Page 53 of Jake

Chapter Seventeen

Jake came awake to the sounds of Lauren’s phone. Apparently, her do not disturb had only lasted for so long and now all the notifications were comin through at once.

She groaned and reached around for it, finally silencing it. “What the hell?” She held it up, looking at the screen.

The cacophony of sounds started up again and she jerked upright in the bed, pulling the covers off him as she did.

“What’s wrong?” Jake asked, sitting up with her.

“My mother. The number of missed calls and messages—I don’t even want to deal with this right now.” She pinched the bridge of her nose.

“What does she want?” Jake asked.

“I haven’t puzzled that out yet. I’m getting up to deal with her. You go back to sleep,” she told him, turning to get out of the bed.

“Not a chance. I’ll leave you be though. Just let me know if you need anything or want me there while you talk to her.”

Lauren nodded at him, distracted as she grabbed her bag, still looking at her phone, and carried everything to the bathroom. She wasn’t in there long before she came out dressed, barely acknowledged him, and left the room.

He took his turn getting ready for the day, noting it was already eight o’clock anyway. He dressed and brushed his teeth before going in search of coffee.

Lauren was on his couch, knees to her chest and feet up on the seat as she talked on the phone, clearly upset.

“You can’t do that,” he heard her say. “I mean it.”

He didn’t go to her, giving her the space she had seemed to want, and made coffee. He considered making a big breakfast but ordered one instead. It was easier, less messy, and better than what he had on hand.

Taking a chance, he ordered a few different things with her in mind, knowing he’d just eat whatever she didn’t. The coffee finished and he poured two mugs, fixing one for her and carrying it over to where Lauren still sat on the sofa.

She looked up at him when he handed her the coffee, and he instantly sat down and pulled her to him. Her shoulders shook as she silently cried.

He took her cup from her and set it on the floor as he gathered her close.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“My mother.” She sniffled. “She’s out for money and I don’t know how to stop her.”

He pulled her legs across his lap as he sat back and let her lean on him. Whatever it was, he’d fix it, but for now he’d wait until she was ready to talk about it.

After a few minutes, Lauren leaned back, her messy bun looking more messy than it had earlier. She swiped at her eyes as she looked at him.

“My mother has always been, well, a gold digger. While I was growing up, she went from man to man until they got tired of us and then would stop paying for things. We either had more than we needed or nothing, no in between.” She leaned down and picked up her coffee. “When I got old enough, I did everything I could to distance myself from her and the things she did.”

“Let me warm that back up.” Jake took the mug from her and carried it to the kitchen, popping it in the microwave with his own.

He waited for them to warm up and then carried both to the living room, sitting down next to her again.

“Thanks,” she mumbled, taking a sip. “The other thing my mother does is look for any kind of get-rich-quick scheme. Insurance fraud is something I know she’s done at least once.”

Jake waited patiently as she told the story. He knew enough by what she’d already said to know that her mother was definitely up to something now.

“I don’t want to be seen like her, which is why I had reservations when we first found out who each other were, and then I didn’t want her to know because she’d pull this shit.” She took a deep breath. “Now, she wants to go to all the news places that will listen and tell a story about us. One she doesn’t know so it will be complete made-up bullshit.”

“What does she want in exchange?” he asked, knowing exactly what was coming next.

“Money from you, of course. You can’t pay her though. She will just keep coming back for more; it’s who she is. I’m so sorry for all of this.”

Jake leaned back into the sofa. He hated this for her. For him, he could handle it. It was something he’d gotten used to.

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