He smiled at her and pressed the button to start the movie. She didn’t seem uncomfortable, just nervous. But as the movie progressed, Erin slid closer to him. It was subtle, and if he hadn’t been watching her more than the movie, he may not have noticed. But it wasn’t long before she was close enough that he could do what he had been wanting to do for a long time.
He slung his arm around her shoulder.
He felt her tense beneath his touch… for just a moment. But then she relaxed and her features softened.
He couldn’t believe she was here with him. That she opened her heart up to him and allowed him to witness her true beauty. He didn’t know how he got so lucky.
Chapter Seven
“DISH, CHICKIE. TELL me all about your date on Friday night.” Ashley cornered Erin as soon as she stepped into the office on Monday morning.
Heat rose on her cheeks and she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt.
“Oh, wow.” Ashley fanned her face. “Looks like you had a good night.”
Erin sank into her chair and sighed. As much as she wanted to keep Jake to herself for a bit longer, she just had to tell someone. “It was wonderful. He was so unexpected. After dinner Friday night, we walked on the beach. He took me for a hike on Saturday and to his house for dinner.”
The time she and Jake spent together was filled with funny stories, laughter, and a lot of quiet moments just spent in each other’s presence. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so comfortable, so at ease, with another person. And she didn’t think about her father or Melissa at all when she was with Jake.
She probably should have but for once, she was being selfish.
But a niggling deep in her heart troubled her. She and Jake had just met, just had their first date. It was way too soon to talk about a future together, but she should have discussed her plans to leave town. He hadn’t said it, but everything about Jake screamed family man. She loved her family and despite the last ten years, she wouldn’t give them up for anything. But she was finally in a position to take some time for herself. To find her place in the world.
Jake had tried several times to talk about his dreams for the future, in broad terms, and she’d constantly redirected the conversation. He’d even asked about her tattoo. She wasn’t quite ready to share that connection to her mother.
Ashley threw her arms around Erin. “Oh, honey. I’m so happy for you. And I have to tell you, that man is hand-some.”
“Yes, he is,” Erin agreed and they both dissolved into laughter.
“If we are quite done with all of the gossiping…” Austin’s voice rang out from behind them. Erin’s face heated. Ashley hustled away, leaving Erin to fend for herself. Austin was a great guy but he was still her boss… and Jake was his friend. What would Austin think about her going out with Jake?
“So, we had a nice weekend, did we?”
“I did. Jake came and found me at happy hour and asked me out to dinner.”
“I’m glad. He asked about you after his session, but you had already left. He’s a good man, Erin. But…” Austin paused, his voice hesitant. “Be gentle with him. He had a bad breakup with a girlfriend not long ago.”
Why hadn’t Jake told her about his ex-girlfriend? Was he still in love with her? Erin shook her head. They had just started dating. They hadn’t reached the point of having conversations about their pasts… or their future. But she couldn’t be upset with him. She was keeping something from him, too. “I will. We just met. I don’t even know whether we plan to see each other again.”
“I’m just saying. He’s my friend, and so are you, and I’d love nothing more than to see the two of you happy together.”
Austin turned and headed back to his office, leaving Erin alone to ponder everything that had happened since she’d stepped out of this door on Friday night.
She reached into her desk drawer and withdrew the resignation letter she’d drafted last week. She’d been so excited when she prepared the memo, knowing her dreams were within her grasp. All it needed was her signature.
Taking off, seeing the world and what it had to offer, had been her dream as long as she could remember. She didn’t have a specific place in mind, her destinations unknown, but she couldn’t stay in Laguna Beach. So many people saw this town as a dreamy location, a beautiful, peaceful beachside home. But it had always been her prison.
She’d planned to give Austin her resignation today. But as she stared at the piece of paper in her hands, uncertainty crept into her gut. Maybe she should have a more concrete plan in place before she gave up the best job she’d ever had. Her sister and father needed to be taken care of. There were a lot of loose ends to wrap up… and loose ends made her nervous.
And then of course there was Jake. Meeting him had thrown a wrench into her plans she hadn’t expected, but even after knowing him only three days, she knew that she had to take what was happening between them into consideration.
She slid the unsigned letter back into her desk drawer and closed it.
There were so many thoughts running through her mind right now, she wasn’t sure what to do. She needed advice and knew just where to look. She pulled out her phone and tapped out a message.
Are you free for lunch?
Her friend, and Austin’s wife, Abby, answered almost immediately. I’m game. Where?