4

I hopped back into my Land Rover with a grin plastered on my face. West’s residence is a five-minute drive away, and I knocked gleefully before I was lifted into the air by big muscular arms.

“Bobbie,” Jack squirmed like a girl, but his voice was too deep to be a girl. “Looking good, kiddo.” He put me down and ruffled my hair.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Jacky,” I said while taking his look in. He was more buff than before, he could probably crush hollow blocks with those muscular biceps. “You sure beat Dwayne Johnson in the gym, Jack!” I teased before Esther called both of our names from the kitchen.

Jack took a slice of pizza while walking to the kitchen with me. “I mish twish.” He stated in a muffled voice.

“Jack!” Esther scolded him as we took a seat at the dining table. “Are they teaching you this rubbish table manner in the Marines?”

Jack only shrugged his shoulders. “They starve us to death in the training, Mom. I missed proper food and not MRE,” was his mocking reply. We know very well how proud Jack is being in the service. It was his dream to be a Marine.

I giggled at his notion while both his parents shook their heads.

“So Bobbie, you and Jake having my nephew already?”

Heat slithered into my neck, which probably turned my skin tone to a shade of ripening tomatoes. Esther scolded him again while The Mayor laughed with Jack. I hate talking about my sex life in front of Jake’s parents. I hate talking about it at all because nothing happened between Jake and me more than second base… not yet.

Oh, hell. That thought only made me redden even more.

I told him I was ready, but I’m not that desperate to force him in having sex with me.

The dinner went on with no more indecent comment from Jack about my sex life, and I’m grateful for that. I helped Esther in cleaning up before walking into Jake’s room. This was one of his conditions that couldn’t be negotiated.

Jake insisted that I’ll feel safer in his bed. Tonight, I will be able to test that theory.

I’ve been in Jake’s room plenty of times. We’d cuddle and make out before we go to sleep. This is the first time I’m staying here alone, and it feels too big for me. My clothes were piled and hanging into one side of his closet, but I took one of his shirts to sleep in. After taking a warm shower, I willed myself to finish some homework. I was also waiting for Jake’s call like he promised. I knew how hard it is to manage time in boot camp; the schedule was so hectic and even at night, the coaches will make us watch videos of our competitors and tell us their weaknesses.

My face was buried in my laptop, trying to finish my essay, which was due tomorrow when someone knocked on my door.

I opened it, and Jack was now wearing his basketball shorts and a black sleeveless shirt. Jack was also good looking like Jake, Jake was more on the bad boy side while Jack was the boy next door type with his toothy grin.

He was holding two cups of hot chocolate with marshmallows and a plate of cookies and cupcakes.

“Mom asked me to bring this up,” I opened the door wide for him and he placed the tray above Jake’s nightstand. I took Jake’s study chair, plonked myself down on it before taking a sip of my warm drink.

It was so cute to see Jack drinking chocolate. A big buff guy enjoying eating a cookie is an adorable sight. “What?”

I shake my head, giggling. “I miss you, Jacky.”

“Miss you too, kiddo.” His face turned serious, and I knew what was coming. “How are you holding up?” There was genuine sincerity in his voice that most of the people who asked me that question lack.

“I’ve been better. Jake’s a big help, so are Esther and Mayor Austin.” What I spoke was the truth. It was still hard, but I’m taking it one day at a time.

“I see Jake’s given you Mom’s ring...” his eyes flicker with glee.

“What?” I looked into the ring on my right hand and studied it.

“You didn’t know?” I shake my head. “Oops.” He chuckled before continuing. “Mom gave us those rings to give out to that special someone. I expected it that Jake will give that to you, my little brother is crazy about you.”

I toyed with the ring, circling it on my fingers with fondness. When Jake gave me this ring, he said his personal context on it and gave it a new meaning. His promise.

“Have you given yours to someone?”

Jack’s face fell. “I had, but she returned it to me.”

