Splintered Oak (Winsor Series Book 3) (19 page)

She sighed and rubbed her temples some more. “It’s got to be exhausting. I’m exhausted and I’ve only been around you for a little while.”

I couldn’t help but smile at her exasperation. “It can also be fun,” I teased, letting my voice take on a seductive feel. Regretting it almost immediately because my mind went back to places it had no business being, I watched her lips turn into a smile—the first real one all morning. I resisted the urge to touch them. She still had her eyes closed and I knew I could get just a taste before she ever noticed. I could feel my body moving on it’s own, closer and closer, her scent getting more powerful with each inch.

She opened her eyes and stared at me, her dark pools leaving me with more questions than answers. What was she thinking? I moved closer
still, knowing I would never have the power to stop on my own.

The door slamming made us both jump as David stormed into the apartment just in time to keep me from crossing the line again. I didn’t know whether to curse him or thank him.

“Predictable and boring!” he screamed as he stormed through the living room.

Naomi and I glanced at each oth
er and started laughing. David was the most predictable person I knew. In fact, I knew from looking at him that he had just left the condo an hour ago, after exactly one cup of coffee and twenty minutes on the iPad reading the morning headlines.

He slammed his bedroom door, still yelling nonsense from behind it. Seconds later he reappeared, holding a very suspicious black box. “I’ll show her predictable.” And he left as he came, in a storm of dust.

“What was that?” I choked out, still trying to process what just happened.

Naomi stood and seemed to take the opportunity to put some distance between us. I immediately missed her. “Guess he’s going to finally ask her. You may want to start looking for a new place to live,” she replied casually, picking up her backpack.

“Ask who? What are you talking about?” I was completely lost.

Naomi studied me as if to make sure I wasn’t kidding and then shook her head. “You are seriously the most self absorbed person I’ve ever known. Wow. He’s been dating Ashley for two years, Jake. How do you not know this?”

I stood in defense. “I don’t know. We’re guys. We don’t discuss that kind of stuff with each other, nor do we do each other’s nails. We coexist.”

She shook her head. “Whatever. I’ve got to get to class. I already skipped my first one.”

Before she could walk away, I took her hand and she halted. “You still owe me a pool game. What do you say we, how did you put it, take a break from all our drama and have a little fun tonight?”

Naomi actually smiled and raised her eyebrow at me again. “I don’t know. You gonna curse at me again?”

More regret. Just what I needed. “No. I’m sorry about that, by the way.”

“It’s okay. I pushed too hard. I’m sorry too.” She shook her head and sighed. “Pool actually sounds pretty great.”

I let go of her hand and watched as she approached the door. “You’re not going to stand me up again, are you?”

She turned, her stance going back
to that confrontational poise that took her from beauty to goddess. “If I recall, you’re the one who bailed on me last night.”

Guilt stung at me again, but I kept my easy grin, not wanting her to see how much pain I was in. “Meet me here at five. Ten bucks says you won’t make three balls into the pocket before I win.”

She grinned. “You’re on.”

22
. the ARCADE

NAOMI

“This is ridiculous!” I muttered to myself as I forcibly
removed my fourth shirt. Why did I care? It was just Jake.

Shaking my head in disgust, I headed back to the closet for another
look. Everything was either too casual or too dressy, and I didn’t want Jake thinking this was a date.

Pushing each shirt aside in frustration, I finally selected a Winsor jersey that Alex bought me last year. The idea of wearing something my brother picked out calmed me a little. No way Jake could misinterpret my intentions with a school jersey.

The maroon top showed my curves, but wasn’t overly tight, nor did it show any cleavage. Satisfied, I pulled my hair into two low ponytails. Then I pulled them right out and just left my dark hair free flowing down my back.

My hand shook as I added the final touch of makeup, irritating me even further. There was no explanation for my behavior.

Sitting on my bed to calm down, I rationalized that the week had been highly emotional, thus creating a bond with Jake which could easily be misinterpreted as affection. The “almost kiss” that David so precisely interrupted was also confusing. I had anticipated it, wanted it even. Comfort, I assured myself. I wanted comfort. I still hadn’t told anyone about what happened at Issy’s condo, knowing it would lead to too many questions. As a result, I had no one to share in my fear or my grief…except Jake.

Confident I had compartmentalized all these new feelings, I recited my verse and prayed for the confusion and anxiety to be lifted. The Lord graciously obliged, and I was finally able to relax before heading to the kitchen.

Jake was already seated at the bar, nursing a beer while he clicked away on his laptop. My eyes followed the line of his body as he sat unaware. He had gotten a hair cut, leaving his black hair lazily styled. Jake’s profile was a work of art, I realized as I studied him. Wide, square jaw, full lips, and a straight nose. He could model, I decided as I moved toward him, getting that stupid feeling in my gut again.

