Page 61 of Fighting Jacob

I play it cool, pretending I didn’t forget who she was. “No worries.”

“How are you?”

“Good. You?” I inwardly curse. This couldn't be any more awkward if I tried.

“I’m good... now.” The need in her voice can’t be missed. “Do you have any plans tonight?”

“I could—if you need me to?” Same crappy line. Same crappy result.

“I’d like that very much.”

When Noah’s truck pulls into Hank’s gym, I clamber inside before covering the speaker of my phone. “Can I borrow your truck tonight?”

“Yeah, sure.” He jackknifes back before arching a brow. “Hold on, what do you want it for?”

I waggle my brows. “I have a date.”

My jest has the effect I’m aiming for when Noah looks seconds from being sick. “You better not have sex in my truck, Jacob. If I even smell a hint of it, I’ll kick your fucking ass.”

Pretending my heart isn’t racing a million miles an hour, I drop my hand from my phone. “Can we meet at your place?”

Casey was as I remembered: long brown hair, the most striking blue eyes, and a piercing voice that will ring in my ears all night long. I’m still tugging on my ear when I pull into the driveway of my home.

As I shut down the engine, Noah sprints outside. “Do you ever answer your fucking phone?”

“I would have if I could hear anything over Casey’s nasally squeal.” I slap him in the chest, noticing how damp his shirt is. He’s drenched head to toe, seconds from coronary failure. “What’s going on?”

I stop seeking my dad when he says, “Em’s cell keeps ringing out. After the fourth ring out, I went to check on her before I remembered someone took my fucking truck.”

“I’m sure she’s fine. Maybe she had an early night or something?” I say anything to pacify his worry. After all the loss he has endured, he’s always panicked something bad will happen to Emily. “Maybe you wore her out, and she needs time to recover.”

I give him a look, one that makes it seem like he’s a stud. It does nothing to ease his agitation. His gaze remains as tormented as ever, his boots kicking up the gravel on the driveway. “I’ll never forgive myself if something bad happens to her, Jake. Just the thought of her being hurt tears me apart.”

“I know. You don’t have to explain it to me.”

I feel the same way about Lola. That’s why it kills me knowing she’s back with Callum.

“If she doesn’t call you first thing in the morning, I’ll drive you to Parkwood myself.” I rib him with my elbow. “In your truck, since I don’t have a car.”

He finally cracks a smile. “Thanks, Jacob.” He nudges his head to his still-hot motor. “Do I need to fumigate her first?”

The mirth in his tone furls my lips. “Nah. Not this time.” I band my arm around his shoulders before noogying his head. “But I’ll do my best to mix it up next week.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Lola

As I head out of Pete’s, my phone vibrates in my skirt pocket. I dig it out as I jump into the driver’s seat of my Jeep. She’s as old and as sassy as me, but she’s mine, so I love her bad points as much as I adore her good ones.

When I glance down at the screen, my lips quirk. I don’t recognize the number. With my suspicions piqued, I answer the call, curious who is calling me a little after midnight on a Friday night. “Hello?”

“Lola, it’s Jacob.”

I yank my phone away from my ear to recheck the number. It's still showing an unrecognized number, but not a thousand years could strip Jacob’s deep timbre from my mind. He must have gotten a new number?

Just as I push my phone back to my ear, Jacob asks, “Lola...? Are you there?”

“Yeah, sorry, I’m here.” My high tone exposes my confusion. We haven’t had any contact in months, so why is he reaching out this late on a Friday night?

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