Page 72 of Fairy Tale Lies
“No.” Her voice warbled.
Without saying the exact words, he’d told her to leave. To gather her belongings and exit his life.
He stopped in front of her car, staring past her. “Let’s go.”
What?
Greta staggered, almost tripping. “Let’s? You mean us, together?”
He nodded, a sharp one up, one down.
She’d imagined a brush-off, or perhaps angry accusations. Never did these imaginings include Jacob driving her to Lansing. She’d have him all to herself for the three-hour drive. The cement slowly hardening around her heart melted, morphing into hope.
“I want to make sure you arrive safely,” he replied in a monotone, cooling some of her optimism.
Will, who’d been moving toward the house, stopped. “Need me to follow? Give you a ride back?”
Shut up, Will!
She didn’t want Jacob to have a way back.
He shook his head. “No, Jamie lives nearby. I’ll crash there.”
Such a simple remark, yet a million emotions were attached to it.
Hope. Maybe Jacob wasn’t only worried about her safety, and a small part of him wanted to work things out.Dread. Would this be the last time she’d have with him?Jealousy. She’d never met, nor had Jacob mentioned a Jamie. She couldn’t tell if this friend was male or female. If he planned to work off his resentment in the arms of another woman, it would kill Greta.
The uncertainty drove her crazy. She shoved it aside, determined to fix the disaster before they ever arrived at her apartment. This time there was no way she’d let him sit in silence, stewing in his anger and thinking how life would be better without her.
“Would you mind driving?” she asked Jacob. “I’m a little nearsighted and don’t have my glasses. Driving is difficult at night.”
He gave another quick, angry nod. She handed him her keys and told him the address to her place. They got in, neither saying a word as Jacob started the car and set her GPS.
Backing down his driveway and onto the street, she studied the rigid set of his shoulders and the white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel. Her need to hide was fierce.
Her fear of losing him was stronger than her aversion to quarreling. She tried again. “Never in a million years did I see this coming.”
Jacob gave a bitter laugh. “Yeah, not how I imagined meeting your mother. In handcuffs because she had me arrested. Though, I guess I should be honored to at least have met her.”
That was unfair. “You know, today was the first day I’d met your family.”
Jacob crooked his neck, pinning her with disappointed eyes. “They knew we were dating. Your mother had no idea I even existed. Were you also worried you’d come off as unprofessional with her? In all these weeks, you haven’t even mentioned me in one conversation?” Each of his questions was more accusatory than the last, and his voice heated in irritation. “Listen, I know we’re new, and you wanted things simple, but are wethatcasual?”
Greta hesitated, unsure how to answer. There was nothing casual about her love for him, but what if he didn’t feel the same? After tonight, she couldn’t blame him.
Should she confess her love? But what if he thought she was saying it merely to cool his anger?
Now wasn’t the right time. Heck, maybe it was. She didn’t know.
His palm slammed on the steering wheel, shattering her contemplations. “Fuck. Never mind. Your silence is answer enough. I should have known from the beginning I’d be nothing more than your dirty secret. Someone to pass the time with until your prince arrives.”
“No. Jacob.” She spoke in a rush, words falling from her, messy and in haste. She needed to make him understand. “I’m not close with my parents, especially my mother. I didn’t tell her because she wouldn’t have approved. You saw how she was this evening. She would’ve criticized us, pestered me with every one of her friends’ single sons, playing matchmaker, and done who knows what else to break us apart. It’s much easier to keep my personal life private.”
They stopped at a red light. Jacob twisted in his seat, giving her the full impact of his emotions. She was hit with a backdraft of fury and disappointment. “That’s your excuse? It’s easier?” he yelled.
His gaze roamed over her as if searching for something. The light reflected off his hardened features flickered from red to green, and he turned back to the road, cutting her deeper. “Shit. You’re a grown woman. Aren’t you a little old to worry what Mommy thinks?”
His anger fused her mouth shut. She wasn’t afraid of him, but his fury was like another passenger in the car, taking up Jacob’s shouts long after he stopped talking.
