Page 69 of Trip Through Your Wires

“Sounds good,” I nod and she turns the volume back up on the TV.

As we watch the show Jenica’s grandma shares her theory on who she thinks committed the crime. I agree but point out another potential suspect. When the commercial comes on, her grandma gets up to use the bathroom and I turn to look at Jenica again. This time, she’s looking back at me with a soft smile on her face, and when our eyes meet, I feel something I haven’t felt in weeks—peace.

Chapter 15

Jenica

I look over my shoulder to see if Jake is still sleeping and when I see that he is—one arm over his head and the other on his chest—my chest flutters. His bulky frame fills every inch of the couch but he looks comfortable, strangely.

“Don’t wake him,” Nana whispers from where she stands beside me at the sink, doing dishes. “The boy needs his rest.”

I laugh and shake my head. “Did you get enough to eat?”

“Yes,” she nods, while washing the plate in her hand with a sponge. “When your friend wakes, make sure he gets dinner. He must be famished.”

“You know,” I look down at the soapy glass in my hand, “he’s not a stray, Nana. You can’t just keep him.”

“Jenica Dawn,” she chides, rinsing the plate and placing it in the drying rack on the counter. “That boy came all this way to see you.”

“Meaning?” I reach into the now empty water and remove the drain stopper, setting it next to the bottle of dish soap next to the faucet.

“Meaning,” she wipes her hands on the dish towel, then passes it to me, “when he wakes you get him something to eat and when he’s had a full meal, you set out some fresh towels so he can take a shower. And make sure there is fresh sheets on the bed in the spare room.”

I look over my shoulder to make sure he’s still sleeping. Seeing he is, I place one hand on the counter and lean in, lowering my voice. “He’s not staying.”

“Why not?” she asks, clearly puzzled.

“Because he probably got a room in town.”

“No,” she shakes her head. “I won’t think of it. A man comes down to see you, you treat him as a guest. He deserves a good night’s rest, not some old hotel bed.”

“Wow Nana,” I can’t help but laugh. “I never would have thought you’d be so smitten with a Yankee.”

“Oh…” She waves her hand at me playfully. “Yankee or not, that boy is a tall drink of water. Not to mention, he is clearly smitten with you.”

I motion for her to be quiet and she clicks her tongue.

“Well it’s true,” she whispers. “What kind of boy flies halfway across the country to see a girl, then sits with an old woman to watch TV? A keeper, that’s who.”

She has a point. I could count on one hand the number of people who would do that and Jake was one of them. Regardless, things with him and I are complicated.

The problem wasn’t that I didn’t like Jake. I stopped talking to him because I did. A lot. I respected and trusted him, and yeah, was obviously attracted to him otherwise I would have never crossed any of the lines that we had. But that night after the frat party I felt our connection. It was powerful. And I had to cut it off because our lives were headed in different directions. That night was about closing a chapter, not opening it.

I’d done well at first—keeping myself busy that first week after my trip to Highland. Between school and the store there was plenty to keep my mind occupied. Then everything with Richardson happened and I needed Jake, just as I did last summer, but he was no longer there. With his answering machine no longer picking up, I lost even his voice from my life, and I’d never felt more alone.

This morning when I woke up, the fatigue in my bones was unbearable and the weight on my chest was heavy. I missed my friends and the slivers of time that used to be mine. Before Jake showed up I planned to throw myself into all the notes I jotted down about the club, to see if I could find something that would help me expose Richardson.

I never expected Jake would show up on my front porch and I certainly didn’t expect to throw myself into his arms. But I should have known better. The moment we met he worked his way past my guard in a way no other guy ever had, and I couldn’t stop myself from liking him, or wanting to be near him.

“Well…” Nana places her hand under the lotion dispenser next to the bottle of dish soap, pumps a dollop into her hand, and rubs it in. “I’m going to bed, sugar. Maybe have dinner outside,” she smiles. “It’s a nice night.”

“I already ate dinner,” I reply, knowing damn well what she is up to.

“I know.” She places a hand on my cheek and gives me a warm smile. “But not dessert.”

She winks and pulls her hand from my face, then kisses me goodnight.

After tidying up the kitchen, I grab a couple of towels out of the linen closet, place them on the sink in the bathroom with a fresh bar of soap, then make up the bed in the spare room. When done, I head out to the living room and stop when I find Jake watching me.

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