Let it out.”
“I can’t lose my shit. I need my shit to be bound up real tight—totally constipated—so I don’t freak the boys out tonight. They saw me crying over This is Us a few weeks ago and they couldn’t take it. I had to quit that show. They can’t see me like this.” Determined words were one thing, but feelings were another. Tears continued to stream down my face. It seemed I could deny them all I wanted, but they would fall no matter what I said. “Damn it. Please don’t let him screw up the coffee. I need it real bad.”
She laughed. “I’ll make more if he does,” she soothed. Rose flicked my scrunchie out of my hair and smoothed it back with her palm. I glanced at the clock above the fireplace. I had a good three hours before school was out and I had to see the boys. There would be plenty of time to fix my face and depuff my eyes. I settled into Rose for the long haul.
“Coffee is ready,” Jake announced.
“You’re awesome.” The smile in Rose’s voice was audible. I peeped through the wide weave of Gram’s afghan and saw him step through the arched entrance bearing my silver coffee service. It smelled heavenly.
“We’ll skip lunch together today. But I will take a raincheck.” He grinned, then bent to place the tray on the coffee table.
“’Kay,” I agreed and sat up. As I looked around more tears fell. “You know, I never loved this house,” I sobbed. “It’s way too big and fancy. When the boys were little, I was always afraid I would lose one of them in here.”
The sofa depressed next to me as Jake sat down. “You did lose Finn once, remember? During hide and seek at their sixth birthday party. He fell asleep right there, behind that coat rack you used to have next to the stairs.” Rose leaned across me and smacked Jake on the leg.
“I remember that!” she cried. “Finn used to be such a sneaky little booger.”
I choked on a laugh, the sound coming through my tears making me sound unhinged. “He really was. He kinda still is.” I watched wide-eyed as Jake leaned forward to pour coffee into my favorite mug. He added a scant half teaspoon of sugar and a perfectly sized splash of cream. After stirring it only once, he handed it to me.
“Do you still take it like this?”
“Yeah, this is exactly how I like it. Thanks,” I whispered. Rose nudged the crap out of my side. I elbowed her back and shot her a glare.
Twinkling eyes met mine when I turned back to Jake. “You’re so picky I don’t think I’ll ever forget,” he said.
“You’re a good friend, Jake.” I smiled as I sank back into the cushions and sipped the coffee. “This is perfect.”
“You deserve nothing less, Vi. Don’t forget that. I’d better get back to the office.” He stood. “I’ll be in Sweetbriar indefinitely for work, so don’t hesitate to call me. That goes for the boys, too.”
“What would I do without you?” I murmured, suddenly struck with the crazy thought that I would miss Jake more than Tom if he ever left my life. It’s just gratitude and nostalgia mixing in with the anger—that’s all it is.
“Sweetheart.” His smile hit me someplace I’d never felt him before, and I shivered. “You’ll never have to find out. Take care of our girl, Rose.”
“I will.” She grinned at him and I laughed as I flashed back to twelve-year-old Rose’s awe-filled grin the first time she met Jake all those years ago. He flicked two fingers out in a wave, then turned to leave. “You’re not going to have a choice in this,” she whispered. “You’re gonna end up in love with him someday whether you like it or not. Shoot, I’m halfway in love with him and I just married the love of my life, dream-come-true Trevor. And you should hear the way Mom talks about him every time she works with him on a charity in town. He’s one of the good guys, Vi.”
“I know he is. But let’s not get carried away.” She was totally going to get carried away. I could already sense it happening; they all would. No one in this family knew how to mind their own business. The Barrett family was nosy and it started right at the top with my mother.
“I won’t, I promise.” She smiled and crossed her heart, laughing when I