Sharks (6 page)

"No room for random thought?"

For the moment, though, she pushed her misgivings and fear away. All she wanted to feel was lighthearted. "Sequential and concrete." She loved the sparing they did. "There is an ant on your nose."

"Of course," Jacob grinned from ear to ear, lifting Lilly and twirling her around and around. "It is the first of April."

"Enough," Lilly cried out. "You're making me dizzy. The yogurt shop is just around that corner. Race you."

Lilly didn't know why anyone would race, but it was a habit of there's and she wasn't going to forego tradition just because she was about to graduate college and have a stodgy old job in chemical engineering.

Panting and only a few yards behind Jacob, she stopped in front of the
FroYo
place. "I want mango. I suppose you will go for the boring chocolate."

"No, I'm going to sample everyone of these before I decide." He stepped through the door just ahead of Lilly.

"Oh! Now that is different."

"I've changed, Lilly. We've both changed and hopefully we've grown up." Jacob proceeded to do just that. After trying each sample, he finally decided on the mango topped with berries of all sorts and various candies that were aligned to make a person gain five pounds just by looking at them.

The pair sat in the sun and watched the university students,
profs
and families walk by. Until a shadow fell across the table, Bentley was far from Lilly's mind. When she saw him, she felt color flood her cheeks. For a moment, she lowered her head, willing him away. But he didn't vanish into thin air as she might have wished. Yet her heart skipped in a strange and beguiling way--just like the first time she saw him. She tried to push that thought away--tried to remember why she had been afraid. Only that one time--and had she read his intentions right

Bentley pulled up a chair, turned it around and sat down, resting his arms nonchalantly on the back of it. His persistence and unassuming nature never ceased to amaze her. The grin slanting across his lips was almost angelic. So why did that bother her so much? She suddenly felt strangely weak in the knees.

"Nice seeing you, Lilly," he said smoothly, watching Jacob from the corner of his eye, as if measuring him.

"Go away. Bentley--" She broke off as if she knew what she had to say would mean nothing to the horrid man. When it didn't appear Bentley was going anywhere fast, Lilly picked up her Mango
FroYo
and walked from the table. She had never expected the beast to ruin her afternoon in Davis. But his appearance had done just that. She wondered if Jacob would guess who had sat down, uninvited at their table. She felt the heat from Jacob's gaze sear her back.

"Lilly, wait what's…" He stopped as if he were suddenly confused and yes, irritated with her.

The rustle of a chair pushed back on the cement patio sent chills down her spine. Was it Jacob or Bentley who followed? She had to know it was Jacob. But Bentley was a smooth operator, and she wouldn't be surprised to have both of them get up to follow. Over the last two years, she'd managed to avoid Bentley and when she'd had classes with him, she'd kept her distance.

"You're a coward, Lilly." She heard Bentley's low hoarse voice behind her. "Didn't think you were afraid of me. Geez, Lilly, what do I have to do? Give me a chance to prove myself to you."

For a minute Lilly wished she was the kind of person who could come up with a quick retort or a funny saying, but she wasn't. She always thought of something to say hours later. Could Bentley be different than my perception of him? Jacob always told her she was stubborn to a fault sometimes.

"Who is that?" Jacob steered her by her elbow and away from Bentley. "You do have a good reason for your rude behavior." His eyes flashed a strange fire and widened as if he was in disbelief. Of course he'd never seen her rudeness, but he'd never seen her around Bentley either. Thank God.

"You're not my mother." Jacob didn't deserve her back talk. Lord knows he's only trying to help me.

"No, but I thought I was someone you could confide in."

His voice was flat and Lilly knew how much she'd hurt him. But she was cold inside, frozen to the bone even though the temperature was near eighty degrees. "Not now, please."

"When?" Jacob asked, stopping her and with his hand on her shoulder turning her around to face him.

"When hell freezes over." Lilly stopped walking. Starting something now, when this was all in her past, was not something Lilly wanted. She didn't like the look on Jacob's face when he registered her last comment. "Look, I'm sorry. But I just don't want to relive history."

