Up All Night Long: From Lust to Love (Romance Anthology) (24 page)

She was the woman he could see in his future. He was sure he would scare her, but he was going to tell her just how much he'd fallen for her first thing in the morning. That would give her heart rest as he left the state. He would just tell her.

I love you.

Chapter 28

Jake woke to the buzzing of his phone, his dreams horrific, his night long and arduous. He reached over and pulled it to his ear, turning it on and realizing that it was only a text. Sitting up, he read his mother's prayer over him for safety, her loving words for his quick and easy arrival warming him. He checked the time and jumped up, his flight leaving in less than an hour. He'd never make it in time.

"Damn," he yelled and jumped up, throwing on jeans and a T-shirt and working fast to get his shoes on. He would have to drive like a bat out of hell. The house was clean as usual, so worrying about any last minute picking up wasn't a problem. He rushed around looking for his phone charger and cursing himself for not finding it the night before.

Resigning himself to having a dead battery on the phone for a few hours, he got in the truck and rushed to the airport, the closest one a few towns over. Good thing Maine was so small in comparison to Texas. In the Lone Star State there was no such thing as making a
quick
trip to the next town. It was usually a full day event to go anywhere. He smiled at the thought, the airport coming into view. He slipped his phone in his pocket as he parked.

Throwing his duffel bag over his shoulder, he ran toward the terminal, checking in quickly at the self-service line and running to the gate. He arrived as the flight attendant was closing the door, his ticket lifted in the air.

"Wait... please!" He ran toward the woman, the smile on her lips faltering.

It was a close call, but she got him on the flight just before it left. He sunk down in the seat next to an elderly man, who was already sound asleep and snoring loudly. Jake melted into his chair, pulling out his phone in hopes of just having enough to tell Kari that he was thinking about her and would call soon.

No luck. The phone was completely dead.

*

Kari spent the morning worried about Jake, having expected a call or something before he left for the airport. She texted him twice and then decided that she was bordering being a stalker. He would call or text when he could. Chances are he'd just gotten wrapped up in trying to get to the airport and make his flight. No big deal. She called in to let Martha know that she'd be going by the old Harrington Hospital to take a few pictures for the big celebration coming up for Bar Harbor. Martha reminded her to meet with a few of the older members of the staff and get some notes on stories as far back as she could.

Trying to busy her mind, Kari turned up the radio and sang along to a few fifties songs, a smile touching her lips at her silliness. If she let herself pause for even a moment she knew the feeling of loss and fear would consume her. Frank had ruined her from the carefree person she'd once been and she hated him for it.

The parking lot at the hospital was full, the small town much too tiny to have so many people sick at one time. Kari got out, concern for whatever might be going on turning her stomach. She walked in as an elderly woman looked up from the receptionist desk, a smile on her aging face.

"Hi, honey. Welcome to Harrington. How can I help you?"

Kari moved toward her, lifting her camera and smiling. "I'm from the paper. Martha sent me over to take some pictures and interview some of the staff about the good old days."

The lady laughed and stood up, clapping her hands and nodding. "Ah yes. The good old days. We remember them well - some days."

Kari chuckled and looked over her shoulder, the large glass doors behind her leading back out to the parking lot. "It's so busy today. Did something happen?"

"No, we're just the closest hospital for quite a few small counties around us. It's always busy here. We do a lot of labor deliveries, and we have a cancer ward that unfortunately stays packed most of the time."

Kari turned back and nodded. "Okay, just checking."

"Well, let's take you around and show you the facilities. Feel free to snap any pictures you'd like, just make sure they aren't of any of our patients." She leaned down to pick up the phone and called for someone named 'Wilson' to come and escort Kari around.

"Thank you," Kari responded as the woman explained that Wilson was one of the orderlies who had been around for quite a while and was a historian of the city. The woman smiled warmly and showed Kari to a small waiting room. She took a seat and pulled her camera into her lap before checking her phone.

No Jake. Worry tugged at her and she researched flights from Maine to Texas, noting that all of them seemed to arrive on time and without any trouble.

"At least he's okay," Kari mumbled as a deep male voice scared her.

"Talk to yourself much?"

She looked up and laughed, nodding her head at the tall African American male who stood above her. "All the time. I find it's easier to talk to yourself than others. Not too many opinions to deal with."

He laughed and extended his hand. "I'm Wilson. I'll be your tour guide today. You got the low down on the picture taking?"

Kari nodded and smiled, her thoughts about Jake melting as the friendly guy in front of her began to bring to life the last hundred years in the history of the hospital. She moved to join him, asking questions and stopping to take pictures around every corner.

By lunch they were done and she thanked him for his time, reaching out and shaking his hand. He gave her a card and she promised to call should she have any more questions. All in all it was a great success. Kari headed back to the office, her stomach growling and concern blossoming in her chest again.

Where was Jake? Why hadn't he called?

*

Jake walked toward his parents, his mother's eyes puffy from emotion. He pulled her into a tight hug, his father stepping up and patting his back.

"Man it's good to see you guys." He moved back and turned to his dad, laying a big hug on him as well.

"You look so good, baby." His mom moved in beside him as they walked toward the door, wrapping an arm around his waist. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into the side of him, smiling down at her.

"Yeah well I found a good woman and she's given me hope for the future."

"Jesus should be the only one to give you hope," his mom chided as his dad chuckled.

"I'm glad to hear you're seeing someone. How long have you guys been together? This is the first we're hearing of it." His dad reached for his bag and Jake swatted him away.

"I got it. No biggie." He winked at his mom. "Only a week, but I swear it feels like I've known her my whole life. It scares me how much I already like her."

