Page 71 of Take Me Home

There was Rob, sitting on the porch of Uncle Bill’s farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. I’d never have guessed he’d remember how to get out there. The house wasn’t navigable by GPS and I’d only brought him out once or twice.

“You know that guy?” Jake asked, then realized. “Is this the bad news you got?”

I didn’t say anything, just nodded. This was a massive disaster.

“Do I need to call the cops? Who is that guy?”

I sat up and met his eyes, full of shame. “That’s my ex-fiancé.”

Jake stared at me, unblinking, then looked at his hands in his lap and chewed his lip.

“I understand if you’re mad,” I said.

“Are you still with him?” Jake asked.

“No. Not at all,” I said quickly.

“Okay,” he said quietly, processing it. “I’m not mad at you, but is there anything else big I should know about?”

And there came the tears again. All my feelings of self-doubt that I worked so hard to fix in therapy came crashing in. All the fears I’d pushed aside to give Jake a chance. My insecure side was screaming at me:He’s too good for you. You’re not good enough for him. You’re used goods. He deserves someone more reliable than you. You’ll never be what he needs.

Air felt hard to come by, but I needed to tell Jake to leave.

“You should go,” I said. “You don’t need to see this.”

I could hear Jake’s voice. He was sitting right next to me, but it sounded far away over the ringing in my ears. His hand was steady on my back as I folded in on myself. “Breathe, Darcy. You’re safe, baby. I won’t let anything happen to you. Can you breathe in for me?”

Like I was watching it from the outside, I saw myself get out of the truck, leaving Jake behind. I walked mechanically to the porch, greeting Rob.

“What are you doing here?” My voice sounded like someone else’s, haggard and drawn. The other truck door closed and Jake’s footsteps sounded behind me,crush crush crushing the grass.

“Well, look whose accent is back,” Rob said, imitating my voice and exaggerating “ack-see-int.”

His assholery snapped me back to the moment. “Cut the shit, Rob. Why are you here?”

“You left and didn’t even tell me. You weren’t on the internet. My calls all went to voicemail. The only way I knew you were alive was from Brianna’s pictures from her little visit last week. I thought you might still be here,” he said, his voice snarling on ‘little visit.’ Sheet lightning brightened the sky, showing off thick, heavy clouds rolling in.

I groaned, rubbing my forehead. I hadn’t even thought of Brianna as a leak to Rob. This is why I hate social media. Brianna had posted that very adorable picture of Jake and I playing baseball, with him swinging me around. Her caption was “American as apple pie.” I could see why Rob would be jealous, but that didn’t excuse his behavior.

“Darcy, is this guy bothering you?” Jake asked, cautiously walking up beside me. His chest was puffed out, arms bent like he was ready for a fight. He was clearly posturing against Rob. I vaguely wondered if Jake would throw a punch for me, or if he’d ever been in a fight before. I kinda hoped not, but I also knew Jake could easily kick Rob’s ass. Rob was a pretty boy. Jake was a real-ass man.

Rob seemed unaffected by Jake. “Well, if it isn’t the guy who can’t keep his hands off my fiancée,” Rob said, standing.

“Jake, he’s lying,” I said, my voice desperate. I hoped he’d trust me over this guy he didn’t know. “I broke it off months ago.”

Jake’s brow furrowed, considering what I said. I wanted to say a thousand things, but they were all things that would piss Rob off and make him act more bratty.The engagement was a formality. I wasn’t in a rush to marry him. He wasn’t good to me.

“If you’ll excuse us,Jake,” Rob said with a heavy dose of snark, “I’ve had a long drive, and Dee and I have a lot to talk about.”

“Don’t talk to him like that,” I warned, putting my hands on my hips. “Have you been drinking, Rob?”

Jake’s hand made soothing circles on my back. “Darcy, are you going to be okay with him?” he murmured so only I could hear.

I felt trapped. Rob was attempting his best grand gesture move, already souring my perfect night with Jake. I knew if I didn’t talk to him, he’d just keep pulling this shit with me. I thought about the irony of Jake’s nickname for me. I was Bambi, a scared little deer who wanted to dash into the safety of the woods. But I couldn’t run from this one. I had to stay and fight.

“Darcy?” Jake asked again.

The pressure was too much. I couldn’t tell if I was going to throw up, disappear into thin air, or simply have my head explode.

---