The Rookie's Second Chance: An Off Limits, Small Town Romance by Jennifer Rivers

Author:Jennifer Rivers [Rivers, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Four

MANDY

When Jake stumbled through the door that night, I was ready—beer in one hand, the other tossing the remote onto the couch. I'd figured out that the way to his heart wasn't through elaborate dinners; it was just being there, being easy to be with.

"What's wrong?" I asked as the evening progressed, trying to keep my voice light as I handed him another beer. He looked like he'd gone ten rounds with life and lost every single one.

He took the beer, a silent thanks in the nod he gave me. "I’m just worried about Kayla," he said, sinking into the armchair like it was a life raft.

"I can imagine," I managed, pouring a bit of sympathy into my words, even though deep down, a tiny voice was chanting 'opportunity.' I shoved it down fast. I wasn't that person, was I?

Jake didn't say much after that, just stared at the TV, not really watching the game. I knew he and Kayla were close—partners or whatever—but he never said much about it. I had my suspicions, but nothing solid.

I sat down on the couch, leaving space between us, a casual gap that said, 'I'm here but not pushing.'

"You want pizza again? I ordered your favorite," I said, hoping the familiar comfort food might bring him back to me.

He finally looked away from the screen, meeting my eyes for a second. "Yeah, pizza sounds good, Mandy. Thanks."

As I set up the pizza and grabbed him a slice, I watched him out of the corner of my eye. He was so damn closed off sometimes. It was like he had this wall, and every time I thought I was making progress, something would send him retreating behind it again.

I handed him a plate, and our fingers brushed. There was a charge there, I swear. But he pulled back too quick for me to be sure. "You gotta take care of yourself, Jake," I said, half-teasing, half-serious. "You're no good to anyone if you run yourself into the ground."

He grunted something that might've been agreement, took a bite of pizza, and for a moment, he just looked like a regular guy, not a officer with the world on his shoulders. "I know, Mandy," he said after swallowing. "Just been a long day."

"You can talk to me, you know," I offered, keeping my tone neutral. "I might not be a detective, but I'm not bad at listening."

He gave me a half-smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I appreciate it, Mandy. Really."

We settled into silence, the noise from the TV filling the room. Part of me wanted to press, to ask more about Kayla, about him, about us—whatever the hell 'us' might be. But I held back.

This was a game of patience, and I was playing the long game. I'd be the friend, the support, the easy company. And maybe, just maybe, when he was ready to look around, to really see who was there for him, he'd realize what he'd been missing.

But as I

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