Page 71 of Jesse
Beck
Jesse slidhis jacket off and tossed it on the armchair. “Dinner?”
I hummed in response, watching him drag himself toward the pantry. He pulled out a jar of peanut butter, jam, and a loaf of bread but then stopped, looking momentarily lost.
His gaze darted around the kitchen, as though he was searching for something but couldn’t quite piece it together.
“Knife,” I murmured, stepping closer to open the drawer beside him.
I handed it to him, and he blinked before offering me a small, sheepish smile.
“Thanks,” he said, his voice soft, the exhaustion clearly seeping through.
I leaned against the counter and watched him spread peanut butter slowly.
I rarely saw him like this. But today, he’d set up the food truck alone, prepped everything, and worked the crowd while keeping an eye out for trouble.
Every time I glanced his way earlier, he’d been scanning the festival square, checking for anything out of place, anyone suspicious. And somehow, he’d still managed to keep an eye on me, too.
I couldn’t blame him for being a little checked out now. Honestly, I probably looked just as rough, if not worse.
The festival earlier had been a blur of faces and noise. I tried to stay focused, watching anyone who looked too tense or too out of place.
My wolf had bristled more than once, but with so many people milling around, it was impossible to pinpoint anything solid. The unease came and went, just enough to keep me on edge.
And through all of that, I still hadn’t told Jesse how I’d managed to convince my father to let me come back to Pecan Pines.
It had taken less yelling than I’d expected. My father’s glare had been just as intense as ever, but this time, he’d listened.
“I want to see this through,” I told him. “I can’t leave knowing we haven’t caught the guy. Not when he could hurt someone else. Not in Pecan Pines, not anywhere.”
I hadn’t held back. I told him how I didn’t want to let the pack down, how walking away felt like giving up. Then, when I saw his expression waver, I said the thing I knew would hit hardest.
“I can’t leave my mate.”
That did it.
Even if it hadn’t, I still would’ve gotten out of the car. My father’s opinion didn’t matter, not in that moment. But knowing he had my back, even grudgingly, wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
For once, he hadn’t pulled the pack alpha card or tried to force me back.
He just made me promise to keep him in the loop this time. A lot of promises, actually. Be careful, be safe.
It was almost sentimental. Maybe the old man was getting soft.
Jesse handed me a sandwich, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“Cheers,” he said, holding his sandwich up.
“Cheers,” I echoed, tapping mine against his before taking a bite.
Jesse wolfed his sandwich down in five bites, maybe six tops, while I took my time.
He wiped his hands on a dish towel and leaned back against the counter. His posture visibly relaxed for the first time all day.
“You mind if we go over what to do next tomorrow?” he asked. His voice was calm but tinged with fatigue. “We’ll need to check in with Cooper too.”
“Yeah, sounds good,” I said, nodding.
