Built To Last (Sweet Contemporary Romance) Page 7

  Jake sighed and an expression she didn’t recognize crossed his face. “Lindsay.”

  “How long did you date?”

  “About two years.”

  Erin’s heart skipped. No relationship of hers had lasted that long. Although this time with Jake felt more serious than anything she’d had before. “What happened?”

  “We wanted different things out of life.”

  Erin choked on a sip of wine. Her own fear realized. She knew for sure that she had to find a way to end this before it became more. But first she needed to know. “Did you love her?”

  Jake took a long drink from his glass. He ripped off a piece of bread, dipped it in the oil and spices and took a bite. At least she wasn’t alone in her discomfort. “I did. At least I thought I did. But if I had really loved her, wouldn’t I have known she was unhappy?” Another dip, another bite. “Wouldn’t I have been willing to do anything to work it out?”

  Erin didn’t respond. She didn’t think he wanted an answer, and she didn’t have one to offer. Especially considering what she needed to tell him.

  She reached her hand across the table and covered his, hoping to offer some comfort. “Where is she now?”

  “LA. She wanted to live there, and I wanted to live here. But, I think it’s all for the best.” He flipped his hand over and linked his fingers with hers. “As far as I’m concerned, it worked out exactly like it’s supposed to.”

  Erin opened her mouth to respond, the perfect opening to discuss her future—their future—and the fact that her time in Laguna Beach had a deadline. She couldn’t let them get any more involved knowing that she was leaving. Just like Lindsay.

  A single sound had barely escaped her lips when a man approached their table. Jake’s eyes lit up, and he leapt to his feet.

  “Ryan, man. Can’t believe you’re here.” He extended his hand and then back slapped Ryan. These two men were clearly close. Jake motioned to her and she stood. “Erin, I want you to meet my best friend and business partner, Ryan Huddleston. Ryan, this is my girlfriend, Erin.”

  Girlfriend. She liked the sound of that. Too much. Maybe she could be his girlfriend. At least while she was in town. If only she knew how long that would be. “Nice to meet you, Ryan.”

  “Why don’t you join us?” Jake peered around Ryan. “Is Megan here?”

  “Yeah, she just stopped off on the way to our table. As long as you’re sure?” Ryan glanced at Erin as if asking for her approval.

  Well, her chance to talk to Jake was lost now. She might as well get to know his friend. “Absolutely. The more the merrier.”

  Ryan’s girlfriend walked up just then. Erin stared. She couldn’t help it. She brushed her hands down her sundress, a homely outfit in comparison to the red wrap dress worn by the beautiful woman standing in front of her.

  Erin looked to Jake. But he wasn’t looking at Ryan’s girlfriend. His eyes were locked on her. He gave her a quick wink and squeezed her hand before turning back to his friend.

  “Hey, Megan. Great to see you again.” He embraced Megan but his hand stayed firmly in Erin’s. “This is Erin.”

  “Hi.” Megan smiled and her voice was soft and gentle.

  Erin liked her already.

  They all sat and the waiter quickly arranged for two additional place settings. After a few polite minutes of getting to know each other, Jake and Ryan were talking about a problem at one of their work sites and Erin and Megan fell into an easy conversation. Megan regaled Erin with stories of Jake and Ryan, some of the things the best friends had done together. And some things Erin was sure they had done with Lindsay.

  Erin hadn’t expected to like Megan. After years of being on the receiving end of the mean girls at LBHS, Erin approached each new friendship warily.

  With the men deep in a conversation about an ongoing project, Megan leaned over and whispered. “So, how long have you been dating Jake?”

  “What’s today, Monday?” Erin counted on her fingers. “Three days? Four?”

  Megan chortled and the men’s heads snapped to them and Erin and Megan giggled. After the men returned to their conversation, Megan leaned over and whispered again. “Four days? I thought maybe Jake had been keeping you a secret for a while.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because of the way he looks at you.”

