Page 30 of Forbidden Virgin

Chapter 11

“I came as soonas I found out,” Jacob said, rushing into the waiting area. “Is Katie okay?”

Graham tapped his friend’s back, then nodded at him. Jacob’s eyes were red, his jaw stubbly. Clean-cut Jacob never forgot to shave, except when he woke up in the middle of the night with a phone call about his daughter. He’d hopped on a private plane immediately. “Yes, she is. She’s got a concussion and needs to be here overnight for observation but the doctors said it’s not serious. She’s resting now.”

Jacob paced the floor. “It could have been much worse.”

“It could have.” He ran his fingers down his face. “I talked to the cops, they’re charging the driver with DWI. I’m sorry, Jacob. I was driving in my lane and the truck came out of nowhere,” he said, thankful for nothing worse happening to Kate. He had been discharged with a few scratches hours ago, but because of the angle of the opposite vehicle, her injuries needed more medical care, albeit not critical.

“I understand. Where did you two go that late, a work function? I asked the receptionist but he said I should ask you.”

A cold knot formed in his stomach. He glanced around them, and besides a nurse who walked back to her station several feet away, no one else occupied the sterile room. “We were going out for dinner.”

Jacob nodded. “That’s nice of you, but you don’t have to keep entertaining her. You’re a busy man with your own life.”

The thankful look in Jacob’s face made Graham want to throw up. He ran his fingers through his hair, his brain worked overtime to justify what he was about to do. I can’t lie anymore. I love her and there’s no shame in that. “I wanted to. No chore for me. We were . . . together.”

Jacob’s blank expression gave nothing away. “Yes, you already told me.”

He cleared his throat. “No. We went out for a date.”

“What?” He chuckled. “You’re kidding me, right? Did you take her on a double date? Who’s the guy? Are you back with Amanda?”

Shit I have to spell it out to him. “Jacob. I’m dating your daughter. We’re together.”

Silence. Jacob drew back for a moment, his hand running down his face as he slowly processed the unexpected news.

“Son of a bitch.” Jacob launched at him, and even though he’d trained enough martial arts in the past to know how to avoid getting punched, Graham stood. In slow motion, he watched Jacob’s hand curl into a fist and Graham refused to flinch. Of course, Jacob had all the right in the world to be mad. And Graham deserved the punch. Therefore, he sucked in a breath a split second before Jacob’s hand landed on his nose.

Sharp pain throbbed on his flesh. It’d been a long time since he’d gotten a beating. When he’d gone to school as a kid and would get bullied for being the son of a nut and a whore, he’d learned to defend himself. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to keep the blood from dripping down but he was too late.

“Sir, are you okay?” a nurse who walked by asked. “What happened? I’m calling security.”

“I’m fine. Just an accident,” he said, gesturing with his hand. “Please don’t call anyone. We’re good.”

She frowned, probably not believing him, but she simply nodded and kept walking.

Tension crackled in the air between the two men. Jacob stared at him like he’d just told him he deep fried puppies. Graham touched his nose, the back of his hand wiping off some blood. “Listen, if you want to hate me, hate me. I’m not fighting you on this. But I do love Kate and want to marry her,” he said without a flinch.

Jacob’s eyes flashed with outrage. “You’re out of your mind. I’m not giving you my permission,” he said, with curled fists.

“We don’t need your permission,” Graham said, and sadness moved through him. Was that really how he wanted to continue the relationship with a friend who had helped him so much in the past? Yet she was an adult and could make her own decisions.

Jacob let out a sarcastic laugh. “That’s where you’re wrong. Do you really want to make her choose between you and her family? Between her studies and you? If you love her there’s no way you’re going to agree with her missing on a whole year abroad because you’re having a midlife crisis and want to feel young again.”

“That’s not the case. Listen, it’s very recent so I don’t expect you to be onboard immediately,” Graham said in a conciliatory tone.

“Try never. If you continue this nonsense, you’ll ruin her life. I know Kate. She’s a people pleaser and must be infatuated, or just out of her mind. But when she looks back in five, ten years and thinks about the relationships she gave up because of you . . .”

Graham popped his knuckles. He supposed expecting Jacob to agree would be hard. What if Jacob had a point? An ache set in the back of his throat, and his mouth felt sour even though he hadn’t eaten anything in hours. His father had ruined his mother and led her to a world of drugs and she’d lost everything.

Of course, Graham would definitely not ruin Kate, but even if he wanted the best for her, what if she changed her mind about them? Kate was smart and straightforward, but Jacob had a point—at twenty years old life had looked different for him.

He ran his hand down his face. Kate wanted him now, but what about the future? What if by being in her life he kept her from all kinds of opportunities which she’d eventually resent losing?

* * *

Kate opened her eyes. She should have slept better at night, but the nurses checked on her and her father had insisted on sleeping in her room. She asked about Graham the night before, but her father didn’t say much, just that he had to go home and would be back. The air had shifted. Her father looked at her in a different way but she couldn’t quite pinpoint why.

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