Nell had picked me up in the morning. Of course she asked about Jake but I didn't give her the full rundown. I had promised to buy her lunch but when I went to pull my wallet out of my purse it was gone.
I thought maybe I had left it in Jake's room the other night. Or in Nell's car but we searched everywhere for it. She agreed to drive me back to the boys' house so I could look for it.
"I only left a couple things over there. It'll be real quick, in and out," I told Nell.
"You're all good, babe. Don't even worry about it!"
"Okay. Thanks again I really appreciate you helping me out."
"It's what friends are for!"
I hung up my apron and then gathered my few belongings. I followed Nell out to her car. She still couldn't remember how to get to the boys' house so I guided her along the way. She parked her car in front of the garage.
"You can come in. I don't know how long I'll be. Depends on if I find my stuff right away or not," I invited her in.
"Yeah, sure," Nell said, opening the car door.
I pulled my keys out of my purse and found the cheetah print one Sammy had gotten made for me. I unlocked the door and held it open for Nell.
"Make yourself at home," I told her, gesturing to the kitchen table. I went into the kitchen to find her something to drink.
"It looks like drink options are cranberry juice, grapefruit juice or a can of pepsi. Or water," I offered her.
"Water's fine," she told me and I turned around to pour her a glass.
"Thanks," she said as I set it down in front of her.
"It won't be long, I'm just gonna go up to Jake's room and see if I can find my stuff," I said, turning to climb up the stairs.
I walked up to his door and hesitated for a second, again feeling like I wasn't allowed to go in there. I took a deep breath and turned the handle, stepping inside. I made my way to his cluttered nightstand and searched for my wallet. How could I have lost my wallet?
"Well, I don't think it's in Jake's room!" I called down the stairs to Nell.
I walked over to her and then saw a figure in my peripheral. I looked over to see Jake and Sammy standing still. My eyes flicked between the two of them, not entirely sure who to acknowledge first.
"You were in my room? That feels like an invasion of privacy," Jake mumbled.
He was trying to be cute but Nell and Sammy were there.
"I thought I left my wallet here. I just assumed it would be where my keys had been," I explained.
"I haven't seen your wallet," Sammy said.
"Damn. I thought for sure it would be here," I groaned.
"Maybe it's in your car," Nell suggested.
"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Jake asked, catching me by surprise.
"Well, I'm kind of at Nell's mercy. She drove me here," I explained.
"Well, one of us could always drive you home, but she's obviously invited as well," Jake went on.
"I- Well, I don't- I guess it's up to Nell," I stuttered.
He caught me so off guard. I couldn't believe I had just gotten so caught up like that.
"What do you say, Nell?" Sammy asked, shrugging his shoulders.
"Sure, what are you guys having?" she agreed after a few seconds of contemplating.
I felt awkward with Jake still. I had so many questions. I didn't feel like I could be the same with Jake as we had been lately. Not in front of Nell, and definitely not in front of Sammy.
I felt a little bit like Nell and I were intruding, but they were the ones who offered.
I grabbed a glass and filled it with ice. Then I went to the sink and filled it up with water from the tap.
"I was thinking about grilling some zucchini," Jake said to Nell.
"Grill master Jake," Sammy joked.
"So, just zucchini?" I asked sarcastically.
"Shut up, Lena. There's salad stuff in the fridge and I can make some couscous," Sammy muttered.
"How can I help?" Nell asked, standing up from her perch at the dinner table.
"Why don't you help me with the salad?" Sammy suggested.
Jake came over to where I was leaning up against the sink.
"I can help you look for your keys," he offered.
"That's okay. Maybe you should get started on the zucchini," I told him.
"Ooh I have that balsamic in the trunk!" Sammy remembered, crossing the kitchen and walking out the front door.
I went to follow him. Jake went to step out of my way, which was the same way I went to step out of his way. Were we really doing this again? I looked up at him, holding his gaze.
"Are you playing a game with me?" Jake teased.
