Chapter 58

Winnie

“I miss you!” Jake exclaims into the phone on the first dial. He sounds thrilled that I’m calling. “I’ve been to the gym, been out for a run, and done everything and anything to not think about you! It’s not working, though… I miss you so badly.

A bubble of joy lifts from my chest at the warm welcome, and the turbulent anxiety in my stomach evaporates. I needed to hear sweet words after what Dana told me, and Jake delivered.

“I’m glad you’ve missed me,” I mutter into the phone, grumpy because even though I don’t want to think Dana was right, it’s still upsetting me. She threw a curveball at me with her words, and I wet my lips, needing to speak out. “Say, you don’t think I’m a gold digger, do you?”

“What?” Jake laughs, amused that this is the first thing I ask him on the phone. No, why would I think that? But… if you were, would it really matter, though?”

Now it’s my turn to laugh. “You wouldn’t care if I were a gold digger?”

“I like to spoil you.”

I roll my eyes even though he can’t see. I’m going to become a successful attorney and won’t need you to spoil me soon. Independent and all that crap, that will be me.”

“Soon is in a few years, and with me, you won’t need to worry about student loans and noodles while you’re an intern.”

“I’m not letting you pay my student loans and food—uh-uh, no way. We haven’t even been together for that long. You’re not stepping up as my sugar daddy.”

“Hmm,” Jake hums in a playful tone. “I kinda like you calling me daddy, though…

“Oh, stop it, you! You’re making me blush,” my cheeks are burning, but I’m smiling too. He is definitely a daddy, but I can’t make his ego too big while on the phone. “Hey, not to change the subject or anything, but how do you feel about skydiving with me?”

Jake laughs in surprise. “Are you joking right now? Skydiving? Really?”

“No? I’m not joking. I thought it would be a fun activity for us to do. I have a couple of free weeks before I start as an intern. You’re not scared of heights, are you, big man?”

“Of course not!” Jake’s voice doesn’t sound very convincing, and when I laugh at him, he sighs. “Maybe a little? Skydiving sounds extreme. I wouldn’t feel very manly after I shat my pants…”

“Fair enough… how about kayaking?”

“Down a stream?” He asks.

I like working in a team with Jake, and kayaking would be

bring

giggle. “I think you mean beer and hotdogs… a tent is a good idea, though. We should also make a

I have a game tomorrow night, but I can… probably take off

I tell the coach I’ve met a woman and we will be kayaking and

you need more training, you can always

at all-I could probably run

isn’t new, and how we roll, I don’t take offense and laugh. “Don’t call my ass

“Make me.”

beat you and your fat ass once

what army?”

know you’re ticklish,

I’m not afraid of using that

calms down a little. ” You know that I mean no offense, right? I have nothing against your ass. It’s a perfect ass. No need to

Jakey boy, but it’s too late. I

He sounds

right,” I say in a matter-of-fact voice. “I will wear the new thongs you bought, the black lace

can’t do that to me!”

and

on the phone until

***

day, I’m half-sleeping in the passenger seat while Jake is driving. I’m tired from the last-minute flight to Jake’s part of the country. And by last-minute, I mean calling Tobias in the middle of the night

The cost?

The trade was definitely worth it. I love their kids and have no idea

when I said that and uttered, “Oh, wait until you try to make them sleep, and you will

I’m questioning if I’ve

to the soft music, but a bump in the road makes them fully open again. Jake laughs behind the wheel. “Sorry… quite the bumpy road out here. I will try

It entirely swallows me, but I pull it down to see better. “Where

Jake tries to hide his grin but fails. He is beaming a second later at my

place in the

I found on

“Damn it, Jake! This is how we are going to die gruesome deaths! What if the location is

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