aloud while roleplaying a conversation between them. Then abruptly, Jake said, “That does it. I have to tell her.” He marched toward the front door, looking steadily straight ahead to avoid any eye contact.
“Hey, Jake, where are you going?” Isaiah called from down the corridor.
“Just out.”
Jake jogged to his SUV, got in, and sped toward Alexandra’s home. Within less than fifteen minutes, he had turned the corner onto Bay Bridge Drive. However, when he spotted the unfamiliar truck parked directly in front of her house, all of his deeply rooted suspicions instantly felt a lot more like reality. His stomach twisted into a constricting knot at the thought of Alexandra having found someone new.
With shaky hands, Jake parked his SUV behind the guest’s truck and then remained behind the wheel to contemplate his next move. I can’t go in now , he thought. But maybe it’s better to get it over with.
Jake got out and thought about slamming the door to announce his arrival before opting to close it with a whisper. He stepped softly up Alexandra’s front walk and stood staring at her Spanish-style front door. Jake inched his thumb toward the doorbell but hesitated. He then made a fist, considered knocking, and stalled again. Instead, he took a step backward, turned, and walked toward his vehicle.
“Jake?” Alexandra’s angelic voice reached his ears.
He returned to her doorstep and saw her looking out at him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked him through the screen.
“I-I was worried about you.”
Alexandra opened the door and stepped aside so he could enter. “Please, come in. Let’s sit down.”
Alexandra took a seat on one end of her white, down-filled sofa, encircled by a multitude of plump throw pillows. She closed her study Bible and placed it upon the coffee table. Jake maneuvered several pillows aside to make room on the opposite end while watching Alexandra bury her bare feet under a Mexican serape-style blanket. The hand-loomed rainbow of colors was bright against the crisp white of her sofa.
“I’m sorry,” Alexandra said as she pushed back the blanket. “Would you like something to drink?”
Jake reached to recover her feet. “No, please stay where you are. I’m fine.” He paused before adding, “Thank you, though.”
Alexandra smiled warmly. “You’re welcome.”
Silence, followed by several quick smiles from each. Then more silence.
“Why did you stop by?” Alexandra finally prompted. “Didn’t Kathryn tell you I called in?”
Jake nodded. “Dumb, huh? I don’t know.” He shrugged and struggled to appear casual. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Alexandra’s lips curved in a tired smile that barely reached her eyes. “I’m just exhausted,” she said. “I needed a day off to do nothing.”
“To me you look beautiful.”
“Your timing is less than perfect,” she teased. “Here I am with no makeup and my hair in a ponytail.”
“You don’t need any makeup,” he told her, “and I like your hair in a ponytail.”
“You are one sweet man, Mr. Taylor.”
When Jake saw the sparkle return to her eyes, he decided to take a chance. “Alex?”
She waited.
“I also wanted to talk to you about something.”
Alexandra inhaled audibly.
“Is it bad timing again?” Jake questioned.
“Yes and no. I just don’t think I can force my brain to focus on anything right now. I need to a day to read, to relax, and do nothing else.”
Jake jumped to his feet. “Why of course! I completely understand. I can’t believe what a goof I am. All you wanted is a day off, and here I am bothering you.”
“Seeing you will never be a bother,” she said sweetly. “I could make you some lunch.”
“Not today. I absolutely forbid it.” Jake shook his head vigorously, then leaned down from the waist to kiss her forehead. “You rest up, and I’ll take a rain check on the lunch.”
“Okay, if you’re sure?”
“I’m absolutely, positively sure.
“Hey, Jake, where are you going?” Isaiah called from down the corridor.
“Just out.”
Jake jogged to his SUV, got in, and sped toward Alexandra’s home. Within less than fifteen minutes, he had turned the corner onto Bay Bridge Drive. However, when he spotted the unfamiliar truck parked directly in front of her house, all of his deeply rooted suspicions instantly felt a lot more like reality. His stomach twisted into a constricting knot at the thought of Alexandra having found someone new.
With shaky hands, Jake parked his SUV behind the guest’s truck and then remained behind the wheel to contemplate his next move. I can’t go in now , he thought. But maybe it’s better to get it over with.
Jake got out and thought about slamming the door to announce his arrival before opting to close it with a whisper. He stepped softly up Alexandra’s front walk and stood staring at her Spanish-style front door. Jake inched his thumb toward the doorbell but hesitated. He then made a fist, considered knocking, and stalled again. Instead, he took a step backward, turned, and walked toward his vehicle.
“Jake?” Alexandra’s angelic voice reached his ears.
He returned to her doorstep and saw her looking out at him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked him through the screen.
“I-I was worried about you.”
Alexandra opened the door and stepped aside so he could enter. “Please, come in. Let’s sit down.”
Alexandra took a seat on one end of her white, down-filled sofa, encircled by a multitude of plump throw pillows. She closed her study Bible and placed it upon the coffee table. Jake maneuvered several pillows aside to make room on the opposite end while watching Alexandra bury her bare feet under a Mexican serape-style blanket. The hand-loomed rainbow of colors was bright against the crisp white of her sofa.
“I’m sorry,” Alexandra said as she pushed back the blanket. “Would you like something to drink?”
Jake reached to recover her feet. “No, please stay where you are. I’m fine.” He paused before adding, “Thank you, though.”
Alexandra smiled warmly. “You’re welcome.”
Silence, followed by several quick smiles from each. Then more silence.
“Why did you stop by?” Alexandra finally prompted. “Didn’t Kathryn tell you I called in?”
Jake nodded. “Dumb, huh? I don’t know.” He shrugged and struggled to appear casual. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Alexandra’s lips curved in a tired smile that barely reached her eyes. “I’m just exhausted,” she said. “I needed a day off to do nothing.”
“To me you look beautiful.”
“Your timing is less than perfect,” she teased. “Here I am with no makeup and my hair in a ponytail.”
“You don’t need any makeup,” he told her, “and I like your hair in a ponytail.”
“You are one sweet man, Mr. Taylor.”
When Jake saw the sparkle return to her eyes, he decided to take a chance. “Alex?”
She waited.
“I also wanted to talk to you about something.”
Alexandra inhaled audibly.
“Is it bad timing again?” Jake questioned.
“Yes and no. I just don’t think I can force my brain to focus on anything right now. I need to a day to read, to relax, and do nothing else.”
Jake jumped to his feet. “Why of course! I completely understand. I can’t believe what a goof I am. All you wanted is a day off, and here I am bothering you.”
“Seeing you will never be a bother,” she said sweetly. “I could make you some lunch.”
“Not today. I absolutely forbid it.” Jake shook his head vigorously, then leaned down from the waist to kiss her forehead. “You rest up, and I’ll take a rain check on the lunch.”
“Okay, if you’re sure?”
“I’m absolutely, positively sure.
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