Claire walked in and wrinkled her nose while looking at the new furniture. “I like the old stuff better.” Claire pointed back out the door she’d just entered. “Was that Jake leaving?”
Claire bypassed the new furniture and sat in the old brown suede chair, crossing her legs and placing her purse beside her before folding hands in her lap. Emma often wondered where she’d picked up her manners from. None of the rest of her siblings seemed to have them, including her. Emma looked down and frowned. She’d done the right thing pushing him away, but she still could have been his friend. Heck, he didn’t know anyone in town. She didn’t have to be so rude. Maybe he just wanted to be friends with her. She made a mental note to apologize later.
“He was out there. Did he leave already?”
Claire set her purse by her feet and leaned back into the sturdy chair. Emma felt a prickle in her mind before Claire’s assault.
“Stay out of my head, Claire. If you want to know what’s going on, all you have to do is ask.” Emma smiled at her sister and pulled a mint from her desk, popping it into her mouth.
Momma Mae materialized in the chair next to Claire’s. The old ghost didn’t speak. She just crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes.
“Okay, what’s going on?” Claire asked while rubbing her arms. “It’s freezing in here. Is Momma Mae here?” Claire turned in her seat in a possible attempt to look for the elusive apparition.
Emma rolled her eyes. “She’s sitting right next to you and doesn’t look very happy.”
“Why not? There isn’t some axe murderer waiting outside, is there?”
“God, I hope not.” Emma’s lips tilted, but when she looked over at Momma Mae, she let the smile fall. “There isn’t one, is there?” With her luck, she didn’t know what to expect anymore and wasn’t going to chance it.
“No, baby girl, no axe murderer, but I think you hurt your man’s feelings.” Momma Mae stood and walked to the window. Emma wondered if she ever missed actually living. If she ever got tired of Emma being the only one able to see her. Momma never talked about her family when Emma asked, but there was always sadness in the ghostly apparition's eyes, sadness that Emma didn’t know how to make better for the old woman.
“He’s not my man, but I think you’re right. He was just trying to be nice, and I walked away.” Emma looked at the back of Momma Mae’s handmade paisley dress and shook her head in disappointment. She really needed to start thinking of other people’s feelings and not just her own. Her mind had been on whether she’d fall for the guy and if it would hurt when he left, instead of seizing the moment and making a new friend, if nothing else. Emma mentally berated herself.
“Who’s not your man and what happened?” Claire asked.
Emma explained what had happened with Jake when all she really wanted to do was grab her keys and chase him down to apologize. Her shoulders slumped when she remembered she didn’t have her car. The ache in her legs from the three-mile walk this morning should have reminded her. “I’m sure he’ll understand. He seemed like a good guy.
“I’m sure you’re right, I’ll have to explain the next time I see him. Can you take me to get my car?”
“That’s why I’m here, little sister. If you’re anything like me, I knew you couldn’t live without it for long.”
After almost a full week had gone by, Emma didn’t think she was ever going to get the chance to make amends. She’d thought for sure Jake would have come into the café by now and had her staff on the lookout with specific instructions to tell her. Asking Mike wasn’t an option. He’d turn all big brother on her and had other things to worry about, like catching the asshole with the knife.
Heck, even Momma Mae had taken a hiatus of sorts, leaving her high and dry with her own thoughts. She’d had plenty to do now that the work crews had left from behind her office and she could concentrate again. Her wandering mind still ended up thinking about him, and her work suffered just the same. By Thursday, she was ready to pull out her hair in frustration. If he didn’t come into the café by that night, she’d break down and ask her brother. That was all there was to it.
****
Jake had changed vehicles to an SUV, hoping that Emma wouldn’t recognize him because it was a different car with dark-tinted windows. He’d been watching her all week. She’d probably thought she’d run him off, but just the opposite was true. He would just watched her for now, but after Mike caught the guy, all bets were off. Jake would get to know her and see how things went. Something about the little spitfire was drawing him in. He just couldn’t put his finger on it. Jake’s mouth curved into the beginning of a smile.
