Page 44 of Tides of Discovery
I gathered what I’d need for an overnight stay: a change of clothes, toothbrush, phone charger. The routine of packing an overnight bag helped distract me from the strange nervousness fluttering in my stomach.
A knock at the door announced his arrival sooner than I expected. I opened it to find Jack with rain dripping from his ball cap and a flashlight in one hand.
“Your knight in soggy armor,” he said with a grin. “Ready to escape the dark ages?”
The beam of his flashlight caught his face from below and highlighted his crooked smile and the warmth in his eyes. Something twisted in my chest—a feeling I wasn’t ready to name.
“Just about.” I stepped back to let him in. “Just need to grab my bag.”
Jack followed me into the apartment. His flashlight beam joined mine to better illuminate the space. “It’s cold in here.”
“Old building, lousy insulation. And I keep the heat low during the day, so the apartment was already chilly to begin with.” I shrugged. “I was managing.”
“With what, hypothermia? Your lips are practically blue.”
It was an exaggeration, but without the blanket I’d left on the couch, I was getting cold.
“Here.” Jack grabbed a dry jacket from the hook, slid it up my arms, and zipped it to my neck. The warmth of his nearness enveloped me immediately, along with the familiar scent that was uniquely Jack. My breath caught unexpectedly.
“Better?” he asked, his voice lower than before, his face close enough that I could feel his breath on my cheek.
I nodded. I didn’t trust my voice. In the dancing candlelight, with the storm raging outside and Jack standing close enough to touch, the moment felt electric.
“Let’s get you warmed up properly at my place.” He stepped back and broke the strange tension. “Got everything?”
“Yep.” I blew out the candles, shouldered my duffel, and followed Jack out of the apartment. The storm hit us full force as we dashed to his car. The rain soaked through my clothes in seconds despite the short distance. By the time we pulled up behind his building, I was shivering.
Jack’s apartment welcomed us with blessed warmth and light. I dripped onto his entryway rug, suddenly aware of how bedraggled I must look.
“Bathroom’s all yours.” Jack hung up my wet jacket. “Hot shower will warm you up.”
Twenty minutes later, I emerged feeling like a new person. The hot water had worked magic on my tense muscles, and my dry sweatpants and hoodie were soft and warm.
Savory aromas filled the apartment. Jack stood at the stove and stirred something that made my stomach growl in appreciation.
“Tomato soup and grilled cheese,” he said as I padded into the kitchen. “Something hot to warm you up.”
“You didn’t have to cook,” I said, though the gesture secretly touched me. Jack avoided cooking with a passion. He preferred to order takeout or microwave a frozen burrito.
Jack just shrugged. “I feel better now. I’m hungry too.”
We ate at his small dining table, and the simple meal was exactly what I needed. Outside, the storm continued its assault, but in here, everything was warm, safe, and soothing.
I took his hand. “Thanks for letting me stay.” I laced my fingers with his. “And for dinner.”
Jack smiled, which suddenly seemed like the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. “What are boyfriends for?” he said lightly, but something in his tone made the word seem genuine, not like a temporary relationship.
We cleaned up together and moved around his kitchen with an ease born of long familiarity. Jack found an old movie on TV, something mindless and funny, and we settled onto the couch under a shared blanket. The storm outside had reached its crescendo. Rain lashed the windows, and wind whistled around the building’s corners.
Another flicker of lightning illuminated the night sky. “You’re lucky you have electricity. The rest of the town’s probably dark by now.”
“Mason installed a generator. It’s one of the benefits of living in this apartment,” Jack said. “That and living next door to a certain coffee shop.”
There was a teasing lilt to his voice, but his eyes were serious when I glanced at him. The air between us suddenly felt charged again, like the storm had somehow worked its way inside.
“Jack,” I began, not sure what I was going to say, but feeling like something needed to be said.
“Hmm?” He’d draped his arm casually along the back cushions, his fingers just inches from my shoulder.
