Twisted Up (Taking Chances #1) - Erin Nicholas Page 0,80

only in the sense that it was where he was from. He’d moved on, and she needed to keep that in mind. She needed to be unselfish and happy. For him, because he was living out his dream, and for all the people he was helping. She couldn’t compete with the big, wide world out there that needed saving.

They drove to Wes and Heidi’s, and Jake dragged the wooden box from the garage, dumping pieces and parts to old soapbox cars onto the driveway. They laid Cooper in the box, still wrapped in the blanket, and put the lid on.

They stood looking down at the box for a couple of minutes. Finally, Avery simply took Jake’s hand.

A sigh went through him, and he squeezed her hand. The idea she might have given a tiny bit of comfort made her want to snuggle up and see how good she could really make him feel. And it was only slightly sexual.

He pulled his phone from his pocket again and dialed, still hanging on to her. A moment later he said, “Hi, Tim. It’s Jake.”

Avery squeezed his hand harder.

“Hey, we were over at the house, and we found Cooper.”

There was a pause as Tim said something.

“No, I’m sorry.”

Another pause.

“Yes, we’re at my dad’s house.”

Another pause.

“See you then.”

He hung up and pocketed his phone.

“They’re on their way back to town. They’re going to stop over and get him.”

Oh. She didn’t know what else to say to that. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

They stood quietly. Finally, she tugged him toward the big wooden bench under the maple tree. She’d read the Little House on the Prairie books on that bench. The memory threatened to cut off her air for a moment, but she pulled Jake down onto the bench beside her. It was a good memory, and it comforted her. She wished she could give some of that to Jake.

He sighed and slumped against the back wooden slats.

She turned, tucking a foot up underneath her, and looked at him. “You did everything you could to find him. That’s what matters. And it’s what makes you so special. You know the truth, you see the destruction, you realize it’s going to take hard work, and you understand it’s not all pretty, but you have hope and optimism. You actually believe things can always get better.”

She knew she was staring at him, but she’d finally put to words the ambiguous thing that drew her to him.

Jake sat up and turned to face her with a frown. “Things always can get better.”

She nodded and bit her bottom lip. She wasn’t sure she should say the rest of this or not.

Oh, what the hell.

“But you don’t always have to be the one making it better.”

She couldn’t have described the look on his face. There was maybe a hint of surprise, as if he were surprised she noticed or said this to him, but there was also a collection of other things like anger and realization and . . . pleasure. That was the strangest of all.

“You’re starting to understand me.”

That seemed to be what he was pleased about.

“I think I might be. You do always think you have to be the one making things better?”

He shrugged. “I don’t think I have to be. I’ve known a lot of great men—my dad, my grandfather, Max, Dillon, just to name a few—who can do everything I can. Maybe better than I can.”

She wasn’t sure she completely agreed that anyone was better than he was. “But?” she prompted.

“But I want to be the one making things better. I want to be the hero. I want to fix everything.”

She looked at him closely. “So you want to be Superman?”

He gave a soft chuckle. “Of course.”

“It’s why you went into the Guard?” she guessed.

“Definitely. I remember my grandfather always being this big hero, and my dad, too. If there was a house fire, my grandfather helped save one family. If there’s an assault or a robbery, my dad helps those people. But what if I could help even more people?” He gave her a wry smile.

Avery couldn’t smile back. She’d known this about him. But hearing him say it made her feel sad while also feeling admiration and, if she was honest, even more drawn to him.

“Chance was never enough for you.”

His expression went serious in an instant. “Chance was . . . is . . . my foundation. Chance is . . .”

“Not big enough,” she filled in when he trailed off.

“Chance is hard on my heart,”

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