  Her heart raced. It was one thing for Erin to think she knew how Jake felt. But it was another thing altogether when one of Jake’s friends noticed. She looked to Jake, who met Erin’s gaze at the same moment. He tilted his head to listen to Ryan but kept his eyes locked on hers. After a moment, he shifted back to his friend and Erin turned back to Megan.

  Megan waved her hand in front of her face. “See, I told you. That look was dreamy.”

  Erin couldn’t help but smile. Maybe having Ryan and Megan join them wasn’t so bad after all. She and Jake may not be able to talk about Lindsay, but Erin could get the scoop. “You’ve known Jake for a long time?”

  “A while, yes. He actually introduced me to Ryan.”

  “Didn’t he look at Lindsay the same way? He proposed to her, after all.” Was it too much to hope that what Erin and Jake shared was unique.

  “Lindsay was all wrong for Jake. She was nice, don’t get me wrong. We spent a lot of time together, the four of us. But she didn’t want the same things Jake did, and we all knew it. Except Jake. I guess it’s true what they say—love really is blind.”

  Erin didn’t know what to say. They didn’t want the same things, either. At least she didn’t think so. Jake wanted to settle down. She’d spent the last ten years stuck with responsibilities. She was ready for something else. Somewhere else.

  Why couldn’t she have met Jake two years ago, when she was stuck in Laguna Beach for the foreseeable future? Why did she meet him now, right when her future was about to start?

  When the waiter delivered their meals, the men wrapped up their conversation and the four of them enjoyed a lively dinner.

  But as much as she enjoyed dinner, the thought that she couldn’t be what Jake wanted lingered in the back of her mind.

  Chapter Ten

  DINNER HADN’T GONE at all like Jake had expected. From the moment Erin stepped into her living room, he was mesmerized. But something bubbled just below the surface, a tension that he couldn’t yet put a name to. When she asked about Lindsay on the way to dinner, he figured they’d spend dinner hashing out the details of a relationship that was well and good behind him.

  He sensed her reluctance when Ryan approached the table but she had welcomed his friends quickly. That went a long way with him that she wanted to get to know the people that were important to him. Lindsay had tolerated his friendship but had always preferred to have him to herself.

  Now that they were back at his truck, he was more confused than ever. She didn’t take his hand when he climbed in the truck. As a matter of fact, she kept pretty much to her side of the cab. The silence on the ride to her house grew strained. Had he messed up?

  When Jake parked in her driveway he didn’t turn off the engine. “Is something wrong?”

  She looked to him, confusion swirling in the depths of her green eyes. “No, nothing. I just have a lot on my mind.”

  If only she could share it with him. He sensed she wanted to, but something held her back. Something she was afraid to say… or something she was afraid for him to hear. Either way, he wished she would say it and then they could deal with it together. He clasped her hand in his. “Talk to me. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

  “It’s nothing, really. Just me. This has been such a whirlwind.” She smiled at him then, but it was forced, and didn’t reach her eyes. A sadness washed over her. One he didn’t know how to fix. “I really like your friends.”

  As much as he’d rather she revealed what troubled her, he allowed her this change in subject. At least for tonight. “I’m really fortunate to have Ryan. He’s been invaluable to the business. And he’s a good friend.”

&
nbsp; “I liked Megan. I wasn’t sure I would.”

  The fact Erin was uncertain surprised him. “Why not?”

  “She just reminded me of some of the people I went to high school with. You know, like some of the ones on the reality show Abby was on. But Megan wasn’t like them at all. She was really sweet.”

  “She is. She’s really good for Ryan.”

  After another silent minute, knowing he wouldn’t get anything more out of her tonight, Jake turned off the engine. He rushed around the truck to open her door and helped her to her feet.

  He took her hand in his as he walked her to the door. The touch of her skin against his just felt right. Like he had finally met the person he was supposed to be with.

  But it was clear she wasn’t ready to hear that.

  “We probably should say goodnight here. I don’t want to wake anyone.”