Jack had always been a happy-go-lucky type of guy and for him to feel down because of a girl, she must be very dear to him.

“I met her in the service, she’s a military nurse. We fell in love, but she got pregnant by my buddy.”

“Oh, wow.” Was all I can say.

He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m their firstborn’s godfather.”

“That sucks...” I covered my mouth for voicing it out loud, but Jack just laughed it off.

“I’m okay with it, Bobbie. I needed to let her go, it was the right thing to do.’’

I rolled my eyes before stuffing my mouth with cupcakes. Jack told me more stories about their crazy games in the service. I guess if you’re marooned in a desert with nothing else to do, you’ll get crazy ideas like them too. My cheek was hurting from the continuous laughter before my phone rang to Oasis ‘Don’t look back in anger’.

I answered the phone at a lightning speed.

“Bee,” Jake’s ecstatic tone made me smile wider.

“Hey, Handsome.” Jack rolled his eyes and chuckled teasingly.

“Is Jacky there?”

“Yup, hold up, I’ll put you on speaker,” pressing the speaker button.

“Hey, Jakey,” Jack said in a monotone.

“Jacky, are you staying until I get back?”

“Yeah, I’ll be here. Your room stinks by the way, and you had the nerve to ask Bobbie to stay in here.”

Jake groaned and laughed. “Still stupid, Jacky.”

“Oh, no, Jake. Jacky took over Dwayne Johnsons’ routine,” I butted in and Jake snickered.

“I bet he did... he’s all body but no brains.” Jake mocked, which made Jack laugh loudly.

They exchanged more indecent jokes to each other before Jack left the room. My cheeks were hurting from all the laughing from these two.

I connected my phone to a Bluetooth headset while finishing my cup of hot Choco.

“How was your day, Bee?” Jake’s playful tone was long gone and replaced with concern.

“Good. I found a part-time job and I’ll be starting tomorrow,” I ate the last of Esther’s baked muffins.

“Really? That’s fast,” I heard the sound of a door opening and closing.

I told Jake about my encounter with the Stanleys and he sounded proud. “You’ll kick all those mechanics’ ass, Baby. But I’d like to know their full names, okay?”

“Don’t go all Detective Conan, Jake. I can handle myself.” years of training self-defense with Nonno gave confidence in protecting myself.

“Just do it for me, Bee. Please?” I can hear Jake’s footsteps. He must be pacing around or something.

“Fine. How’s boot camp?”

He sighed, “hell. It’s not the same without you here, Baby. Coach Audrey is hard on your whole team. I bet Candice and Mel haven’t texted you or called today?”

“Yeah.”

“Coach made them run the camp when they can’t perfect your routine, Baby. I’m just giving you a head-up in case you’re wondering why your friends haven’t updated you.”

My heart felt for them, they were having a hard time because of me. Because I can’t even put my heart into my first love.

“Bee?”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t do that to yourself. You need time and they need to learn that you became captain, not because Coach loved you. You worked very hard, more than anybody I know.”

I turned off the lights and nestled myself under Jake’s duvet. His scent is everywhere, and he is right that I’d feel safer if I stayed in his room.

“Thanks, Handsome. I’m wearing your shirt, by the way.”

Jake groaned. “Which one?”

“The Chester one.” I can feel myself getting aroused at the game I started.

“Only my shirt?” Jake’s voice became deeper than usual.

“Now... yes...” I made my voice sound sluttier. While I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing.

“You’ll pay for this, Bee. I need a cold shower.”

I giggled. This is his fault for denying me the first time I said I’m ready. Now I’m becoming a horny teenager because of him.

“I miss you, Jake.”

“Miss you too, Baby. Get some sleep while I take that cold shower.”

“Okay.”

“I love you, Bee. Good night.”

“Good night, Handsome.”

Before I drifted to sleep, my phone beeped, and I opened to see who it was.

From Handsome – Dream of me.

To Handsome - I will. Talk to you tomorrow, Handsome.

I slept with a smile on my face.