He finally noticed me and smiled, quick and casual, a motion that made his green eyes sparkle. “Just one, I promise,” he assured me holding up the beer.

His words jolted me back to reality as I scolded myself for letting my thoughts wander. Jake wasn’t a Christian. Period. Any change in behavior lately was done to impress, not out of a change of heart. He has a history of becoming whatever he needed to win over a girl. Then he lost interest the minute he got her. His pattern, I reminded myself, was to take and to hurt.

“You look great, by the way,” he continued, pulling me out of my head.

“Thanks.”

I watched as he shut the laptop, threw away his beer, and grabbed his keys. “You ready for a beating?” he teased.

Forcing a smile to hide the awkwardness I was now feeling, I followed him out the door. “I’m ready to give a beating, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Jake opened the passenger door and winked before closing it behind me. I laid my hands nervously on my lap and tried not to fidget. Seconds later, Jake slid in the driver seat and looked over at me.

“Hey, are you okay?” he must have sensed my unease.

I contemplated lying, but realized that it wouldn’t do either of us any good. We needed to clear the air or I needed to
move out, because this tension was not going to work. Seeing Jake as anything other than a friend was not an option.

“Did you almost kiss me this morning?” I blurted out.

Jake shifted the gears on his Mercedes from reverse back to park and then gripped the steering wheel. “I was upset, Naomi, feeling totally lost. You were too, and I don’t know, I just wanted to feel better. But, I didn’t do it. I know where you stand, and I will respect it. Please don’t let it ruin our night. You have my word I won’t try anything. Just two friends hanging out.”

My sigh was one of relief. “Okay good. It’s just that when two people are thrown into highly emotional situations like that, they can confuse things. I don’t want things to get confusing with you, Jake, because I like your friendship
, and I like living here.”

Jake’s head shot around. “You’d move out?”

I looked him square in the eye. “If we ever crossed the line, yes, I would move out. I have boundaries for a reason. I don’t date casually, and I intend to stay pure until I’m married. That fact alone makes us completely incompatible.”

Jake let out a frustrated sigh and gripped the steering wheel harder. “I am capable of a monogamous relationship, Naomi.”

“History says otherwise,” I retorted, immediately regretting the harsh words when I saw his eyes shut as if he physically felt the sting. “I’m sorry, Jake. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Jake rolled his neck and then lessened his grip. After a long, shuttering breath, he turned back to me with a smile, but it didn’t come close to reaching his eyes. “It’s fine, Naomi. Let’s just forget it and go have some fun. Can we do that?”

Feeling guilty, but determined to get a real smile out of him, I crossed my arms and looked him up and down. “If you call losing miserably fun, then yes, I suppose we can.”

Jake laughed and put the car back in reverse. “You are delusional, but that will just further my enjoyment of watching you grovel at the end of the night.”

The conversation continued, easing the tension with each passing word. By the time he pulled into the semi-filled parking lot, I was fully relaxed. Thankfully, it was a Thursday night, so the crowd would likely be an older one and relatively light.

Stepping out into the evening air, I realized I actually felt happy for the first time in days. With a bounce in my step, I moved next to Jake and took his arm. “Let’s go, sucka! I can’t wait to get you to the air hockey table.”

Jake just stopped and stared at me before I saw his body release all the stress he had been carrying. “There she is,” he whispered and led us to the door well lit by flashing bulbs.

Blues, greens, and reds flashed all around us as we entered the wild space. Loud pop music blared from the speakers as masses of people walked from game to game. Out the back doors, I could see go karts and
a putt putt golf course. The ambience took me back to being a kid, and I immediately felt excitement rush in.

“Oh my goodness, my brothers would
love
this place,” I gushed, still glancing around. “I cannot believe I’ve never been here before.”

“Well, they just opened last year, so you were too busy being cultured to bother with such menial things as skee ball.”

My ten-year-old self kicked in as I stared at him in awe. “They have skee ball? Where?”

Laughing now, he just pointed to the far left wall, where at least ten machines lined up edge to edge. I screamed in delight and jumped up and down, not caring how stupid I looked.

“Let’s go!” I demanded, pulling on his arm.

“Okay, but we have to get tokens first, crazy girl.” His voice sounded like a father being pulled by his kid, but the look on his fa
ce made my stomach flutter. It was the same look I had seen my father give my mother.

Gone as quickly as it came, Jake’s look morphed into a mischievous smile followed by a wink. I followed him over to the desk where he ordered us a full service card, giving us unlimited game playing, two go kart rides, and nine holes of putt putt. I offered to buy my own, but the irritated look he sent me stopped my persistence.

“You didn’t have to pay for me,” I insisted as he handed me the card.

“Hush. I’d do the same for Issy. Stop reading into it.”