  His heart fell. Sure, she’d already introduced him to her father and there was a chance he was asleep, but he couldn’t help but feel the rejection as her words. And as much as he wanted to prolong his time with Erin, how she took care of her family was one of the things he appreciated about her and wasn’t about to object.

  But, if she were uncertain about how he felt about her, even after such a short time, he was more than happy to demonstrate. He shifted her so she faced him and then slid her arms up and around his neck. His hands gravitated to her waist. As he lowered his head, she licked her lips. It was all the invitation he needed. As he closed the distance between them, her eyes fluttered closed and then he pressed his lips to hers.

  He poured a lifetime of feelings into the kiss and he felt the moment she relaxed in his arms and let go of any doubts she may have had. When he broke the kiss a moment later and lifted his head, she raised her eyes and a dreamy look filled her gaze.

  “Good night, Erin.”

  She stood on the porch, her fingers brushing over her lips, as he climbed into his truck and pulled out of her driveway.

  * * *

  Jake pulled up to the job site the next morning just as the sun peeked over the trees. The gentle blues and yellows of the sunrise flooded the area in light and warmth. He unlocked the door and walked in, pleased to find the drywall finished and the appliances in place. It wouldn’t be long before he could start adding his custom touches. Ryan’s partnership had made it possible for the business to continue a rigorous schedule yet he could still commit time to his real passion.

  He made his way toward the back of the house, running his hand along the smooth lines of the foyer. He stopped in front of the floor to ceiling windows in the great room, the deep blue Pacific Ocean undulating on the sand below. The gentle rise and fall of the waves with the sun glistening on the water soothed him. After all the years living near the tumultuous Oregon coast, the peacefulness of southern California beaches never ceased to amaze him.

  “Jake, you in here?” Ryan’s voice echoed through the house and bounced off the unfinished floors and unpainted walls.

  “Back here.”

  Ryan walked up beside him and shoved his hands in his pockets. They both stood, staring out the window, for a long time. Ryan knew Jake’s routine and he appreciated that his buddy gave him these few quiet minutes.

  Ryan finally spoke. “What’s going on?”

  That was the question he’d been asking himself for most of his restless night. He had sensed that Erin wanted to talk about something. Maybe she was worried about his relationship with Lindsay. Their conversation had been interrupted when Ryan arrived. Regardless, it had only taken one kiss for Jake to know that he wanted more out of this relationship. More with Erin. He wanted everything he’d dreamed of. And that had him tied up in knots. “I don’t know.”

  “Is this about Erin? Megan really liked her. And you know Megan doesn’t like many people.”

  He sighed. “It’s kinda about her.”

  Ryan leaned his back against the window so he could look Jake in the eye. “What happened after you left last night?”

  Jake wasn’t one to kiss and tell, and the one kiss he shared with Erin had been something private between the two of them. But that hadn’t erased his lingering concerns. “I’m not sure. Everything was fine, and then all of a sudden, she pulled back.”

  “What did you say? Did you ask her what was going on?”

  “I tried but she clammed up.”

  Ryan quirked his eyebrow at Jake. “Maybe you need to court her a little. You’re pretty out of practice on the whole dating scene.”

  There could be something to Ryan’s point. Their relationship had been moving forward at Mach ten since the day they met, and his feelings for her were already strong, even after such a short period of time. But they hadn’t spent much time getting to know each other, truly talking about their hopes and dreams. And that was a concern. Lindsay had turned down his proposal because she didn’t want what he did out of life. “Hmm, maybe.”

  They stood in silence for a few minutes longer before Ryan placed his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “Just let me know if you need anything. The crew was pulling in right behind me, so we’re gonna get started.”

  “Thanks, Ryan.”

  Jake stood at the window a bit longer as the crew moved in around him, setting up tools and workbenches. Something had definitely happened to Erin last night. She’d gotten spooked. By what, he didn’t know. Conflict now lingered in her gaze. He didn’t know what put it there, and he would do anything to remove it.

  He finally stepped away from the window, ready to start his day and determined to woo Erin like she’d never been wooed before.

