FATE

53. Him & I

BROOKE

"Sorry I'm late", I rub my palms together, "Blake and I tried baking today"

He doesn't say anything but his soft eyes move from my body to a box sitting on the porch next to me. I pick it up and hold it towards him, "I brought some"

"What are they?", he asks in an unsure tone.

"Cupcakes!", I beam and he grins in response.

He takes the box from me, "come on, let's go in, it's cold out here"

We walk into the house, the hallway welcoming us. I glance at the picture of Jonah's smiling mother hanging on the wall. The wooden frame is different. On its sides, I notice markings.

"What language is this?", I ask, peering into the picture.

"Korean", Jonah says from behind me, "it means Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it"

"Oh", as I stand, I feel his fingers on my shoulders and my body freezes.

"Your coat", he mutters in a soft voice.

I nod and take it off, handing it to him. He walks to the living area and tosses it on a couch next to his jacket before collapsing on it with a heavy sigh. He closes his eyes and his face is still. He looks like a warm sculptured statue, void of emotion. As I walk towards him, the sound of my shoes on the wooden floorboards makes his eyebrows crease slightly and he opens his eyes when I sit next to him.

He turns to me with a small smile on his face, "Hailee's home"

A small gasp escapes my lips, "really?", I ask and he nods, "oh I want to see her!"

He stares at the space above my head, "she took some drugs and passed out", he says, "when she wakes up", his eyes divert back to my face, "okay?"

I beam, "okay"

From the kitchen, I hear a loud bark followed by anxious chirping of birds. Jonah smiles to himself. I see he's grown quite fond of Bruno. Last night, he said he had spent the day building a dog house for him. Before I can ask if I can see it, I notice him staring at me with a funny look on his face.

"What?", I ask.

"Can I kiss you?"

I grimace, "what?"

He rolls his eyes, "I'm dying to"

"Since when do you ask for permission?", I lean in so our foreheads rest against each other and he smiles.

"I'm only trying to be a gentleman Collins", he leans in and kisses me innocently. His lips are warm, gentle. With Jonah, it always feels like the first time. The world falls away as his thumb caresses my cheek.

"Hmm", he grins, "how about some cupcakes?"

I stare at his face thoughtfully, "okay", I grab the box from the center table where it sits, "you can have one"

He frowns, "one?"

"Yes", I nod, "one"

He eyes me. I notice a fallen eyelash beneath his pretty eyes and try to wipe it off but he flinches.

"Calm down", I hiss and rub it off, "it's just an eyelash"

He rolls his eyes, "why am I getting just one cupcake?", he asks as I open the box.

"Because Hailee is home and I want to give them to her"

"But i thought they were for me", his tone is childlike and I smile at it.