Jake rested on the couch at Rick and Harmony’s, watching some robot cartoon show Nick had left on before he went to play in his room. Jake’s foot was set and his cuts were healing. He hadn’t even had to stay overnight at the hospital, but he still felt like he’d been zip-lined and run over by a herd of cattle. They’d confirmed three fractures in his foot but his rock-hard head was fine. He couldn’t get Claire’s words out of it, though.
She’d looked so frightened when she’d rushed into that room. Her face had been sweet and dear and concerned. And then she’d let loose like Mussolini from the balcony. Her words had cut him worse than any fall from an obstacle could. Two days after his fall, and he still felt like he was on that swinging bridge.
“How’s the foot?”
He glanced up at his brother, who was just coming in from work. “Can’t kick.”
Rick’s face broke into a smile. “Funny. Head still hurt?”
“Not too much. Harmony’s been making sure I take my meds.”
Rick nodded as he set his keys on the counter. “So what are you going to do about it?”
“About what?”
His brother snorted and came to sit on the chair next to the couch. “Seriously? About the situation with Claire.”
“There is no situation with Claire.”
“Right.”
“You heard her, bro. You heard the things she said. She doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.”
Rick stared at him for a beat. “Oh my God, you’re so stupid.”
Jake frowned. “What are you talking about? She told me to go, Rick. To get the hell away from her.”
“Did you hear the other things she said? How you don’t have any regard for the people who love you?”
“Yeah, so?” Realization dawned on him like the sunrise on their last morning together. “I’m an idiot.”
“Yep.”
Jake stared at his brother. “Do you really think she loves me?”
“Yes, though I have to wonder if you’re too stupid to love her back.”
Jake’s smile made his lip split a little but he couldn’t keep it in. “No way, bro. I’m not that stupid.”
“Good.” Rick grabbed the remote and started flipping through the channels. “Maybe another Chapman has a chance at this happiness stuff. It’s pretty awesome, by the way.”
“Yeah,” Jake answered.
But his mind was on Claire and on just how he could show her he wanted what they had to last forever.
***
Claire turned off her computer and sat back. Another week’s work done. She’d thought a lot about Mr. Forbes’ words on the afternoon of Jake’s accident two weeks ago, and was trying to secure a loan to get the car back. She really didn’t want to stretch herself so thin by taking on private clients through the tax season. It was mind-breaking work and it was bad enough she was facing a long lonely winter. She shouldn’t have to face it wiped out too.
Friday night. Tomorrow was the day she’d thought to go to Cally’s. At least for a short visit. She couldn’t keep freezing him out. She just wasn’t built that way. She’d proved that to Jake and his family on that horrible night in the emergency room.
God, she’d carried on like a crazy person. She hadn’t heard from Jake since, but that wasn’t surprising. He’d never contacted her after she’d ended things. Why would he now that she’d practically ripped him a new one?
Rick had since told her that Jake had stayed at their house for a few days before going back out to the tent-cabin just the other day. He had a walking cast and the doctors expected him to have no lasting effects from his accident.
“Accident,” she grumbled. “Deliberate daredevil baloney, was more like it.”
Claire gathered her things and stepped outside to get into her car. A lovely autumn evening promised her a nice brood on the front porch as she contemplated what she was going to do with the rest of her life.
As she pulled up to her house her mouth fell open. There at the curb, resting in all its loveliness, was the Thunderbird.
“What the heck?” she murmured.
She stopped her car and stepped out, gaping at the car. It glistened in the soft light of the sunset and she reached out a hand to caress its rear fender. How did it get here? She hadn’t yet secured payment to get it back from the collector.
“It’s yours, Claire.”
She jumped at the sound of Jake’s voice. He stood on her porch, leaning against the post and resting his plastic-booted foot on the step.
“What did you say?”
“It’s yours. I got it back for you.”
“I… You what? This isn’t…” Words slammed together in her head but she couldn’t seem to form a coherent sentence. “I don’t get it.”
Jake thumped down the steps and walked toward her, swinging his injured foot as he came. She saw little evidence of his accident other than the boot. His cuts and bruises looked like they were pretty much healed. He looked at gorgeous as ever, with that light stubble on his cheeks and those eyes of his.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “Not to Boston. Not to Europe. I’m staying here.”
She looked at the car again, then back at Jake. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I want this.”
She blinked. “My car?”
He laughed, his eyes sparkling now. “No. I want what we have. I want to be with you.”
His words stunned her. She stood stock still as he came up and wrapped his arms around her. In the next second she melted against him with a sigh. Oh, she could smell him. “Do you mean it?”
He kissed her temple. “Yes. I love you, too.”
“Hmm.” She pulled back to peer up at him. “You love me? Too?”
“Yes.” He touched her face and smiled wider. “I remembered what you said when you were yelling at me, Claire. You love me.”
She thought to deny it, then she laughed. “I do.”
He kissed her lips and she moaned softly as she tasted him again. How she’d missed him!
Pushing gently, she held him at arms’ length. “But how did you know about the car?”
“Mr. Forbes told me.”
She groaned. “He told you? When?”
“When I asked him if he knew what I could do to win you back.”
“Oh my God, you asked him that?”
“Yep. Seems he’s quite the romantic. Who knew?”
“But how did you know where it was?”
He turned her and started walking her toward the house. “I went to see your father.”
Shame burned in her cheeks. “Cally. You went to see Cally?”
“He loves you, Claire. He’s made a ton of mistakes but he loves you.” Jake smiled again, stopping to take her hands in his. “Almost as much as I do.”
“Well, I have to pay you back for the car.”
“You don’t. Consider it a wedding present.”
She laughed. “Right.”
She continued up the steps but when he wasn’t beside her she turned back. “Do you need help up the stairs?”
“No.”
“Then why are you standing there?”
“Because I can’t get down on one knee with this damn boot on my foot.”
“Down on one knee?” Her hand flew up to her chest and she gasped. “Oh.”
“Marry me, Claire? I promise I won’t put myself at risk again.” He winked. “At too much of a risk, anyway.”
She ran back to him and threw herself into his arms, only easing her hold when she felt him teetering a little. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I love you.”
“Good.” He held her close. “Now let’s get inside.”
“The climax couch?” she asked in a whisper.
Jake laughed that low, sexy laugh and the two of them went inside.