Page 73 of Sinister Secrets

Jake reaches me just as my feet hit the ground. He grabs me by the waist, spinning me around in an only mildly nausea-inducing circle before giving me the kiss I’ve been dreaming about all day. By the time it’s done, I’m left breathless.

“You did it?” I ask.

“We did it!”

His lips crush against mine again. I throw my arms around his neck, weaving my fingers through his hair as he wraps me in an embrace that somehow manages to draw all the aches and pains from my body. I push everything that’s been going on from my mind so I can enjoy the moment.

But it’s interrupted by another vehicle’s approach. I crack an eye open, frown as Chelsea’s battered sedan pulls up.

“Hey. What’s going on?”

Every muscle in Jake’s body goes rigid. He releases me and turns to face her.

“I thought you’d be gone by now,” he snaps, his tone uncharacteristically harsh. I give him a sharp look, trying to relay that he should tone it down, but he doesn’t seem to notice.

“Yeah, about that. I’m going to need a couple more days.”

Jake’s jaw audibly pops as it clenches. “That’s great,” he says, though I can tell by his tone that it’s anything but.

I don’t get why he’s so upset. What difference is a couple more days going to make?

“Really?” Chelsea beams.

“Yeah. That means you’ll be able to take care of the animals this weekend, right?”

“That’s what I’m here for. Whatever you need.”

“Perfect. I’m taking Cassie away for the weekend.”

He turns to me. Though he’s smiling, there’s a tightness to his expression that betrays how tense he is. It eases as he looks at me. “Go pack a bag.”

“Are you serious?” I ask, feeling a thrill at the idea of some uninterrupted alone time with him—and suddenly understanding his less than welcoming reaction to Chelsea.

The strain vanishes, pushed aside by his lopsided grin. “It doesn’t need to hold much. Maybe just a toothbrush.”

Fifteen minutes later, we’re in his truck, headed toward his condo. He stares out the windshield with an intensity that lets me know he’s got something important on his mind. Not wanting to interrupt, I look out the window, watching the miles disappear behind us in the side mirror.

Though I’d never admit it, this weekend away has me nervous. Or should I say it’s the timing of it that makes me uneasy. It feels like so much is hanging in the balance right now. How will I feel if I was enjoying myself while my career was crumbling into ruin?

I lean back, studying the profile of the man beside me, knowing that we need this. We’ve earned it. At least one of us should be rewarded for our hard work. Monday, I’ll learn my fate, but until then, I’m going to do my best to put it out of my mind and enjoy this time with the man I love.

As he pulls into his assigned spot in the condo’s parking lot, he glances over, catching me watching him. Gives me that grin of his that makes me feel breathless and weak. In an instant he’s out and rounding the vehicle, opening my door and helping me down from his truck. Slinging the strap of my bag over his shoulder, he takes me by the hand and leads me inside.

As we step past the two doormen, my posture straightens. I run a hand self-consciously over my T-shirt, the opulence of the lobby never failing to make me feel out of place. Jake’s usually at ease here, but there’s still a tightness to his features that shouldn’t be there as we step inside the elevator. I sneak peeks at him in the reflection of the metal doors, trying to figure out how to broach what’s wrong, because it’s obvious that something is.

I try to catch his eye as we arrive at our floor but fail, though his hand tightens around mine as we walk to his unit, as if he knows there’s a question on my lips. The sense that something’s wrong grows inside me. As soon as the door closes behind us, I turn to face him, hoping for an explanation.

“I’ll figure out where we’re going while I’m packing, I promise. I just need a few more minutes.”

Is that what has him so worried? Crossing my arms, I give him my most stubborn look, the one a little goat taught me.

“I’m sorry,” he says, looking away. “I just want to make sure it’s somewhere special.”

“This is all the special I need. I’m not going anywhere.”

“But…” Seeing the resolve on my face, he exhales deeply, like a heavy weight’s been lifted from him. “Should I make a reservation for dinner, then?”

“Can’t we order in?”