Page 84 of And I Love Her

Chapter 19

Southwest, SFO to LAX, 6:00am Sunday.

Jake closed the text from his assistant and tossed his phone on the kitchen counter.

He stared out the window of the cottage at a couple of guys walking across the dunes. Ever since Conrad Birch had confessed he’d been “following” him, Jake had been increasingly on edge. Over the years, he’d sharpened his instincts about nearby people who looked deceptively casual but could also be rabid paparazzi or potential stalkers. More often, they were legit fans, but he still had to be careful.

He’d let his guard down, though. Hadn’t noticed anyone lurking around, much less Conrad Birch.

That wasn’t good. Everything in him—thoughts, instincts, attention—had converged so unerringly on Callie that he’d forgotten he was still in a precarious position. One he’d have to contend with the second his flight touched down at LAX.

A call came through his phone. A combination of relief and unease filled him.

“Jake?”

“Hi, Mom.”

“Honey, are you okay? TheFatal Glorymess hasn’t died down at all. Are they still harrassing you nonstop?”

“Just through calls and texts. Susan and her team are working overtime to fix it. What about you and Pam? Everything’s all right?”

“Oh, they’re not bothering us, but I’m worried about you.”

“I’m coming back on Sunday. I’ll see you then.”

“I’m so proud of you, Jake.” Her voice softened.

For a second, he didn’t know how to respond. “For what?”

“For being an honorable, good man with principles. For taking risks. For caring so much about others. For your loyalty.”

An odd constriction tightened his throat. “Thanks, Mom.”

“I know most men aspire to be like their fathers. But you’re nothing like your father. You’re so much better.”

Not for the first time, Jake wondered what he’d have become if his father hadn’t left them. But did it matter? He was who he was. He still intended to shape his own life.

“I love you, Mom. I’ll send you my flight info.”

After ending the call, he picked up his camera from the kitchen table. He rewound the hours of video he’d taken and stopped on a clip of Callie. With the sound turned off, she was like a living painting—her hair a waterfall of brown silk, her smile like a sunrise. Just watching her lit a fire deep inside his heart. One he was beginning to think would never go out.

He pulled on a hoodie and baseball cap, slung the camera strap around his shoulder, and headed toward Mariposa Street. He’d never expected that registering Callie forpainting classeswould cause a rift between them, but the woman could be complicated. She hadn’t responded yet to two texts and a phone call, which meant that his next plan of attack was to show up at her house and redirect her anger by kissing her senseless.

In retrospect, he understood her reaction. He didn’t like it, but he should have anticipated it. Even though Callie had encouraged him to take a risk and try something new, she wouldn’t consider doing the same thing. Her life had been on a straight track for so long that deviating from it hadn’t ever occurred to her. Her father’s death had intensified her desire to stay firmly rooted instead of spreading her wings.

He glanced at his watch as he walked down Mariposa. She’d be on campus now, and he didn’t want to interrupt her work. Even with kissing.

“Morning, hon.”

Jake turned at the husky greeting and lifted a hand to Destiny. Resplendent in a glittering gold caftan with her black hair piled on top of her head, she stood in the doorway of Moonbeams with a mug in her hands.

“How’re you this morning, Destiny?”

“Perfect.” She lifted the mug toward him. “Fancy a cup of herbal tea?”

“No, thanks.”

Her gaze slipped past him to the opposite side of the street. Jake followed her line of sight to a gutted building that was being remodeled. A few workers were busy putting up drywall and electrical wiring. The tall guy from Metalworks Hardware hitched a ladder off his truck, shooting a glance in Destiny’s direction before carrying the ladder inside.

---