Page 77 of Crave

“Smooth, Dad. Try and get your way by going through Sandy.”

“What do you say?” he asks me again. “It’s lunchtime, and we all gotta eat.”

His smile and persistence remind me so much of his son, but the idea of Jake and Troy sharing the same small space gives me pause. I reach out my hand, and Jake automatically takes it.

“Maybe another time,” I say. I turn to Jake, his eyes meeting mine. “I can make us lunch,” I say to him.

Josh Clark scoffs, and as if he didn’t hear what I just said, he gives me the names of several restaurants, then he pulls out his phone and starts to type a text.

I’m relieved when Carol says she needs to run, her fake smile leaving her face as soon as she turns away from the men.

“See you around, Shaniqua,” she says so only I can hear. As quickly as she can slither away, she disappears out the door.

“I have to be at the hospital by three,” I hear JD say. Josh nods and soon Troy walks into the lobby with his mother on his arm. The minute Lilian Clark sees Jake and JD, her face breaks into a huge smile. She hugs JD first, and just like the first night I met her, she holds on to Jake just a little bit longer before she comes to hug me.

“I didn’t know you were here, mom.”

“I came to see you and Troy, but you didn’t come in. When your dad said you were bringing JD and Sandy over, I stuck around. I want to talk to you about Luke. Have you spoken to him, Jakey? He barely comes out of his room and barely eats. I'm worried about him."

“He doesn’t talk to me, Mom. Ask your other son.” Jake is dismissive. He walks away from his father and takes my hand.

“You mean your other brother, Jake? And no, our youngest brother hasn’t reached out to me either.”

“Will you two cut the shit?” Josh interrupts.

“You four go and have lunch. I’d rather be alone with Sandy,” Jake says.

“Jakey,” Lil says, walking over and tucking her arm into Jake’s. “We need to talk about Luke because your father and I don’t know what to do. And I haven’t seen JD in months.” She reaches out and grabs JD’s hand. “What do you say, Sandy?” she asks, finally turning her attention on me.

I look at Jake, uncertain, but since this is his family, he has to make the call.

“Only if you want to go, baby. I’m here for you.” He lifts our intertwined hands and kisses the top of mine.

“We’ll go.”

JD groans, I roll my eyes, and everyone else looks, curious.

“Are you seriously bringing that up again? Get over it.” I decide to ignore him by burying my face in the menu, but he grabs it from me.

“This is what I have to deal with,” he announces to the table.

“You have it so bad, Jake. You have a beautiful girlfriend who also cooks for you. Poor you. Stop your whining, you lucky bastard.” Troy chuckles at JD’s words.

“Thank you, JD.” I reach across the table and bump fists with him.

“What’s this all about?” Lil Clark asks, her eyes wide with interest and a smile plastered across her face.

“Your son being dramatic. How come no one warned me about this?” I smirk at him as I take a sip of my water.

“Because we wanted you to take him, dear,” his mother jokes.

Jake pretends to be hurt by his mother’s words, placing a hand over his heart.

“I’m still dealing with something I found out about Sandy. I guess I just don’t understand. I kind of feel betrayed, to tell you the truth.” He makes a show of putting his glass of ice water to his forehead.

“Really? The fact that I don’t like pancakes is a betrayal to you?”

“I have to agree with my son there, Sandy. Not liking pancakes sounds like a big deal.”

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