Page 10 of Embrace
Jake smirked. “You rolled your eyes. Were you aware of that?”
I shifted my gaze away from his face to think about it. “No, I wasn’t aware.”
“There are lots of small habits I’ve noticed about you, and rolling your eyes is one of them.”
“You’re crazy,” I said, smiling from ear to ear. It felt good to know someone was truly seeking to notice my patterns. It made me feel wanted.
I wanted to put my hands together and pray to the Almighty not to let us be siblings. It would be the worst joke fate had ever played on me.
* * *
We stoppedby Café Du Monde so that Jake could buy me beignets. The line reminded me of lines for a ride at an amusement park. However, Jake asked me to wait while he went to the kitchen. He said he knew a guy. No wonder the locals had figured him out. It was difficult to hide out in a place like New Orleans. The town constantly called its residents out to play. And it seemed that between the guy in the bookstore recognizing him and knowing a guy at one of the most popular spots on Decatur Street, Jake, who was obviously adventurous, had been out exploring the town.
Jake returned to me with two bags, each holding two hot beignets heavily dusted with powdered sugar. We strolled back to my apartment, eating and talking.
“Why don’t you drive your own car?” I asked.
“Because I hate driving.”
“Do you know how to drive?” I bit into the warm pastry and chewed, watching him curiously.
His eyebrows flicked upward. “What do you think?”
I tilted my head. “Was that a flirt?”
Suddenly, his cell phone chimed, and he winked as he answered it.
“Yeah, Si,” he said then listened.
Whatever Chief Brown said next made Jake squeeze my shoulder. All the color had drained from his face.
“The results?” I mouthed.
Jake shook his head, answering me, then said, “I’ll be right there.”
Just as Jake was beginning to learn my quirks, I was starting to know his. He was definitely rattled and trying to hide it, especially when I asked if everything was okay.
“Someone needs a consult,” he said.
He tried to convince me to let Kirk take me from my apartment, where I would collect my things, to the penthouse to get dressed. I let Jake know I didn’t want to add all of those extra steps to my evening. I would rather walk back to my place, shower, and take a cab to Courtney’s party. I was surprised he gave me no pushback. Instead, he kissed me on the forehead and said that he would see me later.
I was alone in my place and not stressing over needing to know if my mother was alive or why Jake seemed so anxious when he walked away from me. I flopped down on the foot of my bed then lay back. I wasn’t that enthusiastic about getting ready for Courtney’s party, either. A time existed when I would’ve done anything to be there, but all I wanted to do now was close my eyes, go to sleep, wake up in the morning, start rounds, and at some point the next day, learn about the test results.
“Or…” I said. I looked around for my purse, but then my phone played the chime that let me know that I had missed a call. The sound came from outside of my bedroom, so I got up and shuffled to the living room and retrieved my device from my desk.Shit, I left it earlier.I listened to the voice message from Jake, who said he would see me later at the party, was counting on me being there, and that I should not choose going to bed over attending. I tossed my head back and laughed.How did he know I would grapple with going to sleep over interacting with Court and Rich?Then he sent me a text message that readAnd don’t go anywhere near Greg Carroll.
I blurted a laugh and texted back,Don’t worry, brother. No more professional athletes for me.
I staredat the screen of my phone, waiting for his reply.
I’m not your brother,and I can’t wait to show you. And you’d better believe no more athletes. Only one neurosurgeon from here on out.
I shook my head.
You have loads of confidence,brother,I typed and sent.
I’m right.Don’t worry. Penina, I think I love you,he wrote.
I staredat his text with bulging eyes. I had no idea how to respond. It would be easier to say it back if I knew definitively that he wasn’t my brother. I pressed my lips into a hard line. Whether he was a brother or lover, I knew one thing for certain.
