Chapter 169
The day started like any other, or so I thought. I was in the kitchen with Sophie and Fatima, the twins playing on their mat nearby. Logan was chewing on a stuffed wolf while Lily babbled at a block tower she had just demolished. Sophie was sipping her coffee, a mischievous glint in her eye, while Fatima busied herself cutting fruit, humming softly.
“Jake left early today, huh?” I asked casually, glancing at Sophie.
“Yep, gone all day,” she said with a wave of her hand, her tone far too nonchalant.
I didn’t think much of it, trusting Sophie’s word. If Jake was gone, I could relax a little—no risk of him brooding in the corner, silently making me question everything with one smoldering glance.
I had planned to take a long shower, one of those therapeutic ones where I let the water wash away the stress of everything. Except, when I turned the knob in my bathroom, nothing happened. Not a drop.
“Seriously?” I muttered, fiddling with the handle as if sheer willpower would summon the water. But it was no use.
“That shower’s been acting up,” Sophie said when I stomped back into the kitchen.
“Would’ve been nice to know that before I stripped down,” I muttered, grabbing a banana from the counter.
“You could use Jake’s,” Fatima suggested, her voice so casual it raised my suspicions.
“Jake’s?”
Sophie chimed in, her tone way too innocent. “Yeah, he’s not here, remember? His shower works fine. Just grab a towel from his bathroom and you’re good.”
I hesitated, but Sophie’s logic made sense. Jake wasn’t home, and I really needed that shower.
Fifteen minutes later, I was in Jake’s bathroom, marveling at how ridiculously masculine it was. Everything was sleek and dark, and it smelled faintly of cedarwood and something distinctly Jake. I tried not to think about that as I stepped into the steaming water, letting the heat relax my muscles.
When I finished, I reached for a towel—only to find an empty rack. My eyes narrowed. Sophie had been far too eager to suggest Jake’s shower. Suspiciously eager.
“Sophie,” I muttered under my breath, wrapping the only available towel around me—a small, barely-there hand towel.
I stepped out of the bathroom, clutching the towel tightly as I made a beeline for the hallway. If I could just make it to my room—
“Planning a new fashion trend?”
I froze, mortified, as Jake’s deep voice filled the hallway. Slowly, I turned to find him standing there, his shirt unbuttoned as if he’d just come from training. His eyes widened slightly as he took in my predicament, a flicker of something I couldn’t quite place crossing his face before he looked away, clearing his throat.
“I thought you weren’t home,” I blurted, my voice a mix of embarrassment and accusation.
“I was,” he said, his tone calm but his gaze firmly fixed on the floor. “Sophie didn’t mention that?”
Of course, she didn’t.
Jake rubbed the back of his neck, his expression a mix of awkwardness and amusement. “Need...a bigger towel?”
My cheeks burned. “Yes, please.”
He nodded once, disappearing into his room and returning a moment later with a large, fluffy towel. He handed it to me without meeting my eyes, his ears tinged pink.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, quickly wrapping it around myself.
“You, uh...you left the shower running,” he said, his voice low.
“Oh.” My mortification deepened. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine,” he said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Just...next time, maybe check if I’m here first.”
I fled to my room, shutting the door behind me and leaning against it, my heart racing. I couldn’t believe Sophie had set me up like that.
As if on cue, Sophie appeared, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “So, how was the shower?”
“You’re evil,” I hissed, throwing a pillow at her.
She dodged it, laughing. “Admit it, though. It was kind of funny.”
Fatima popped her head in, holding Logan. “What’s funny?”
“Sophie set me up,” I grumbled, grabbing a brush and starting to work through my damp hair.
Fatima’s eyes lit up. “You mean the Jake setup? She told me about that this morning.”
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “You’re both the worst.”
Fatima sat on the edge of my bed, her grin matching Sophie’s. “But you’re blushing. So, mission accomplished.”
Later that day, I found myself in the kitchen again, helping Fatima prepare lunch. Jake walked in, freshly showered, his hair damp and his shirt clinging to him in all the right ways. I quickly looked away, focusing intently on slicing cucumbers.
“Need help?” he asked, his voice soft.
I glanced up, surprised. “Sure. You can chop the tomatoes.”
He stepped beside me, his presence immediately commanding the space. We worked in silence for a while, the only sounds the clinking of knives against cutting boards and the occasional laugh from the twins in the other room.
“You’re good with them,” Jake said suddenly, nodding toward the twins.
I smiled. “They’re easy to love.”
He looked at me then, his gaze steady. “So are you.”
My breath hitched, and I turned back to the cucumbers, my face heating. Jake wasn’t one for compliments, so when he did say something like that, it felt...significant.
Before I could respond, Sophie burst into the kitchen, Logan on her hip and a mischievous grin on her face. “Am I interrupting something?”
“No,” Jake and I said simultaneously, making Sophie laugh.
“Right,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Because that wasn’t the most awkwardly adorable thing I’ve ever walked in on.”
“Go away, Sophie,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
She smirked but left, leaving Jake and me in a charged silence.
“She enjoys this way too much,” Jake muttered, a small smile playing on his lips.
“She does,” I agreed, laughing softly.
As the day wore on, the awkwardness between us faded, replaced by an easy camaraderie that felt...nice. Jake wasn’t a man of many words, but his actions spoke volumes. He carried Logan on his shoulders, making the little boy giggle uncontrollably. He helped Lily build a block tower, his patience infinite as she knocked it over again and again.
Watching him with the twins, I couldn’t help but feel a warmth spreading through me. Jake was more than just the brooding Alpha; he was kind, protective, and surprisingly gentle.
That evening, after the twins were asleep, I found myself sitting on the porch, the cool night air brushing against my skin. Jake joined me, a mug of tea in his hand.
“You’re quiet tonight,” he said, his voice soft.
“Just thinking,” I replied, glancing up at the stars.
“About?”
I hesitated before answering. “About how much has changed. How much I’ve changed since coming here.”
Jake was silent for a moment, his gaze thoughtful. “Change isn’t always a bad thing,” he said finally.
“No,” I agreed. “It’s not.”
We sat there in comfortable silence, the night wrapping around us like a blanket. And for the first time in a long time, I felt at peace.
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