Built To Last

She shook her head. There was no way that was Jake. She just saw him in every handsome man these days.

But when she looked closer, her concern grew. The breadth of the man’s sho

ulders. The strength of his arms beneath the navy blazer. So much like Jake. But Jake had never worn a jacket like that with her, so it couldn’t be him. Right? The man’s manner toward the woman screamed intimacy. He leaned over and whispered in her ear before releasing her chair. It warmed Erin’s heart.

She’d turned into a sap since she’d fallen in love with Jake.

Wait, what? When did she fall in love with Jake?

She grabbed for the host stand, afraid she’d collapse under the significance of her realization. It wasn’t one single moment or event. It was every moment and every event. Every touch, every look told her she mattered to him. Her heart raced and her breathing grew shallow.

This couldn’t be happening. She wasn’t supposed to fall in love with him. She should have stopped seeing him right away. She had plans. Plans that didn’t involve Laguna Beach. Everything was falling into place. Her sister had a job and her father had stopped drinking… and he had a girlfriend.

Now was the time to live her dreams, not the time to fall in love.

She glanced at the couple again, and her heart nearly stopped beating. It was Jake. He sat at the table, smiling at the woman with the long blonde hair beside him. The smile she thought he reserved only for her. Her hands shook. Her stomach heaved. She scanned the lobby. Where could she go? What could she do to get away from here? She didn’t want Jake to see her. Not now. Not ever.

Tears flooded her eyes. She swiped at them as they ran down her cheeks faster than she could stop them. She smacked her hand over her mouth so she wouldn’t cry out and ran out of the restaurant.

Chapter Twelve

Jake stared into Lindsay’s eyes, shaking his head in disbelief. He didn’t want to be here. He’d rather be with Erin. But Lindsay had called yesterday. He should have known better than to take the call. She insisted that they meet and he was curious enough to agree.

What had brought her back to Laguna Beach?

After he made plans to meet up with Lindsay, he’d told Erin he had plans. Sitting here with Lindsay now, he regretted not telling Erin he was having dinner with his ex-girlfriend. And that he’d rather be having dinner with her.

And that he loved her.

He’d known it for some time. Felt it deep in his bones. But he also sensed that there was still some little piece of Erin that she held back from him. And he wanted to give her a chance to reveal that part to him before he laid his heart on the line again.

But tonight was about meeting with Lindsay, finding out what she wanted, and then being done with her once and for all.

Like he had been for all these months she’d been in LA.

Lindsay focused on the menu, not looking at him. “So, how have you been?”

“Fine.”

“How’s business? I see so much new building going on. Are some of those your homes?”

“Good. Yes.”

She sputtered and threw him an angry glance. She shouldn’t expect anything more than simple answers after the way she broke up with him. “Is that all I get, after everything we’ve been to each other? One word answers?”

“What do you want from me, Lindsay?” He always hated small talk. But that was the only thing he and Lindsay had between them anymore. Besides, every minute he was sitting here, he felt like he was betraying Erin. Not that this was a date, but he hadn’t been fully honest with her when he informed her he had plans tonight and that was gnawing at him.

“I want to talk. I wanted to see you. And I thought you’d be happy to see me.”

The waitress interrupted their strained conversation. Jake hadn’t even decided what he wanted. He huffed out a breath and ordered the first thing he read on the menu. Eat dinner and leave—that’s all he had to do.

Lindsay placed her order and then handed over her menu. She drew a long sip of her margarita, her eyes locked on his. After she lowered her glass, she extended her hand across the table. He used to love linking their fingers together, the little intimate act that displayed his love for her.

Not anymore. He dropped his hands into his lap.

“I miss you, Jake.”

This wasn’t happening. Why had he even agreed to come to dinner? A few months ago, even, he might have been interested in what she had to say. Would have been willing to discuss getting back together. But not now. Not after what he’d started with Erin. Compared to Erin, Lindsay was just… he didn’t know. “What did you say?”