Jake shook his head from his thoughts and got back to work, refocusing on his surroundings. Mike had Jake’s name added to the guest list for the ball planned for the cancer benefit. Jake needed to be inside to keep an eye on her. He’d had his secretary at Tactical Maneuvers overnight his tuxedo, just for the occasion. Jake glanced down at his watch. Emma would be getting off soon. It had been a long day sitting here, and he would be glad to get out and stretch his legs. She hadn’t left the café not once all day.
Movement in his rearview mirror caught his attention. When he turned, there was no one there. Someone had managed to move in on his position, and he hadn’t even seen it coming. The little vixen had his mind so preoccupied he’d forgot why he was actually there. Well, enough was enough.
Jake wasn’t going to be able to keep her safe from the parking lot. He needed to make sure it had only been his imagination. Jake pulled the gun from the holster, flipped the switch so the interior light wouldn’t come on while he slipped from the SUV, and quietly pushed the door closed. Jake ducked and worked his way around the front of the vehicle. That was when he noticed the man lurking in the alleyway. This man looked like a bulky giant. This must be the one who’d been chasing them the weekend before. By the way he studied the building, it was clear his chasing hadn’t been random. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize this guy was up to no good.
The big guy hadn’t noticed him yet. Jake inched back around the vehicle and out of his sight, moving in for the takedown. He had parked in the middle of the parking lot so there was an equal amount of distance between him and the psycho and the psycho and Emma’s back door. Jake sighed. He was going to have to chase this guy. He wasn’t going to be able to take him by surprise. Just when Jake stood, he heard the creak of the heavy door before he saw her.
Emma exited the back of her building and had stopped, her hand on her midsection as she scanned her surroundings. The hulk hesitated. It was apparent he was about to advance on her, but then he paused.
“Jake, what are you doing here?”
Jake’s gaze flew from the attacker to hers and back before he pulled his gun and ran for her, blocking her from the giant. There was no way this asshole was going to get to her again. It would be over his dead body.
“What are you doing?” Emma tried to look around him.
“Just stay behind me, Emma. I’m not sure where he went.” In the time it took him to reach her, he’d lost sight of the killer. His gaze ran the length of the buildings, but there was no one in sight.
“Who?” Emma asked, touching his arm, bobbing her head around him to see what was going on.
“I’m not sure, but if I had to guess, I’d say it was the same guy that chased you.” Jake guided Emma toward the safety of his SUV with a gun in his other hand. His gaze darted left and right for any signs of the asshole.
“Dammit, I did it again.” Emma’s hands slightly trembled as he got her in and locked her door.
Jake walked the perimeter of the vehicle and got in on the driver’s side then started the engine. “You did what again?” Jake asked, never taking his gaze off their surroundings.
“Forgot my gun.” Emma was digging in her purse, almost as if it would magically appear.
“I’ve got you covered.” Jake opened the glove box and pulled out a silver revolver like the one she had at home. He checked the safety and handed it to her. Since this guy was a real threat, she was going to have to be prepared. The hate he saw in the hulk’s eyes was enough to have him worrying for her safety.
Emma looked from the gun to his face. Her brows pinched together. “Wait a minute. What were you doing here?”
Jake placed his hand on hers. “I was coming to ask if you’d be my date tomorrow night to the benefit, considering I don’t know anyone in town.”
****
Emma couldn’t contain her smile when he mentioned a date. Even with the threat surrounding her, and the guy that was possibly after her, the butterflies in her stomach were for Jake, not the threat. She’d waited almost all week to see him again, and now he was here asking her out, even if it was just because he didn’t know anyone else. There was no way she’d say no.
Jake pulled out onto Main Street and headed in the opposite direction from her house.
“I’ll go on two conditions.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Anything, you name it.” Jake’s dimple returned when he quickly looked at her.
“First, you accept my apology for being so rude to you. I’m not normally like that. Especially considering you’re a friend of Mike’s. I really am sorry.”
Both dimples creased his cheeks. “No apology is necessary, but if that’s a condition, then yes, I accept.”
Jake turned down another street, two blocks up. He seemed to be canvassing the area, maybe looking for the hulk. “The second, you let me make you dinner so I can make it up to you.”
