Page 31 of Home to You
Jake’s gaze lingered on me, his eyes warm and unguarded. “I’m told he gets that stubborn streak from me. I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing, though. It got me you, didn’t it?”
Heat crept up my neck at the way he was looking at me. The noise of the festival seemed to fade around us, and I became hyperaware of his proximity.
Who was I kidding? I was always aware of his proximity.
“Jake …” I started, not sure what I wanted to say.
Around us, the energy that had swelled with the contest began to settle. Families trickled away from the scarecrow display toward the dessert tables or the fire pits outside. The laughter and chatter quieted to a low murmur as the evening took on a softer, more relaxed vibe.
Jake’s fingers brushed against mine, and he guided me back toward the center of the barn, where a patch of open floor was acting as a makeshift dance floor.
The music shifted into a slower rhythm, and Jake turned to me. “Dance with me?”
I set my hand in his, and he led me into the small crowd. His hand settled on my back, the other weaving through my fingers, and my cheek pressed to his chest. I closed my eyes, letting the sway of our bodies and the fiddle’s plaintive melody pull me into the moment.
“You have no idea how long I’ve dreamed about this,” he whispered, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear and sending a shiver down my spine. “Dancing with you, holding you like this. Letting everyone see that you’re mine.”
“If this is a dream,” I murmured, “I don’t ever want to wake up.”
His hold on me tightened, his chin resting lightly on my head. I felt the weight of his affection in every touch, every breath.
We danced for a few more songs until the event began to wind down and the cleaning crew the school had hired began straightening up. Tomorrow, I’d have to coordinate the return of the tables and chairs to the rental place, but for tonight, I was free.
Colt approached, his footsteps slow and deliberate against the worn boards as he glanced around the barn. “Need me to take Cole up to the house?”
Jake shook his head. “Nah, he left an hour ago with Aiden. They’ve been planning this sleepover for weeks.”
Jake’s thumb began tracing small circles through my sweater, and I felt my pulse quicken. With Cole at his friend’s house, we could spend a lazy morning in bed together. Or … maybe not so lazy.
Colt smiled, his gaze circling in the space. “This school’s been really good for him.”
Jake slipped an arm around my waist, pulling me gently into his side. “It’s been good for both of us.” His voice was lower now, rougher, and there was no mistaking his meaning.
“Yeah, I can see that.” Colt’s knowing look made heat rise in my cheeks.
“Thanks for all your help this morning,” I rushed to fill the charged silence. “I really appreciated it.” In the last couple of weeks, Colt and I had reached a quiet sort of understanding. I knew he still didn’t fully trust that his brother was it for me, but he also did his best to welcome me back into the family the way he had that summer ten years ago.
Colt rocked back on his heels. “Uh, so, the house is yours. I saw Gage sneak out a bit ago, and Nash disappeared with Sage not too long after.”
Jake’s gaze swung to the open doors that looked out over where all the cars had been parked as if he could still see Nash out there. He scrubbed his hand over his jaw and pulled his eyesback to Colt. “You think he’s ever gonna tell her how he feels about her?”
Colt looked thoughtful for a moment, then shook his head. “Given it’s been almost twenty years, I doubt it.”
Jake nodded, then, after a beat, asked, “You heading out, too?”
Colt shifted his weight, one hand sliding into the front pocket of his jeans. “Yeah. Meeting up with some folks in town.” His gaze flicked toward the barn doors. “I’ll probably crash at Remy’s instead of driving home.”
Jake’s brow lifted. “Remy … that’s the new brewer from California who took over at Steelhead, yeah?”
“Yeah.” Colt nodded, but didn’t otherwise elaborate.
Jake hummed thoughtfully. “Rumor is his family’s big in politics out west. Senator or something? No one seems to know how he ended up brewing beer in Montana.”
Colt shrugged, his gaze darting to the barn doors again. “People talk.”
Jake’s lips twitched like he couldn’t quite hide a smile. “That they do, brother. We gonna meet this mysterious new friend of yours anytime soon?”
Colt’s composure wavered slightly—a flicker of discomfort in his eyes, a slight shift in his stance—but he quickly masked it. “I imagine you will,” he said, though his tone was evasive.
