Page 16 of Jacob

“I’m going to follow you in case you change your mind and try running from Tony.”

Jacob sighed.“You’re not going to stay out of my relationship even if I ask you to, are you?”

“Is it a relationship?”

“Not right now, but it will be.”

Taylor grinned.“I just want you to be happy.Besides, think of how fun this is going to be for me.If I ever want more vacation days or a promotion, I can tell you, and you’ll just have to bat your big brown eyes at Tony for him to say yes.”

Jacob burst out laughing.“I should’ve known you were doing this for yourself.”

“Why else would I be pushing you and Tony together?”

They both knew that Taylor was joking.He was pushing them together because they were mates.Taylor wanted the same happiness Jacob could find with Tony—the happiness he hoped he’d have.

His life couldn’t center around his mate, though.He still needed to find a job, and he would, but first, they had to take care of this shifter problem.Once Jacob knew that everyone was safe, he’d find another job.In the meantime, hunting for the strange shifter and dealing with his mate would keep him busy enough that he was sure that, for once, he wouldn’t be bored.

* * * *

TONY FELT A BIT LIKEan idiot as he checked his reflection in the mirror and smoothed down his shirt.He was wearing his uniform.There was nothing strange or sexy about it.He couldn’t look any better for Jacob even if he tried—and he had.

He doubted that Jacob would care what he looked like.They were supposed to walk around town and possibly trudge into the forest.Jacob would be busy, and Tony would get dirty.

Still, Tony wanted to make a good impression on his mate, so he made sure his shirt was as neat as it could be.He’d showered and had done his hair, so the only thing left for him to do was get out of the house.

He didn’t know if anything would happen between him and Jacob today.It wasn’t why they were meeting, but he wouldn’t be opposed to at least finding out what Jacob expected from him.Their work came first, of course, but maybe when they were done for the day, they could talk.

Tony was Jacob’s mate.He knew that not being with Jacob would hurt Jacob more than it would hurt him, but that didn’t mean he wanted to do it.He didn’t know what he wanted right now.He knew nothing of Jacob, what he liked or disliked, or what he thought about important topics like having children.

But if their answers to those questions were aligned, Jacob might be the love of Tony’s life.That was important to Tony, so just in case, he decided to act as if he was courting Jacob.Things may not go well between them, but they might also go the way they should, and he wanted to be ready.

He left his house smiling, but he was still a bit hesitant.It didn’t all have to do with Jacob.There was also the fact that Tony was new in town, had a new job, was making new friends, and now had a brand-new mate.It was a lot of change in not a lot of time, and sometimes, it was overwhelming.Adding the strange shifter-slash-polar bear hanging around wasn’t helping.That was what he was supposed to focus on, but at the same time, it was hard to do his job.How could Tony focus when the prospect of the rest of his life was the most overwhelming it ever had been?

Thankfully, there was no one waiting in front of the station when Tony got there.Taylor had managed to convince Mrs.Bernardi that if she had a complaint—as she did about once a week—she could wait until the office was open instead of standing in front of it and complaining that she had to wait as soon as he arrived.Today, Taylor would have to deal with her and everyone else.

Tony made a pot of coffee and straightened the office, even though there wasn’t much to do.That meant that his thoughts drifted back to Jacob.

Was he on his way to the station?Was he thinking about Tony as much as Tony was thinking about him?Tony wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case.It had to be especially intense for Jacob, and Tony wanted to do what he could to make the situation easier on his mate.

Hismate.Even though he didn’t know Jacob, the fact that they were mates meant that they were supposed to be together.There would be nothing casual about them dating if they got to that point.Tony supposed that it was like meeting someone new, but it was someone who he was guaranteed to like.Except for rare exceptions, there were no risks in being with your mate.He liked that.

What he didn’t like was how nervous he was.Yes, this was life-changing, but in a good way, or at least, he hoped so.He didn’t want Jacob to think that he didn’t want this.He didn’t want to lose control of the situation.

Although, he was pretty sure he’d been losing control of every situation since he’d arrived in Green Hill.

“Good morning!”Taylor called out as he walked into the station.

The place was too big for just the two of them.Tony really needed to find a receptionist and at least another deputy, maybe two.He didn’t like that the station was closed during the night.He’d left his phone number on a piece of paper stuck on the door, and people could always call nine-one-one, but if something happened, he needed to know.

Finding a receptionist already felt like a pipe dream.He couldn’t imagine what he’d have to do to find a deputy willing to work nights.

“Good morning,” Tony called out.He took a sip of coffee and told his heart to stop racing.It was just Taylor, not Jacob, even though they were friends.

Taylor walked into the break room.He was slightly rumpled, but there was a smile on his face, like always.He seemed to enjoy his job, and while Tony did, too, he still wished he could spend a life of leisure at home.

“You made coffee,” Taylor said as he made a beeline for the pot.“Don’t tell Jacob, but I think I love you.”

Tony laughed.He suspected that the old sheriff wouldn’t have accepted this behavior from Taylor, but he didn’t care.Unless Taylor wasn’t serious when it came to the job, he was fine with keeping a more lighthearted atmosphere for the rest of the time.Tony might be Taylor’s superior, but when they weren’t actively working, he liked that Taylor treated him as a friend.It made them feel like he was part of Green Hill, even though, for now, he wasn’t.

---