Page 60 of Play For Keeps

Everly: We are. Franny is going to watch Birdie.

Jake: Tell her not to wait up. I wanna get lucky tonight in the back of my truck.

I laugh out loud. I’m not opposed to the idea.

Everly: Backseat making out is so overrated. Unless it’s with you.

Jake: I’d make out with you anywhere. Happily, all day.

I smile so big my face hurts.

I hop into the truck and Jake closes the door after me. We just left Dick’s after an hour of looking at every kids bike they had in the store. I would have bought the first one we saw—pink with a purple stripe down the side — but Jake didn’t like the wheels or the fact that it was heavy. So, I followed him around the store as he checked out every single one. In fairness, he knows a lot about bikes considering he’s been riding mountain bikes all his life. I ended up spending more than I wanted to, but Jake thought it was worth it. He was cute, wanting to make sure the bike is absolutely perfect for Birdie. He asked if he could buy her a helmet, and after arguing with him for a good five minutes, I reluctantly agreed. It was sweet of him to want to buy her a birthday present. It actually made my chest feel all fluttery.

I told Jake about Birdie going to my mother-in-law’s for the weekend, and how anxious I am about it. After talking it out, he came up with the idea of getting a hotel room in Brookmont so that I can be closer to Birdie in case she needs me. He knew I wouldn’t be able to relax if she was two hours away. I love the idea, but two nights in a hotel is expensive, and I’m not sure I should be spending money on that right now. So, I told him I would think about it.

Once we’re on the road, I can’t help but notice that Jake seems nervous. He’s distracted, his knee bouncing steadily up and down as he drives. He seemed fine when we were in the store, so I’m not sure what caused this sudden shift in his mood.

Should I ask him what’s on his mind? We continue driving in silence, past the downtown boutiques and shops, then eventually onto the road that winds along White Harbor Beach. It’s beautiful this time of night—golden hour. The sky is bathed in an ethereal glow, and everything feels like magic, as if the world seems to be holding its breath.

When we stop at a red light, Jake looks at me with a cautious expression, and my heart rate blips. “Can we park for a second?”

“Okay. Why do I feel like I’m in trouble?” I tease because that’s what I do when I’m nervous. I say stupid things.

“You will be the next time I get you alone,” he says, with one dark brow raised, causing a shiver to ghost over my skin. The tension in his jaw fades and any trace of unease in his eyes is gone when he smirks. He keeps driving until he finds a parking spot, backing his pick-up in. He only breaks the grip he has on my hand to get out of the truck and walk around to open my door.

I follow him to the back of his F-150, watching as he lowers the tailgate. Suddenly, Jake lifts me by the hips so I’m sitting with my legs swinging underneath me, and then hops up beside me. The sun is setting in a kaleidoscope of purple and pinks, and a salty breeze drifts up from the ocean.

Jake nods towards the horizon in front of us. “The sunset is pretty tonight.”

“It is,” I agree, listening to the sound of the waves. “But why do I feel like that’s not why we’re sitting here?”

An anxious feeling rises inside me. I can tell that he has something on his mind, and the longer he stays quiet, the more nervous I get. Oh God, what hasn’t he told me? What kind of secret is he keeping from me?

Jake is silent for a moment, watching me with a small smile before he takes a long breath and sighs. Hesitating slightly, he begins. “It was my Gran’s birthday the other day and I went to see her. My sister, Sierra, and her boyfriend Grayson were there too. That’s a whole other story—Grayson is one of my best friends and I recently found out they’re together. It weirds me out, but I’m dealing with it.”

I laugh, because he can be so alpha sometimes and other times, he is sweet like honey. I watch him, waiting to hear where he’s going with this.

“Anyways, they were on me all night. They want to meet you. They want to meet Birdie too… and I know it’s early and it might freak you out, but I thought it would be nice for you to know a few more people here.” He looks up at me through dark lashes. “My friends Beckett and Jules have a daughter who Birdie would get along with, and my buddy Liam has a couple of kids too. It would be nice for Birdie to have some new friends.”

My brows dip. “Is that the only reason you want me to meet them?”

He grimaces, running his hand through his thick dark hair. “Fuck, I’m terrible at this. That’s not why I want you to meet them. It’s not the reason at all. It’s just a bonus. What I’m trying to say is I’d love for you to meet my family, get to see where I live. But I understand if it’s too much for you and Birdie."

I feel like I can breathe again now that I know what he wanted to talk to me about. It’s a relief to know we’re okay, but meeting his family is a big step—one I'm not sure I’m ready to take. Until I know where things really stand between us, and where they’re going, I can’t give him the answer he wants to hear. Jake waits for me to say something, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. I guess I’m bringing this up now. I swallow. “Can I ask you a question first?”

Jake nods. “Of course.”

“Do you see yourself having kids in the future? Is that… um... something that you want? Because I want siblings for Birdie. One or maybe two. I want to get married again. I get that this seems like a lot, but I’m 34, Jake. I have to be thinking about this. And if it’s not something you’re ready for, I totally understand, but we have to be honest with each other. I don’t think either of us should waste our time if we don’t want the same things.”

Jake leans in closer, reaching for my hand. His energy feels strangely calm, considering the bomb I just dropped on him.

“Honestly, I’ve never seen myself having kids,” he says, and my heart plummets to my stomach. I should have known a 27-year-old guy like Jake is not at the point where he’s thinking about having a family. I don’t know why I thought maybe he could be.

He squeezes my hand in his. “After losing my parents, I told myself I would never want to risk that kind of heartache again. But meeting you and Birdie has changed how I feel about having a family. Now I know that I want that for myself. I want what I lost, and that includes getting married and having kids one day.”

“Really?” I ask, my voice shaky.

“Yes, Ev.” He reassures me. “I love spending time with Birdie. I love having her around. Let me introduce you to my family. I want you to meet them. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t see a future with you.”

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