"Oh, are you having fun?" I asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
I kept eye contact. His smile was spreading a little. I folded my bottom lip into my mouth, partly because I was nervous, partly because I thought it might look sexy to him.
"Kiss her!" Nell shouted, reminding us she was right there.
"Nell, shut up!" I yelled back, feeling my cheeks growing red from embarrassment.
Jake bent down and kissed my cheek. It wasn't a peck either. He had cupped my face and gently pursed his lips against the hollow of my cheek. I was taken by surprise. I couldn't tell whose mouth had dropped wider, mine or Nell's.
"Happy?" Jake asked her.
"Well, actually I meant on the lips but I guess that'll have to do," Nell shrugged.
I walked out the front door and unlocked my car. I touched the pad of my index finger to my cheek, tracing along where Jake's lips had landed. I looked around the front seat and the passengers seat but I didn't see my wallet.
I pushed the seats all the way up and by some miracle found it lodged underneath the drivers seat. I pulled it out and carried it back into the house.
"Find it?" Sammy asked.
"Yeah," I told him.
"In your car?" Nell asked.
"It was under the driver's seat."
"I'm glad you found it," Sammy said.
"Me too. That's a weight off my shoulders."
I sat down at the kitchen table. I opened up Instagram but I wasn't actually looking at anything. I was thinking about the last few days. Sammy's birthday with Laney, yesterday with Jake.
Sammy and Nell were busy chopping vegetables. I looked up from my phone and saw Jake standing at the barbecue. I had the urge to go out there and hug him from behind. I wanted to feel my cheek on his shoulder blade. I pushed that image down and stood up, pulling the sliding glass door open.
"Hey, Jake," I said as I came up beside him.
"Hey, you," he smiled at me.
"I've been thinking about you a lot lately," I began.
"Yeah, I've been thinking about you, too," he interrupted.
"Oh. I meant with your work," I explained.
I couldn't stop my heart from racing even if I wanted to. We were going to kiss soon. I could feel it.
"Sure you were," he said.
"I was!"
"Uh huh. Okay."
"I was thinking a pub crawl might be a good fundraiser," I told him.
"Yeah. Thats actually a really good idea. Would your bar be willing to do that?" he asked.
"I think so. Our boss is pretty chill and she has kids so she would probably be pretty understanding."
"I don't know what to say," Jake said as he used the tongs to pile the grilled zucchini on a plate.
I smiled up at him, not sure what to say or do either. We both just nodded our heads at the same time. Jake took the plate and headed for the door. He slid it open and I followed him in, closing the door behind me.
Sammy and Nell were busy dishing out everyone's food. Sammy set the plates down in everyone's spot and we all sat down to start eating together.
"Did Lena tell you about her pub crawl idea?" Jake asked Sammy and Nell.
"No, but that's a good idea. I bet we could get O'Dwyers to do it," Nell said.
"That's sweet that you want to help Jake," Sammy said, obviously trying to start something.
"Hey, I was thinking since your birthday dinner was not ideal, why don't you come over and I'll make you something? Anything you want," I changed the subject.
"Ooh, those stuffed peppers you made me that one time?" he asked.
"Yeah, if that's what you want."
Jake stood up and took his empty plate to the sink. He sat back down. I realized everyone else was pretty much finished eating so Sammy and I worked together to clear the table.
We put the leftovers into a Tupperware container. I pulled a sticky note off the pad and wrote a little note for Josh. I set the container down on the counter and then turned to the sink to help Sammy clean the dishes.
The front door swung open and Josh came strolling through the doorway. He kicked off his shoes and set down his keys.
"Hey, Lena," he greeted me, scratching his fingers over my shoulder.
He bent down in front of the fridge, looking over the contents.
"Here," Sammy said, handing him the leftovers.
Josh ripped the note off and read it out loud.
"Don't forget to smile today, Joshy! Love, Bean. That's sweet," Josh said.
He turned to the silverware drawer and pulled out a fork.
"I figured you would have it for lunch tomorrow," I told him.
Josh turned to face me and gave me a big smile. He stepped around me to the dinner table. He stopped mid-track and looked down at Nell.
