The thought of an afternoon away from the chaos under the vast expanse of the open sky felt like a much-needed reprieve.

I drove to pick up our favorite dishes from a little family-owned restaurant downtown, the smell of seasoned meats and fresh bread filling the car, promising a feast.

True to his word, Jake was at my door an hour later, a soft smile on his face that reached his tired eyes. I hadn't seen that smile in what felt like ages.

"Got everything?" he asked as I locked my front door.

"All set," I replied, lifting the bag of food.

The drive to the ranch was quiet and comfortable. The tension that had been winding tighter in my chest began to ease as the town fell away behind us, giving way to open fields and a golden sky.

We laid out a blanket in a secluded corner of the ranch, the late afternoon enveloping us in a cocoon of privacy. Jake popped open a bottle of wine, pouring each of us a glass as I set out the containers of food.

"To us," he toasted, raising his glass.

"To us," I echoed, clinking my glass against his.

We ate and talked, the conversation meandering from light-hearted banter to the case that had consumed our lives. Every so often, Jake's hand would brush against mine, sending a jolt of electricity through me.

As the sun began to dip, Jake lay back on the blanket, pulling me down beside him. We lay side by side, looking up at the endless heavens.

"It's beautiful out here," I murmured, feeling a peace I hadn't known in too long.

"Yeah, it is," Jake agreed, his voice soft. He turned his head to look at me, and our eyes locked. For a long moment, we just gazed at each other, the rest of the world falling away.

I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder. His arm came around me, pulling me closer, and I could feel the steady beat of his heart against my cheek.

The afternoon had been perfect, almost like a dream, but as the evening crept in, I could see a restlessness creeping into Jake’s demeanor. His gaze kept drifting off, a frown flickering across his features now and then.

“What’s eating you?” I finally asked, nudging him with my elbow.

He shook his head, trying to brush it off with a half-hearted “Nothing.”

I raised an eyebrow, not buying it for a second. “You’re a terrible liar, you know that?”

He let out a chuckle, the sound a bit strained. “Yeah, you got me there. I was just thinking... about the house. I ’haven’t really checked it out since Lexi went back to the safe house, and then with Mandy...”

I felt a twinge of irritation at the mention of Mandy, but I pushed it aside. This wasn’t about petty jealousies. “And you’re worried you missed something?” I pressed, keeping my tone even.

“Yeah, I guess so. It’s been nagging at me,” he admitted, his eyes meeting mine. There was an earnestness in them that pulled at me.

I smiled despite the gravity of his concern. “And here I thought you were just overwhelmed by my charm.”

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