Page 33 of Free to Believe
Dismissing Jake from my thoughts, I discard the pencil in my hand. Picking up another, I begin to draw. Minutes later, I let out a growl of frustration.
Because what I’ve drawn is Jake’s eyes as they bore into mine over Mugsy’s head.
Disgusted with myself, I toss away the sketchbook. I walk to the railing, chastising myself the whole way.
There’s no way I’ll act on this attraction. Too many people could get hurt.
And I’m the last person I’m concerned about.
19
Emily
I’m unsurprised to find Jenna at my door the next morning. What I am surprised by is her hair being back to the natural color shared by her father and her cousin. She’s a stunningly pretty girl with her father’s warm brown eyes and Dani’s more dramatic features. Calling out a greeting, she walks in through the open balcony door. “Hey, Em! I brought breakfast.”
I groan from my position on the couch. Mugsy thumps his tail in anxious welcome. I swear, this dog understands most food terms and other important words like “treat,” “walk,” and “rub.” “Sweetheart, after the amount of pasta your father brought over the other night, the last thing I need is more food. I’ll be eating off that for a week.”
She trips on her own two feet on her way to my kitchen. “Wait, Dad brought over food?”
I raise a brow. “He didn’t tell you about his peace offering?”
“He’s a jerk, Em,” she says bitterly. I’m disturbed by the animosity in her voice.
“Why?” I challenge her. Jake Madison doesn’t give off that vibe, but if this girl tells me he is, I’ll be calling my family so fast to get us out of here…wait, us?
“He moved me away from everyone I know right before my senior year! Just because I got into a little trouble,” she wails.
I let out a sigh of relief. “Honey, that sounds like him trying to be a good parent,” I start when she whirls on me.
“What do you know about it?” she fires off at me. Her eyes are angry and bitter.
My eyes narrow. “You think that’s the worst thing that can happen to you, Jenna? You think your life is ruined?”
“Isn’t it?” she cries dramatically.
Pushing to my feet, I wince over the soreness in my leg, even four days later. I’m going to have to call Jason to see if I need to visit a doctor, damnit. I make my way to where she’s standing. “No, sweetheart. Not even close. Try having your parents die in front of you. That’s one way of changing the course of your life in a big way. What you’re dealing with is a mere inconvenience in comparison to that.” Hobbling away, I call out, “Don’t worry about Mugsy; I need to exercise my leg.”
“Em?” I hear her call anxiously out right before I slam my bedroom door.
Feelings rip through me, driving an incredible urge to sit on the beach and sketch.
* * *
“What the helldid you say to my daughter this morning?”
I close my eyes behind my sunglasses. Just like I thought, Jake is a concerned father, and if Jenna would open up her eyes, she might see that.
“Should I assume whatever truce we had is over?” Closing my sketchbook, I start to stand, but Jake scrambles down the beach a few feet ahead of me. Mugsy takes exception to not being acknowledged and bounds after him.
He stops to pet Mugs before he begins laying into me. My heart tingles. Damnit.
“All I know is Jenna came back from your place in tears, ran over, and gave me a huge hug.”
“And that’s a problem, why?” I ask, bewildered. If I could hug my mother or Aunt Dee one more time…
“Listen, lady, my daughter hasn’t hugged me since I moved her away from her friends to this island. She was blabbing on about how I could be dead. So again, what did you say to her?” His fiery temper sparks my own.
And God, does it feel good to let it out.