"Do I know this guy?"

"Yes and no. I'll enlighten you if you promise me you won't act on what I tell you." Her heart thundered in her chest and sweat beaded on her forehead.

"I'm not promising anything." Jacob's expression was grim.

~ * ~

A few hours later Jacob watched the girl in the bright yellow dress bump, grind and gyrate to the music. His attention shifted to the man who had stopped by to see them at the
FroYo
place. It had to be Bentley. He ran his fingers through his hair feeling the frustration and impatience from this afternoon mount. If this was Bentley, he didn't appear to be a man to let Lilly get away. To Jacob, he seemed nice enough, polite,
considerate
--but that could be a façade. He had a strange feeling about the year to come. Perhaps he should consider moving in with Lilly and Amanda.

"Oh, my poor ear drums," Lilly moaned, covering her ears with her hands and closing her eyes. "The music is so loud I can't hear myself think."

"We don't have to stay," Jacob told her, feeling much the same way. He needed to have a long drawn out discussion with Lilly.

"Of course we do. I see the way you've been ogling Ms. yellow tube top." When Lilly smiled the sight was infectious.

"Have not." He could deny this until dooms day, but Lilly was right. Ms. Yellow tube top was a real
hottie
. He could see himself with her.

"Who's your BFF here? She is definitely a trophy for a one-night stand. Tell me, do you think she would be someone to bring home and meet the mom?" Lilly's eyes twinkled with mischief as well as humor.

"I've only ever brought one woman home to meet the family and that was when my dad was still alive."

"Me?" Lilly mouthed. "I'm the only woman who you have brought home? I don't think I believe you."

Jacob nodded, stirring his drink and changing his focus to different parts of the dance floor. Lilly was right. She had him pegged and could probably pick out his favorite girl for the night. But he had long since grown tired of the women in his life. He had an uncanny knack of picking out completely unsuitable women. He should look for someone who was more like Lilly.
Not that Lilly wasn't attractive
, she was beautiful and smart. He never picked up on the smart ones. He made a mental note to himself.

"The man from this afternoon is here. Is he stalking you?" Jacob felt the tension ooze through his pores.

"Coincidence. It's a Friday night and there are not very many places to go for a night of dancing and music."

"This is Bentley, the man who tried to rape you." Jacob pointed to the tall dark haired man who was sitting next to a young lady but whose gaze was riveted on Lilly.

"Yes," Lilly slowly looked up from her drink, eyes wide the pain clearly written in them. "Amanda told me he really didn't try to rape me. That he was just clumsy." Lilly shrugged and made a prissy face.

"I'm assuming you don't believe her, and you don't want me to confront the jerk," Jacob said furrowing his brow with determination to make this all right for Lilly before he left her again.

"It has been two years, Jacob. Why remind him?"

"A man like that never forgets."

"What if Amanda is right? She knows him better than most and I think she had a crush on him back then."

"Do you think Amanda is right? That's what is important."

Lilly reached out, placing her hand on Jacob's. "We can't second guess him. He's a creep and if he means to find revenge. Well, I just have to be wary every second. Or I have to move. I'm not willing to do that. Like you said two years ago, it would give him the win. Although I don't know exactly what he would win."

"Most likely your innocence." Jacob stared hard at the man, trying to see inside his soul, an impossible task.

"Let's forget about him. It appears he is leaving."

Jacob squinted at the girl on Bentley's arm. She didn't look all that steady. In fact Bentley was holding her up; her head was bobbing as if she'd had too much to drink.

"Is she okay?" Lilly asked as she watched the couple leave the bar.

"No." This wasn't his business and he didn't want to make Bentley any angrier with Lilly, but he really felt as if he should do something. "I'll be right back, Lilly."

He rose and followed the couple, catching up to them just as they left the premises. Stepping in front of the girl and blocking their progress, "Are you all right, miss?"

She nodded, staring at him with a blank expression. "Don't feel quite--"