Sharks (5 page)

Jacob's jaw clenched. "I'll kill him." He needed to hold on to her, keep her safe from all the evils of the world. He couldn't do that hundreds of miles away from her. She was beautiful, too gorgeous and she was naïve. Despite their friendship and his marathon dating, she had little to no experience with men.

"You know you can't do that--knock him off. You are not some old-time gangster. I'm quitting because I have no other choice."

"He'll win and you don't want to give him that satisfaction. If he can't have you, he's going to be thrilled by your defeat. A man who abuses women gets a kick out of seeing them lose." Gently he rubbed his thumb on her wrists; sparks seemed to fly between them. At least he felt the flames and he wondered if she did too.

She tossed him a sultry grin. "It's April fools day. And somehow I don't feel like a joke. But you do have a bit of ketchup on your--" she reached forward with her napkin, touching him on the side of his lips. "--right here."

"You just wanted to touch me." Did he want her to touch him?

"Nope, you really did."

"I'm going back with you."

~ * ~

"I didn't mean to scare her," Bentley said.

Amanda sat on the couch in Bentley's apartment. "You didn't just scare her, you terrified her and ruined any hope that you two might be able to hook up."

Bentley rested his head in his hands, scrubbing his unshaven face before he looked up, and wishing he could have a do-over. The night had begun with such possibilities. He'd watched Lilly from afar, waiting for just the right time to ask her out. He'd been so patient. He couldn't believe he'd screwed this one up.

"I'm not going to give up. You don't think she will let me apologize?" he said determined to show Lilly he was really a nice guy and not a bumbling idiot.

"No, she's thinking about dropping out." Amanda tossed her hair back then pulled the loose ends into a ponytail.

"Because of what I did?" His gut churned and heaved. He'd never meant for any of that to happen. But it had and now he had to deal with it.

"Oh, yeah…"

"Geez, I'm not an arrogant SOB like everyone thinks." Bentley stared at the dust particles floating in the sunlight. "I have a heart. I don't want everyone to think all I care about is my daddy's money."

"I know that and you know that, but Lilly doesn't and neither does her overprotective friend. And until a few months ago your daddy's money was all that concerned you. Well, and how to spend it."

"You mean Jacob? Are they in love?" Bentley brought his attention back to Amanda. "It's not like you to be mean to me. What's up? Of all the women I've known, you have always been on my side."

"Maybe they are in love, maybe they aren't. Look Bentley, I like you--a lot. But I understand, finally, that you will never fall in love with me. I'm jealous, all right and I don't like the idea of your pursuing my best friend, but I guess I'm going to have to get over it."

"Then you will help me?" Good Lord but he felt like a love sick little school boy whose love had gone viral.

Chapter Three

April 1, 2010

Lilly sat back in the overstuffed chair, closing her eyes and reminiscing.

OMG, has it really been two years since I've seen Jacob? He played my knight in shining armor that
year,
threatening Bentley with what he understood most, money. Only man she knew who had more cash than the creep. And as things turned out, she was really glad Jacob had convinced her to return to school.

Bentley had left me alone. In the few classes I had with him, he'd send me rude, snide glances, but he never said or tried to do anything.

Later that night Jacob had kissed me. It was wonderful, sparks flying, but he received a call from his father and had to leave. He didn't say anything, but I found out later Jacob's dad had a heart attack. He died two days later in his sleep.

I flew back for the funeral, but never had the chance to talk to him. Since then our lives zoomed by in two different directions.

"Lilly, where on earth or outer space has your mind raced?" Amanda asked as she bent over the coffee table to straighten the magazines, lifting them then randomly shuffling them into a different pile.

"Back in time. I wonder…" Lilly sat up rubbing her back and shoulder muscles. She was stiff and sore from her run the day before. From the top of her head to the tips of her toes, her body ached, but it was a good feeling, one she wanted to hang on to for a while.

"When is Jacob going to buy that ticket?" Amanda asked stretching. "It seems he would want to be here for your big day."

"It's not that big a day." Lilly wished he would be here now because she trusted him and could rely on him to listen without judgment. And if she asked, he would advise her. Lilly new he was busy and this trip to Davis came with a cost. She knew he should be out promoting his work. But she guessed everyone needed a vacation. The question was whether or not he knew Bentley had received an internship with the same company.

"A new job? Of course it's important."

"It's an internship. And I was lucky enough to land it here in Davis. I don't have to go to LA. It seems selfish, but I'm so happy for myself." She studied the delicate lines on Amanda's face and the way the sunlight made her dark brown hair shine a little red. Such a quiet self-contained woman, yet she was willing to be a friend when she was needed.

"I would love to live in the city. Exciting--or what? There would be so many places to go and things to see--movie stars," Amanda heaved a huge sigh then went back to her random straightening of the living room.

"Seems more like "or what" to me. I can't stand people. The fewer there are around me the better." Lilly leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling and wishing she could go back to reminiscing.

"No, you like books," Amanda laughed and gave her head a jaunty shake, her hair spilling around her shoulders.

"Back to Jacob. He will be here tomorrow. I have an itinerary planned." Lilly looked down at the notepad she'd been scribbling on a few minutes earlier. The list was short--too short. In all the time she'd been at Davis, she'd never really been anywhere. She'd spent most of her time studying and working. "I don't know where to go."

"Are you picking him up? You can start your sightseeing from the airport."

"No, he's renting a car in Sacramento. I think we might go to Lake Tahoe for a few days. Do you have any ideas? I--"

"Anybody home?"

"Jacob! You are not supposed to be here. I'm not ready for you." Lilly liked the way his smile was slightly curved as well as the little dimple next to it. The same sunlight that had caught Amanda's hair made Jacob's dark brown hair shimmer and his blue eyes twinkle as if he knew a secret he wasn't going to share just yet.

"Want me to go home?" he winked, and his grin grew even bigger if that were possible.

"No! Absolutely not." Lilly threw herself at Jacob, wrapping her arms around him in a giant bear hug. "I am so glad to see you."

"Back at you kiddo. How is life treating you? I assume better than the last time we met."

"I think this is my cue to leave. I'll pick up something at the grocery store." Amanda backed from the room and with a cheerful wave was gone.

Amanda is so sweet. I don't know what I would have done without her.
"I have an internship here. Well, the plant is half way between here and Sacramento. I don't have to move and I'm so excited. It could mean a job in September if they like me." She inhaled a huge breath of air.

"You deserve everything good that comes your way." Jacob swiped a little piece of hair from her eyes, cocking his head slightly. "Let's go get some
FroYo
. I think there is a little shop near here."

"Love it with the berry toppings." Lilly picked up her jacket and slipping it on, started for the door. "What are you going to do next year?"

Jacob grabbed her hand. "Want to walk?"

"Of course. Back to you, Jacob, any plans?"

"Well, I have a showing in Portland and one in San Francisco. I've sold several pieces and I'm going to be employed doing cover art for several publishing houses in New York. I can live anywhere I want to."

"You could move in with Amanda and me. We have a spare bedroom." As hopeful as Lilly felt, she didn't expect a positive answer. The frown lines on his face deepened and she knew immediately he was about to turn her down.

"Always a possibility, but I like my life in Portland. And I was considering a move to Seattle. Love the climate and the atmosphere. It's just a hop skip and a jump to the San Juan's."

"Still the romantic, I see." Lilly plucked a piece of lint from her jacket, wishing she had never brought this line of conversation to his attention. She still felt insecure where men were concerned. Jacob was the only man she trusted and her dating had been nearly nonexistent since the episode with Bentley two years ago.