Page 88 of Crave

In the end, we have a great time. Troy regales us with stories of their childhood, and Jake refrains from scowling at his brother too much, even smiling fondly at some of the stories. My mother looks between the brothers, shaking her head between the crazy stories.

Troy finally leaves when Tracy calls him, leaving the kids behind to be dropped off later.

“Deedee,” my mother says to me while we clear away the dirty dishes, “the way trouble looks at his brother,” she says, shaking her head.

“What are you talking about?”

Tash snorts at my attempts of feigning ignorance.

“I saw it when I went to their office. The way he looks at him is not good. Only two things can cause that. Money or a woman. I don’t think it’s money. Be careful.” I look at Tash like a deer in the headlights, neither of us saying anything. Mama drops it, saying nothing more about it.

CHAPTER 30

SANDY

Monday comes quickly and so does reality.

After being in Jake’s bubble, spending the night with him and eating breakfast together before work, I am smacked in the face with reality the minute I step foot inside my car.

It was when I reached for my phone to text a thank you to Jake for filling up my gas tank that I see the text.

Derek.

After not hearing from him in over six months, he resurfaces with a text asking me to call him, and like I’ve done with every other text, I delete it. His attempts to call me throughout the day go unanswered as well.

With Mondays always being the busiest day at the pediatrician’s office, it’s not until I go on a late lunch break that I have time to return Jake’s missed calls.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he says, picking up after the second ring. “Busy day?”

“Hey, handsome. Yeah, Mondays are brutal around here. Your place or mine tonight? I miss you,” I say. Jake’s groan on the other end tells me he misses me too.

“Yours. Unfortunately, I have to work late, but I’ll come over afterwards.”

“I won’t be home until about seven. Are you going to be later than that?” I pout at the thought of not seeing him for several more hours. I was hoping to go straight to his place and soak with him in the giant jacuzzi tub in his master bathroom.

“I was just informed today I have to travel to Atlanta on Thursday, so I need to do tons of research into this other rental business Dad wants to acquire. You should come with me.” His voice is hopeful, but I’ll have to disappoint him.

“I’d love to but can’t. Two nurses are taking vacation this week.” I let out a loud, frustrated groan.

“Well, I don’t like it either.” He laughs.

“You make me fall in love with you and now you want to go away. Not fair. Can’t Troy go?”

“No, he doesn’t get involved in this stage. The old man usually does this, so it’s a big deal that he’s sending me alone.”

My pout immediately stops. “I know. I’m being selfish. Just thinking about how much I’m going to miss you.”

“Yeah? Maybe I’ll just quit.” The laughter in his voice forces a smile out of me.

“Maybe you should. I need you to be available to me whenever I want.”

“We can always live off my trust fund.”

“Your what?”

“My trust fund. We can live off that because if I have to quit my job, so do you.” I know the Clarks are wealthy. Everyone knows that, but having been around them, and being so welcomed into their circle, that aspect slipped my mind because they certainly don’t flaunt their wealth.

“Sorry, baby. No trust fund here. Some of us have to work. I can’t wait to see you,” I say, changing the subject.

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