  Chapter Eleven

  “HEY, ERIN,” AUSTIN yelled down the hall at her. Again. She should just give up on convincing him to use the intercom. She grabbed her notebook and hurried down the hall. When she stepped into his office, he lowered himself into his desk chair.

  “What can I do for you, Dr. Taylor?”

  “The schedule is empty for the rest of the day.”

  “I know. We had a couple folks reschedule. I think the beautiful weather is keeping people outdoors.” On days like today, with the sun shining in the clear blue sky and the temperature a perfect seventy-five degrees, the call of her dreams was especially loud. But she had been putting the call on mute since not long after she met Jake. But riding with her top down today, the wind blowing in her hair, made her yearn for what she had dreamed of. And reminded her that she had put off reaching for those dreams. Maybe for too long.

  “Hmm. Outdoors. What a great idea. How about we close up early and head home for the day? I know Abby has a honey-do list for me a mile long.”

  “Sounds great. I’ll wrap up some of the filing and then we’ll close down for the day. Tell Abby I said hello.”

  “I will.”

  An afternoon off. Erin didn’t know what to do with herself. For the first time in two weeks, she didn’t have plans with Jake.

  He had something else to do.

  The whirlwind start to their relationship had changed, but not in the way she expected. She had tried to step back, afraid of his feelings and of the feelings she had for him. But he hadn’t let her pull away. Instead, he turned on the charm.

  On more than one occasion, she had flowers sitting on her desk when she came to work. Her favorite—lilies—although how he knew that was still a mystery. He texted her each morning when she woke up, and again before her head hit the pillow. They’d had several dates to some of her favorite restaurants, and they had gotten to know each other, what made each of them tick, a lot better.

  Except for the one elephant in the room—her plans to leave.

  Jake had poured his heart out to her, his dreams for a family, and how Lindsay had trampled on them when she left. After that, there was never a good time to discuss Erin’s plans.

  How could she break his heart by basically telling him she was exactly the same as Lindsay?

  Just last night, they’d grabbed sandwiches and tossed a blanket on the beach. With their arms around
each other, they watched the sun sink into the deep blue sea as the gentle strains of an acoustic guitar wafted through the air.

  It was incredibly romantic… and left her more confused than ever.

  Each day, she opened her desk drawer and pulled out her resignation letter. Stared at it. Twice she had picked up a pen, ready to sign and give it to Austin. But each time, she hesitated. Her feelings for Jake had gotten all tangled up in her obligation to her family.

  So many thoughts and feelings swirled through her head the she didn’t know what she wanted anymore. She had strong feelings for Jake, stronger than she’d ever felt for anyone before.

  He cared for her, too. She saw it in his eyes, the affection shining back each time he looked at her. But did he sense her conflict? Did he see her struggling to reconcile her growing feelings for him with her desire to have the adventure she’d always dreamed of? Is that why he hadn’t discussed how he felt with her yet?

  She pulled the letter that would change the direction of her life out of her desk drawer, staring at the words that had come so easily. And then the words on the page grew fuzzy. A tear fell onto the page, smearing the printed words she’d so painfully typed just a few weeks ago.

  “Are you okay?” Austin’s voice rang out from behind her.

  She shoved the letter back into her drawer and swiped at her eyes. “Yeah, sure, fine.”

  “You seemed a million miles away. Is everything okay?”

  “Sure.”

  Austin propped on the edge of her desk like he intended on hanging around until he got the information he was angling for. “How are things with Jake?”

  “Good.”

  “Abby said she ran into him last week and he looked over the moon. Her words, not mine. I’m so happy for both of you.”

  “Thanks, Austin.” Before he could continue to probe her relationship, she jumped to her feet. “I’ve wrapped up everything I needed to and set the voice mail to take calls. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  With a few keystrokes, her computer was shut down. She grabbed her purse and hurried out the door, Austin’s laughter trailing behind her. She’d dodged that bullet. She wasn’t ready to discuss her potential resignation or her relationship woes with her boss.