Page 22 of Love Lies Bleeding

“Book boyfriends,” I squeak.

“What?” Jake frowns as he lies back on my bed with his phone in his hand, ready to start downloading books.

“They’re called book boyfriends, not book men.”

His gaze holds me captive, and I have the strongest urge to crawl to him and demand he follows through on the promise his body is making but I stop when he growls.

“Cherry Blossom, the only boyfriend you’re gonna have is me, so get used to it, because I’m running out of patience waiting.”

With that, he goes back to his phone, and I’m left wondering if perhaps he’s every book boyfriend I ever had rolled into a real man. It’s time for a little distance. Maybe going home for the holidays is exactly what I need to combat my homesickness and give me some space to think about whether I can keep seeing Jake as a friend.

7. Jake

“It’s good to have you home, son.”

I glance across the table decorated for the holidays at Hank McKenzie and dip my head. “It’s good to be here, Mr. McKenzie.”

I still marvel at the way he took me in when he’d had every right to turn his back on me that night. This man, this family, changed my life in so many ways and I’ll never be able to repay it. When I’m not at College, my home is here. I have my own room, my own space, and people who love me like I’m one of their own.

“Jake, how many times do we have to tell you, it’s Hank and Vivian.”

I scratch my neck, feeling awkward as I glance at Hunter for some help. He smirks and shoves more turkey into his mouth. “Yeah, sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry for, son. Now, tell me about school. How are you finding it?”

“Good, I’m enjoying the legislation and corporate stuff a lot.”

Hank nods, as he eats, his focus on me, showing me that he really cares. His question isn’t just one to fill the time. “You think you might want to go into corporate law? We can always use another smart mind in the office.”

Honestly, I’m not sure what I want to do, but I’m leaning towards corporate, and working for Hank would be a dream. “That’d be an honor, sir.”

Hunter groans. “Jake, stop with that shit, call them Hank and Vivian, for fuck’s sake.”

“Hunter McKenzie, watch your language at my table.”

I smirk at my best friend as he hangs his head at the reprimand from his mom. Vivian is a sweet woman, but she has a core of steel running through her and everyone I know adores her, but most especially her husband. I watch as Hank lays his hand over hers and links their fingers before bringing them to his lips.

“Tell me more about your classes, Jake?”

My shoulders relax a little as I tell him about my classes and we discuss a few of my professors. Dinner is a relaxed affair considering Vivian and Hank McKenzie are two of the richest people in the United States. You wouldn’t know it, dinner isn’t catered for, or filled with unnecessary talk of work or politics, or pompous guests milling around. It’s fun, food, and family, something I can hardly remember having.

Even before the day that changed my whole life, my family was nothing like this. My mom worked every hour of the day to keep a roof over our heads. My father, or sperm donor should I say, left before I was six. Then tragedy struck six years later and everything fell apart and it was all my fault.

The pecan pie in my mouth turns to dust as I allow the memory to break through the wall I normally keep erected, but I choke it down, knowing that Vivian only made it because it’s my favorite. Reliving those memories always leads me down a dark path. It’s why I never let myself go there, but for some reason this weekend they’ve crept up on me.

Instead, I try and think about the night Hank saved my life.

“Hey, wanna watch the game in the den?”

I look up to see Hunter watching me with a careful look on his face. He knows me better than anyone and he can see me walking down that path that leads to destruction and guilt. “Sure, sounds good, but let me help your mom clean up first.”

“You boys go catch up. I’ll clean up dinner with Cassie.”

“Gee, Dad, thanks for volunteering me.”

Cassie rolls her eyes as she begins to collect plates from the table. Cas is a few years older than Hunter and I, and she just started working in the family business. She’s cool, but being around her is a reminder of what I lost, so I tend to avoid her when I’m here.

“Can’t a dad find an excuse to spend time with his favorite daughter?”

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