"I didn't realize we had company," Josh said, altering his tone a little.
"We met yesterday. I'm Nell," she told him.
"How could I forget?"
He sat down at the table and looked across over to Jake.
"Jakey," he said, lifting his fork in acknowledgment.
Jake was smoothing his fingers over his bottom lip. He set his hand down and pushed off the table. He walked into the kitchen as Sammy went to sit at the table.
"Hey, thanks for thinking of my work," Jake said to me, his voice low.
"You're welcome. I hope it helps. I feel so bad for the kids."
"They probably appreciate it more than I do and that says a lot."
We stood there for a second, just looking at each other again. What the hell was going on? I couldn't keep doing this. Especially when both of his brothers were in the other room. I blinked and turned my head, leaning over to look at Nell.
"Hey, Nell, are you about ready to head out? Danny is probably worried sick about me," I said.
"Yeah, I'm ready when you are," she said with a smile.
"Bye, Lena Bean! Good to see you again, Nell!" Josh hollered from the dinner table.
Nell came to the kitchen and waved goodbye to Jake.
"Bye, Jakey!" she chirped.
He tried to be embarrassed by his nickname but I knew he liked it. He smiled more to himself than to Nell but she still saw it.
Sammy walked us to the car. He gave Nell a hug and then he turned to me. He brought me in close to his chest and then cradled my head there for a second before letting go. I wasn't sure what was up with him but I decided against worrying.
"Get home safe, okay?" Sammy said.
"I'll see you soon for dinner," I told him as I climbed into the car.
Nell backed out of the driveway and started heading towards my house.
"Well that was fun!" Nell laughed.
"Yeah, they all seem to like you," I said.
"I really like Jake."
"Seriously?"
"What?"
"Jake?"
"You don't like him?"
"It's Jake."
"He seems like a sweetheart."
"Josh is really sweet."
"He does seem very charming."
She pulled into the driveway and I gathered up my things. I could tell she was interested in Josh, and honestly I was on board with it. I looked over at her, giving her a knowing look. She looked over at me, giving me the same knowing look. I shook my head and climbed out of the car.
"Where the hell were you?" Danny asked before I could even unlock the door.
"Sammy invited us for dinner," I told him.
Danny lifted his hand off his hip and waved goodbye to Nell. She smiled at him and drove away.
"I was going to give it until 8pm to get worried," Danny assured me.
"7:52," I said, looking down at my phone.
There was a notification from Danny and a notification from Jake. I locked my phone so Danny wouldn't see.
"How was work?" I asked him.
"Fine. Lots of old white men, you know," he shrugged.
"Let me guess, they told you to get a haircut?"
"I don't know why they have such a problem with my hair. I like my hair."
"You should. You have beautiful hair."
"Thank you," he said, plopping down on the couch.
I checked my phone, slowly strolling into the kitchen.
Wags 😎
I thought you got off at 6 tonight
Oops. Oh well. It was nice having him worry about where I was. If I ever got kidnapped at least I would know Daniel Wagner would be searching for me. I began to make myself a cup of tea as I looked down at Jake's text.
Jacob🤬
Thank you for staying for dinner
Me
Thank you for inviting us for dinner
Jacob🤬
You're welcome Lena
Me
Nell seems to really like you guys
Jacob 🤬
We like Nell.
I left it at that, going back to add some honey to my tea. Another text came in though.
Jacob 🤬
Can I tell you something?
Me
Oh God. What is it?
Jacob🤬
I wanted to kiss you tonight.
Holy shit. Holy shit! HOLY SHIT!!! I stared at the phone screen until it went black.
Me
I wanted you to kiss me tonight
Jacob🤬
Next time.
Me
I'll hold you to it.
I wanted to keep texting him but I didn't know where it was going to end. I didn't want to take things too far so I shoved my phone in my back pocket and then continued with my tea.
I already felt like I was getting ahead of myself. I kept on thinking about what had happened between us. It sucked but I still wanted him to kiss me.
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