His dismissive tone ended the conversation, and I quickly refocused on the skee ball machines. Taking adjoining spots, we both watched as the balls rolled down the shaft. Adrenaline hit as soon as Jake threw his first ball, hitting the forty-point hole with ease. No way is he going to beat me.

Despite my focus and determination, I watched in horror as tickets kept pouring out of Jake’s machine. His points tripled mine in the end, and his “Rocky” dance only added salt to the wound.

“Two out of three,” I demanded as he laughed.

“Naomi, are you a sore loser? Too proud to admit defeat?” His eyes danced as he reached over to tickle my side. “But fine. I’ll enjoy
beating you again.”

I huffed and had to work to suppress a chuckle. Jake out of his shell, genuinely having a good time, was intoxicating to watch. Catching myself staring once again, I quickly averted my eyes to the task at hand.

Unfortunately, no amount of focus was going to change the fact that Jake had mad skills at skee ball. Accepting my defeat, although not graciously, I pulled him over to the air hockey table. Now here was a game I could win.

Arrogance spilled from his lips as Jake once again assured me that I didn’t have a prayer of beating him. Shrugging because I knew better, I just said, “We’ll see.”

My first serve went directly in the hole and immediately wiped the smug look off of his face. Buffing my fingernails, I calmly announced, “One for me.”

He pulled out the puck and appeared to concentrate. Three volleys later, the puck slid right back into his hole, forcing me to let out a squeal.

Rolling his shoulders and biting his lip, Jake served again. My laughter let him get a shot in, but it was short lived because I quickly recovered with eight straight shots, ending our very one-sided game.

“Okay, that was impressive,” he conceded as he set down the mallet.

I did a little curtsy in response, which brought more laugher from his lips. “Now, what will I ever do with you?” he teased, walking over to drape his arm over my shoulder.

I met his sarcasm with a smug smile. “You could feed me.”

More laugher. “You got it. Come on.”

Jake kept his arm on me as we walked towards the food court and only dropped it when he went to pay for our food. I realized as we ate that I hadn’t thought about Issy for at least an hour. That was a record. I wondered if the evening was working for Jake as well.

“You having fun?” I asked between bites.

“Are you kidding? I feel like I drank from the fountain of youth. Can’t remember the last time I felt so good.”

I believed him. He looked so at ease, so genuinely comfortable that I secretly wanted to do anything that would make him stay that way forever.

M
y conscience hit a little. I knew the secret. I knew exactly what he needed to begin to bring resolution to his hurting heart. Problem was, I still had no idea how to offer it to him.

What shoul
d I say? What should I do? I felt this great burden, but was doing nothing to alter the situation. A little voice told me I had tried, done enough. I let it convince me it was true and put anymore thought of witnessing out of my mind. 

We decided on golf since riding the go karts on a full stomach was agreeably a bad idea.

“So should I prepare myself for more embarrassment?” he asked as we grabbed our putters.

“Oh, I wish. You know coordination is not my strong suit.”

He started to respond, but was quickly interrupted as a short brunette walked up and wrapped her arms around his waist, throwing her hair back as she purred, “Jake, I’ve missed you! Where have you been hiding, sweetheart?”

She would have been pretty if she didn’t appear so desperate, and there was no mistaking the two of them had shared some level of intimacy before. The way she caressed him and the embarrassed look on his face gave it away.

I watched as he peeled her off of him. “Ammie, this is Naomi.” He said my name suggestively, using it as some sort of excuse for removing her.

Turning to me for the first time, she shot me a
fake smile. “Nice to meet you. Have you known Jake for long?” she inquired while wrapping one arm possessively around him again. I noticed her hand slide into his back pocket, and felt a sensation I’d never experienced before. Anger, irritation, annoyance? Whatever the feeling was, I couldn’t place it, but I didn’t like it. It made me want to physically remove her from his side.

Unable to deal with the electricity coursing through me, I politely excused myself to the bathroom despite Jake’s protests.

Settling between two primping teenagers in front of the mirror, I splashed a little water on my neck. I was hot, irritable, and vaguely sick to my stomach.

What was wrong with me? I kne
w Jake had women. Of course he did, he was Jake. The same thing happened at the art fair and would happen the next time we go out. I didn’t care back then, so there was no reason to care now, I assured myself.

A few minutes later, the fire subsided a little, giving me the confidence to emerge from the bathroom. Glancing in Jake’s direction, I could see the two of them engaged in a heated discussion. The fire returned, annoying me further. Unwilling to reengage with Aimee, I walked over to one of the shooting games. It was a partnership one, so I figured Jake would just join me when he finished.

I picked up the plastic gun and thoroughly enjoyed attempting to hit each target. Pulling the trigger was working to calm me. Soon, I was joined by a guy in relaxed jeans and a “Got Milk” t-shirt. He seemed nice enough, offering to partner with me. His help got us past the level, and I jumped in satisfaction.