“Someone needs to,” Jacob murmured.
I ignored his comment. “She’s also ready for anything. Just as excited to try new things as I am. Challenging me to push harder. She makes me a better man.”
Mom’s hand was pressed to her lips. She had that look that could only be described as a proud mom look everyone knew and loved. The one that you got when you scored a goal in soccer, when you graduated college, when you opened your first hotel, and apparently when you fell in love.
“She sounds like a much better fit for you than Ivette,” Dad said.
Mom shook her head. “That woman was too controlling and not a good match for your free spirit.”
“That woman had a stick up her ass,” Jacob said.
“Language,” both Lily and Mom reprimanded.
Jacob held his hands up in surrender.
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Mom said.
“I can’t wait either.”
The thought of Olivia at this long formal table filled with laughter and love had my heart stretched too big in the confines of my chest. She’d slide perfectly into my life. I ached to have her here, but all that excitement at imagining her by my side was always dimmed by the complications of our relationship. I wanted to ignore them, but the deeper we got, the harder it became to pretend nothing stood between us.
“Make sure you bring her next time,” Mom ordered.
I swallowed, and my smile slipped. “Of course, Mom. She’d love to come.”
I was sure my hesitation was too quick to notice, except when I looked across the table, Jacob was staring back, questions written all over his face, and I knew I wasn’t getting home without him grilling me.
Conversation moved on to everyone else around the table, and I managed to avoid Jacob’s interrogation until each of us had a beer in hand, sitting in the rocking chairs on the back porch. He let me enjoy the night for a moment, looking out over Mom’s dimly lit oasis she’d created in our large backyard.
I was about halfway done with my beer when he finally spoke up.
“So, what’s wrong?”
Deny, deny, deny.
“Nothing’s wrong.”
His stare burned into the side of my head. “Really? Because as soon as Mom brought up bringing this mysterious woman who’s ensnared you, you shut down.”
“Nerves, I guess. Haven’t brought anyone home since Ivette.”
“Bullshit. Fess up.”
I drained the rest of my beer and held off answering, as long as I could. These doubts and concerns over Olivia and I had been locked inside, and I hadn’t realized until that moment how much I needed to say them out loud. I needed someone to tell me I wasn’t insane for loving her. Usually, the person I’d go to was Daniel, but obviously, that was out of the question.
So, letting it all come out to Jacob sounded damn good right then.
“She’s twenty-one.”
Jacob choked on his beer, lunging forward, so he didn’t spill on himself as he coughed up a lung.
I clenched my jaw while he was folded in half, a mixture of coughing and laughter shaking his body.
“No wonder she’s full of life. She’s a baby.”
“She’s not a baby,” I ground out.
Jacob wiped his eyes and finally looked up to find how serious this was to me. “You really do care about her.”
My heart rolled around in my chest. “More than any woman I’ve been with.”
He leaned back with a groan, swiping his hand across his face. “Listen, Alex. If she makes you happy, then so be it. You’re both adults, and it doesn’t matter what people think.”
Some of the weight crushing my chest lifted, and I breathed in the crisp night air.
“Besides, Mom always wanted another granddaughter.”
He scooted his chair back, barely missing the slap to the side of the head, I reached to deliver. “Fuck off,” I growled. But I also smiled, not able to help myself from joining in on Jacob’s laughter.
A few more minutes passed, and I had to decide whether to be completely honest or to enjoy the relief of Jacob’s approval. In the end, I knew I’d be confessing all my sins. I wasn’t a man to hide from admitting my faults, and I didn’t want to hide behind a half-truth to make myself feel better.
“There’s one more thing. She’s D’s niece.” Jacob’s chair stopped rocking, but I didn’t look to see his expression. I knew it couldn’t be anything good. “And she doesn’t want to tell him.”
The silence stretched on until I thought I would scream just to break it, but before I could snap, his chair began rocking again.
“You are truly fucked.”
Damn. I’d hoped for anything other than confirmation that this was a goddamn mess.
“I know,” I admitted wearily.
“Is this just a fling? Maybe some daddy issues?”
“No,” I grumbled. “She doesn’t have daddy issues. Why would you say that?”
“Because she’s twenty-one, Kent. I couldn’t settle on what I wanted for dinner at twenty-one, let alone a solid relationship.”