Page 49 of Wandering Closer

“I’ll be downstairs when you’re done here and we can talk,” he replies, finally leaving me to finish up with Shadow.

That was weird. Thoren and Michele have great things to say about Jake, and he seems like a nice guy, if not a little scary. The tone in his voice made me feel like I was getting called to the principal's office. I rack my brain on what he could want to talk to me about, but come up empty.

With a fresh smelling puppy, I dry Shadow off the best that I can, then let her loose in the house. I scrub the bathtub clean before making my way downstairs to find Jake. He is sitting in the living room watching the sports channel, so I take a seat across from him on the couch.

“It was nice of you to give Shadow a bath,” he says, still staring at the TV and scratching her ears where she’s sitting by his feet.

“Well, she rolled in something nasty on our walk, so it’s the least I could do. Plus, I love her.”

He mutes the TV and turns to look at me. “This talk is not happening. Do you understand?”

I feel my hackles rise, but nod in agreement.

“Did you know Thoren got Shadow before Jen left him?” he asks, but he’s not really looking for me to answer. “She begged him for a dog. She begged him for a lot of things she didn’t deserve, but he also really wanted a dog. So he looked around, and waited for the right time, and finally found a litter of blacklab puppies. He picked out Shadow and brought her home. When she got home and saw the puppy, she lost her shit, and not in a good way. Jen wanted a small lapdog, something to carry around in a purse, even though Lord knows she wouldn’t be the one taking care of it.”

He shakes his head, frustration written on his features. “She left him two weeks later, and it was the best thing to happen to him. He took it hard for a while. They had been together for years. Shadow got him through those hard times, and she’s been his support ever since. Seeing you care for her… it’s healing something in him you didn’t break.”

I nod in understanding because Thoren was also healing parts of me that were broken before him. I haven’t really asked too much about Jen, and maybe that was a mistake. I’ve never really done the relationship thing except with Tyler and clearly that was only a real relationship to me and not him. I don’t know what the protocol is for asking about exes. All I know is that Thoren is the best and deserves the best, and I am going to do everything I can to be that for him.

“Lily, he’s one of the best people I know. He cares deeply, and will do anything for those in his circle. Jen took advantage of that and I can’t watch that happen to him again. He doesn’t ask for much out of life, just someone to love him for who he is and to have a big family. Thoren won’t talk to you about any of this, but he has a huge fear that you’re just here temporarily. She left him to find a bigger and better life, and that’s not something he will ever want. This is his home, where his family is, and where he wants to raise his kids. If this small town getaway even has the possibility of being a temporary thing for you, please let him go. The way he talks about you… you’re different and he won’t survive losing you.”

I sit in stunned silence as this burly man pleads with me to protect his friend. I want to be offended; I want to dive intomy thoughts about what he said about me being different, but mostly, I want to hug him for looking out for the man who looks out for everyone else. At this moment, I decide that I really like Jake despite his grumpy appearance.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ve never felt more alive, free, or like I’m where I’m meant to be than right here in Cedar Ridge. This place has become my home, and somehow, despite all the crap going on in my life, Thoren is starting to feel like home, too. You’re a good friend, Jake, and he’s beyond lucky to have you in his life.”

Jake stares at me again, looking for any lies in my statement, but he won’t find them. I have been living here for almost two months now. I can’t imagine going anywhere else. This town and these people have infiltrated my life and shown me what it is like to truly live. To find your place, and people who care for you like one of their own, and I will never give that up.

Jake’s phone dings from the couch next to him, where he glances at it, then stands. “Want to go show me your bathroom now? We can talk about some options for your vanity?”

“Sure, that sounds good.”

I follow him out, leaving Shadow in the house since she’s still damp and I don’t want her getting muddy. As we walk over, he asks about the trip to Seattle and how River is doing. I didn’t realize the three of them, Thoren, River and him, were so close, but I guess they all talk frequently. When we get to my place, he steps aside to make a quick call, letting me know he will meet me inside. I wait in the cabin, cleaning up some tools that are lying around.

Jake isn’t outside long, but he takes forever talking about the vanity. He measures and re-measures at least four times, talking about all the different wood options, finishes, and countertops that he can do. Thoren and I haven’t picked out tiles or flooring or even a color scheme. I finally convince Jake that the woodand finish is up to his discretion and a neutral counter would be great.

He’s acting weird and asks to see my deck to check over Thoren’s work when my phone rings. I rush to answer it to get out of this awkward moment.

“Hello?”

“Hey, baby,” Thoren’s smooth voice comes over the line. “What are you doing?”

“Uhh, showing Jake the bathroom at my place. I guess you guys talked about him building a vanity?” I try not to sound annoyed that they decided that since it was actually really sweet. I was a little annoyed at this whole scenario because I was anxious for the special thing he has planned for tonight.

“Oh, yeah, that’s great. I got off work a little early and am home if you guys want to head back.”

“Okay,” my excitement stirs. “I’ll see you in a few.”

Jake must have heard the conversation, because he is already waiting at my front door. As our feet crunch on the gravel in Thoren’s driveway, I see his truck parked right next to Jake’s and can’t help but laugh.

“I think I need to hear the story on the matching trucks,” I say, walking in the front door.

“That’s not the only thing we have matching,” Jake mutters under his breath. Before I can ask what that means, Michele’s head pops around the corner.

“Lily!” she squeals, wrapping me in a tight hug. “It’s been too long, we need a girls’ outing ASAP.”

“What are you doing here? I’ve missed you, too.”

“Back off my woman,” Thoren growls, playfully shoving Michele out of the way. His big arms swallow me as he drops his lips to my neck. “Hey, baby.”

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