a small sporting goods store would be awesome, but it was just a means for supporting my wife and starting our family.
Now if I could just get Layla out of my head every time my dreams started up again, I'd be cool. With my luck, I'd miss out on my future wife because I couldn't shake my teenage obsession.
I chuckled and grimaced again. Layla was far more than a crush from my childhood. She was exactly what I wanted in my life - who I wanted. Maybe it was time to show her the truth of my feelings. I could take it show. Shit, it had been twenty-something years of gently nudging her. I had this down, I just needed to up my game a little.
Or maybe I needed to up it a lot.
Chapter 14
Layla
The morning went by before I could blink twice. I'd gone to my strategic marketing class and business analytics, which made me want to gouge my eyes out. I loved marketing and design, but having to look at the numbers and figure out what made a business succeed or not was the pits.
I walked into DeAngelos just before lunch and glanced around, hoping to find Jacob in his uniform. We were meeting for lunch like we did once a week. He was a good friend, and someone I could talk to without having to worry at all what I said. He didn't know my past and probably wouldn't be a huge part of my future, but he belonged to now.
"Looking for someone to rock your world?" Strong hands ran over my shoulders and sent chills racing up my back.
"Yes. I'd pay top dollar." I turned around and smiled at the handsome playboy. "You free for the night?"
"For you? Yes." He wagged his eyebrows. "Just ask Em if she's good with it."
"On second thought, never mind." I pushed at his stomach. "You eating lunch with me, or waiting on me hand and foot?"
"Can I do both?" He walked with me toward a booth at the back of the restaurant. Most of the other tables were filled up, which was a good thing. Jacob's dad had been working hard to bring in customers. Whatever they were doing seemed to be working.
"You sure can." I got into my side of the booth. "I'll take a Coke and a cheese pizza."
"Salad today?" He pressed his hands to the edge of the table and watched me closely.
"Nope." I smiled.
"Coming up for the prettiest lady in the restaurant." He spun around on his heel and walked toward the kitchen. "Em's not here. You can hold her title today."
I snorted and pulled out my phone. I was glad he'd found Emily. He needed to know he was worth a lot more than some random chick pawing at him one night and walking out the next morning without looking back. He'd been through some shit, and from my understanding, Emily had too. They were a good match. Everyone was a good match... everyone but me.
"Why are you frowning?" Jacob put a Coke down in front of me and slipped into the booth across from me. "I leave for five minutes and you're frowning."
"I was thinking about you and Emily." I shrugged.
"Jealous already?"
"No." I rolled my eyes. "I mean, yeah, I'm jealous at how good you guys are doing, but that's it. Aubrey and Lucas are getting married. Tasha and Micah were at the coffee shop I went with Coach Warren to yesterday, looking so stupid cute."
"Awwww... you wanna boyfriend?" He reached across the table and patted my hand like my grandmother might.
"Watch it." I gave him an aggressive glare.
"Hot." He winked and leaned back in the booth. "You know Jayce Moore thinks you’re the epitome of perfection. Where I don't like you living with the guy, I still think he's a pretty cool cat."
"Whatever." I picked up my drink and took a sip. "Why don't you like me living there?"
"You're like a sister to me, Lay. What if you get drunk and he takes advantage of you? That's not really hard to do seeing that you guys have bedrooms side by side." He gave me a knowing look.
"Jayce Moore has been in my life since I could walk. He's never tried anything on me, and I promise you, I've given him a thousand chances to try something." I set the Coke down and glanced around.
Now if I could just get Layla out of my head every time my dreams started up again, I'd be cool. With my luck, I'd miss out on my future wife because I couldn't shake my teenage obsession.
I chuckled and grimaced again. Layla was far more than a crush from my childhood. She was exactly what I wanted in my life - who I wanted. Maybe it was time to show her the truth of my feelings. I could take it show. Shit, it had been twenty-something years of gently nudging her. I had this down, I just needed to up my game a little.
Or maybe I needed to up it a lot.
Chapter 14
Layla
The morning went by before I could blink twice. I'd gone to my strategic marketing class and business analytics, which made me want to gouge my eyes out. I loved marketing and design, but having to look at the numbers and figure out what made a business succeed or not was the pits.
I walked into DeAngelos just before lunch and glanced around, hoping to find Jacob in his uniform. We were meeting for lunch like we did once a week. He was a good friend, and someone I could talk to without having to worry at all what I said. He didn't know my past and probably wouldn't be a huge part of my future, but he belonged to now.
"Looking for someone to rock your world?" Strong hands ran over my shoulders and sent chills racing up my back.
"Yes. I'd pay top dollar." I turned around and smiled at the handsome playboy. "You free for the night?"
"For you? Yes." He wagged his eyebrows. "Just ask Em if she's good with it."
"On second thought, never mind." I pushed at his stomach. "You eating lunch with me, or waiting on me hand and foot?"
"Can I do both?" He walked with me toward a booth at the back of the restaurant. Most of the other tables were filled up, which was a good thing. Jacob's dad had been working hard to bring in customers. Whatever they were doing seemed to be working.
"You sure can." I got into my side of the booth. "I'll take a Coke and a cheese pizza."
"Salad today?" He pressed his hands to the edge of the table and watched me closely.
"Nope." I smiled.
"Coming up for the prettiest lady in the restaurant." He spun around on his heel and walked toward the kitchen. "Em's not here. You can hold her title today."
I snorted and pulled out my phone. I was glad he'd found Emily. He needed to know he was worth a lot more than some random chick pawing at him one night and walking out the next morning without looking back. He'd been through some shit, and from my understanding, Emily had too. They were a good match. Everyone was a good match... everyone but me.
"Why are you frowning?" Jacob put a Coke down in front of me and slipped into the booth across from me. "I leave for five minutes and you're frowning."
"I was thinking about you and Emily." I shrugged.
"Jealous already?"
"No." I rolled my eyes. "I mean, yeah, I'm jealous at how good you guys are doing, but that's it. Aubrey and Lucas are getting married. Tasha and Micah were at the coffee shop I went with Coach Warren to yesterday, looking so stupid cute."
"Awwww... you wanna boyfriend?" He reached across the table and patted my hand like my grandmother might.
"Watch it." I gave him an aggressive glare.
"Hot." He winked and leaned back in the booth. "You know Jayce Moore thinks you’re the epitome of perfection. Where I don't like you living with the guy, I still think he's a pretty cool cat."
"Whatever." I picked up my drink and took a sip. "Why don't you like me living there?"
"You're like a sister to me, Lay. What if you get drunk and he takes advantage of you? That's not really hard to do seeing that you guys have bedrooms side by side." He gave me a knowing look.
"Jayce Moore has been in my life since I could walk. He's never tried anything on me, and I promise you, I've given him a thousand chances to try something." I set the Coke down and glanced around.
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