Jake stopped at the red light and looked her way. “Again, unnecessary, but it’s a deal. My house or yours?”
“Mine. I’ve got a confession to make. I’ve already taken the steaks out and bought some beer. I was going to call Mike to get your number when I got home.” Emma could feel the heat travel up into her cheeks. She didn’t think she’d have the guts to admit that she’d already planned it, but she’d had no choice. With a psycho on the loose, it was probably a smart idea she wasn’t alone tonight anyway. She’d just have to convince her body to keep it simply platonic, and that was going to be a fight. A slight chill filled the car, and Emma glanced back to find Momma Mae in the backseat.
Momma Mae must have been reading her mind, if that was possible. “I’ve got nothing better to do tonight. Make sure you put in a good movie.”
Emma let out a heavy sigh and dropped her head. She may have thought that nothing would happen, but now she totally knew nothing was going to happen. The old bat would run interference. Emma wasn’t an exhibitionist.
Momma Mae had stayed true to her word. The meal was delicious and the movie was decent, but the company had been phenomenal. Jake had made her laugh all night. His light touches had set her body on fire while they were snuggled up on the couch, but she’d refrained from jumping his bones. She was getting to know him for the man he was, not for what he did to her body. She was past intrigued and wanted to keep him around. It only made sense that Emma let him sleep on her couch, after all he was a friend of Mike’s. At least that was what she was going to tell herself in the morning.
In true gentlemanly fashion, his muscular body was now sprawled on her couch, not where she wanted him to be. Emma felt for the gun under her pillow and fell asleep thinking about her upcoming date with Jake.
Emma blinked awake and inhaled. The aroma of brewing coffee had her on automatic pilot out of her bed and heading toward the smell. She stopped short, and her breath caught at the sight of Jake standing shirtless over her stove. She had felt his muscles several times now but hadn’t seen them in the flesh. Now she knew what she was missing. Emma’s hand went to her throat. Under her fingers, she could feel the heat traveling to her face.
Her hands itched to feel every dip and curve of his sculpted body. If things went Emma's way, she planned to do just that. She smiled.
“You cook too?” Emma asked while walking to the coffee pot, pouring a cup of the steaming brew.
“I’ve got a lot more talents than that if you’d care to find out.” Jake grabbed the eggs and bacon and put them in the middle of the table.
Emma gripped the counter to keep her hands from taking him up on his offer and exploring his muscular chest. She cleared her throat. “I’m sure you do.”
Jake pulled out a chair for Emma and piled a plate of eggs and bacon, way more than she usually ate. Her mind wandered while she ate. He’d protected her, eaten dinner with her, even watched a chick flick, and now he’d done the ultimate and stayed around and cooked her breakfast. The only thing missing was the sex.
Emma craved more than just his light touches and sweet kisses. She wanted to devour this man and see what he could do.
Momma Mae appeared, sitting on the counter and dousing what desire thrummed in her veins. “Baby girl, he’s a keeper.”
Emma’s hand flew to cover her mouth before she spit her coffee all over the table.
“Is it still too hot?” Jake asked as he handed her another napkin.
Emma gulped the remaining liquid and cleared her throat, trying not to look at Momma Mae. Not being able to talk directly to the ghost was sometimes hard to hide.
“Reminds me of my Jonathan.Good looking and sweet too.”
Emma wanted so much to ask her more. This was the first time Momma Mae had ever talked about her family, and Emma had so many more questions for the apparition.
Emma wiped her mouth and dabbed her eyes. Momma Mae’s comment had been so sincere. “No, not hot, just went down the wrong pipe.”
Emma gave a sad smile to Momma Mae. It was obvious she missed him. Her heart ached for the lonely woman. Momma Mae was turned, looking out the window like she was lost in thought.
The rest of the morning was uneventful. Jake hadn’t left until Abby showed up. The sisters had a tradition before the benefit. Pedicures, manicures, and the works, all while drinking champagne and telling their favorite stories about their mom. God, they all missed her. It always ended at Claire’s house where they continued to get ready. Jake had said he would meet her there and didn’t seem too pleased about not being able to pick her up like a real date.