His mom squeezed his side. "Why didn't you bring her with you?"

"I didn't want to put Bethany through anything extra. I can't imagine the hell she and her family are going through already. When she called, I honestly didn't know if she was talking about her mom or you." He looked down at his mom, his heart aching at the thought of it again.

"Oh, baby. I'm going to outlive all you guys."

"I believe that." His dad moved to hold the door open, pointing over to his golden Buick. "We're over there, son. Let's get you home and feed you and then we can get over to see Bethany and her family."

Jake nodded, remembering his phone. "Do you guys have a phone charger in the car?"

"Of course I do. I plan for all things." His mom moved away from him and pointed to the front seat. "Sit up there with your daddy and tell him all about your teacher of the year award."

He shook his head, but moved up front and dropped his bag on the floorboard, reaching in his pocket for his phone only to come up with nothing. Panic washed over him as he moved back a little, his dad looking at him over the top of the car.

He searched his pockets again, looking behind him on the street before grabbing his bag and digging through it frantically. "Damn..."

"Jake Isaac. Watch your mouth." His mother leaned up and spoke out of his door. He shook his head sighing heavily.

"What's the matter, Jake?" His dad patted the top of the car, getting his attention. "Did you lose something?"

"My phone."

"It's okay. You can use ours and we'll get you another one while we're here if you don't find it." His mother offered as his dad got in the car and leaned over, looking up at him.

"Get in and we'll take care of it this afternoon."

Jake got in the car, sighing again and hating himself. It wasn't about the phone. It was about Kari. She would be expecting a call or text from him - anything. She would be worried not only about his safety, but about him being around Bethany. He figured it would all be okay because he would just spend the next few days over communicating with her.

"Kari's going to be worried." He buckled up as his mom's hand moved up in the front, her phone clasped in her small fingers.

"Here, baby. Use mine and call her."

He turned and smiled at his mom, the sight of her warming his heart. "I don't know her number, momma. We just started dating."

"Oh that's not good. Let's see if we can Google her when we get home."

Jake laughed. "You use Google?"

His dad chuckled and pulled out into the busy freeway. "Your mom's a whiz on the computer. She's going to surprise you I'm sure - does me all the time."

"Joe, don't be telling Jake our private business."

Jake covered his ears and make lots of loud noise. "No, No, NO. I don't want to hear any of this."

He finally moved his hands to the sound of his parents’ laughing, his dad reaching over to squeeze his shoulder. "Glad you're home, son. We've missed you."

*

Kari had a quick conversation with Martha over a sandwich in the office before heading over to help Sicily. Lisa was showing houses all afternoon, but Kari figured she and Sicily could start working to knock out the second coat of paint that the small bakery needed. They could move in furniture later that week with Jake and Drake's help if Jake was back.

The fact that he hadn't called or tried to get in touch with her sat heavy on her. She finally talked herself into calling him, the phone ringing five times before going to voicemail. She sighed and pulled into a parking spot right in front of Sicily's shop, her friend already inside by the looks of things.

Kari got out and walked in, her heart heavy as she bit at her lip. Sicily looked up and smiled, her expression softening as Kari approached.

"What's wrong?"

Kari laughed, but the sound fell flat. "How do you know something is wrong?"

"I'm an empath. I can almost feel the heaviness sitting on you. Plus, you always bite or pick at your lips if something is bothering you." Sicily shrugged and moved to work on getting the top to the paint off.

"Jake left for that trip this morning and I really expected to hear something from him."

"He's not called or texted anything?" Sicily moved her wrist up in front of her face, her eyes narrowing. "It's almost two in the afternoon. Surely he's there by now."

"I know, right? I have no idea what's going on, but I'm almost sick over it."

Sicily moved from the paint bucket and pulled Kari into a quick hug. "I'm sure his phone is dead. Boys are irresponsible and do that stuff all the time."

"Yeah, I guess. Let's get started so I can get my mind off of it."

Sicily nodded, pausing to look at Kari for a few more seconds. "Okay. Grab a brush and let's get this second coat done."

"Wish we had the boys and Lisa here to help. This is going to take forever."

"I'd be fine with Lisa and Jake, but his friend is an ass."

Kari laughed and moved to the front wall, reaching down to dip her brush in the paint. "Drake? Why do you say that?"

"He thinks I'm fat. I've put on about six pounds since we got here, but I don't need him reminding me."

Kari looked over her shoulder, blowing a strand of hair from her face. "What're you talking about? You look great."

"Yeah well, he offered me half off for a gym membership at his place."

"Don't you think that maybe he was just trying to get the chance to see you?"

"No. He could've asked me out. He didn't. He offered to help me lose weight."

Kari turned back to her painting, rolling her eyes. "So let me get this straight. He said to you, 'Sicily, you're a little chunky and I'm a nice guy so here's half off to come work out at the gym I own'?"

"Not exactly, but it's all semantics."

"He was probably hitting on you."

"Whatever. He's an ass and I'm not interested. He must have touched his own chest and stomach a million times the other night. I think he's hot for himself."

Kari laughed loudly, the conversation almost too silly to foster its continuation. "He is hot."

"Conceited and rude."

Kari let the conversation die down, Sicily in a mood and not willing to relent. She worked methodically to finish her wall in an hour and moved to the next one, Sicily having turned on some upbeat music to keep them moving forward. She couldn't help but let her thoughts slip back to Jake, worry clinging to her like a shrunken sweater. She would give him until Tuesday before she allowed the full blown panic that swam in her stomach to explode within her.