Page 24 of Jacob

“Look, I know Jacob.He’s one of my best friends, and I know how he thinks.He’s been dealing with a lot recently, and I think he’s a bit hesitant to talk things out with you because he doesn’t know where he stands.Maybe you should talk to him about that.”

Tony wanted to ask what Jacob had been going through, but Taylor shouldn’t be the person to tell him that.If Jacob wanted Tony to know, he’d tell him.In the meantime, it was none of Tony’s business.He wanted to know because he wanted to help his mate.He wanted to be there for Jacob.He couldn’t do that if he didn’t know what was happening.

Taylor was right.Jacob and Tony needed to talk, and the sooner they did, the better it would be.It would make their relationship easier to deal with, especially when they were at work.Hopefully, it would also help Jacob deal with whatever thatlotTaylor had mentioned was.If there was anything Tony could do for his mate, he wanted to do it.

“I’ll talk to him,” he confirmed.

The smile Taylor gave him could’ve lit up the entire town.“Great.”

“You’re way too invested in this.”

“Am I really?I want Jacob to be happy.I don’t think he will be until he talks to you and the two of you get together.”

“Happiness doesn’t only come in the shape of a mate.”

“No, but having a mate and being loved helps.Jacob has a lot of support, but he doesn’t have his mate’s support yet, and that’s what he needs.”

If thatwaswhat Jacob needed, then Tony needed to provide it.He wasn’t sure Jacob would allow him to, but the only way to find out was to talk to him, which meant doing what Taylor had said.

Taylor was going to be insufferable.

* * * *

JACOB WAS ON HIS WAYout the door, almost free, when Gal’s voice stopped him in his tracks.“You should take him out on a date.”

Jacob turned to face him.“I thought you weren’t going to intervene.”

Gal gave him an innocent look.“When did I say that?”

“This is my private life.You’re my alpha, but you have no say in who I date.”

“I never said I did.I’m just mentioning that you should probably take your mate out on a date so you can get to know him.I’m not going to order you to do it, though.You know better than me what you want.”

Jacob wasn’t sure about that because he didn’t know what he wanted.When he stopped to think about it, he wished for a peaceful life with Tony, but was that something Tony would want, too?There was only one way for Jacob to find out.Gal and Taylor were right.

He had to talk to Tony.

That thought shouldn’t make him as anxious as it did, should it?Jacob wanted to talk to his mate.He wanted to get to know Tony, to spend time with him, and to see where things went between them.

He just wasn’t sure what he had to offer right now.They were working together, and Tony seemed to like it, but what would happen once they found the shifter?There would once again be nothing for Jacob to do.He’d have to admit to his mate that he didn’t have a direction in his life and that he had no idea what he was doing.

Tony knew.He was a sheriff.He had his life under control, and Jacob liked that.He also wished the same could be said for him.

“Whatever’s going through your mind, you need to stop,” Liam said.

“You can’t tell me what to do even though you’re the alpha mate.”

“What is it with you and refusing our help just because of who we are?”

Jacob didn’t want to offend Gal and Liam.He liked them beyond their roles in the pack.They might be his alpha and his alpha mate, but they were also friends, especially Liam.They’d grown up together, even though they hadn’t been closed.

“I’m sorry,” Jacob said.“It’s just a lot to deal with.”

“If you’re worried about your job, you don’t have to be,” Gal said.“You have all the time you need to find something else if that’s what you still wish to do.”

“I just want to feel useful.I am right now because I’m searching for the shifter, but once we find them, what am I supposed to do?Go back to what I was doing before?It’s not useful.”

“Maybe to you, it doesn’t feel like it, but I know several people who sleep better at night knowing that you and the other guards are protecting us.Some of our pride members have been through things we can only imagine.I’m not saying you should continue being a guard if that’s not what you want, but it’s not as useless as you think.”

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