He asks me something that I can’t hear, and then leans in, lips close to my ear.
“Poppy left with my brother,” he says loudly so I can hear him over the noise. A desperate part of my mind tells me to step closer, putting my hand on his arm and leaning in, acting like I didn't hear him just so we can close the distance between us. Instead, I nod, fighting off the attraction I'm feeling for him right now. He motions to the door, and I follow him out of the bar.
Cool air washes over me as soon as I step outside. I hadn’t realized how warm it got inside that bar. Though, with all those bodies jammed into one small space, I’m not surprised. Now that I'm outside away from the noise, irritation starts to set in. If Poppy wanted to go home with anyone or take someone home with her, fine. But just leaving me here like this? No wonder she doesn't have any friends.
“You're sure she left with your brother?” I ask just to be sure. She didn't seem drunk, but I can't help but feel just a tad worried since I didn't see her leave.
“Yep,” Jacob says, looking just as annoyed as I am. “I guess I technically should say he left with her.”
I survey the dark parking lot and then turn back to Jacob. “Is it sad that I’m not surprised?”
Jacob let out a snort of laughter. “If you knew my brother, you would not be surprised at all.”
“I don’t suppose Uber or Lyft operate in the small town of Silver Ridge, do they?”
“They do, but the only Lyft driver in town is two pitchers of beer in.” He motions to the bar behind us. “We walked past him on our way out.”
“Great,” I say sarcastically, and pull my phone out of my purse. The only person I can think to call is Heather, and I’m not about to take her away from watching our teenage daughters to pick me up from the bar. It’s not like I’m drunk and can’t drive myself home, but still.
“I can take you home,” Jacob offers, fishing his own keys from his pocket.
“You don’t have to do that. I’m sure I can figure something else out.”
“And I’m sure you won’t,” he goes on, eyebrows raised. “I just told you that we have exactly one rideshare in this town and the driver is currently drunk off his ass.”
“Well, it’s a small town and a nice night. I wouldn’t mind a walk.”
Jacob turns, angling his whole body towards me. A shiver goes down my spine and my lips part, taking him in. He’s dressed casually again, in jeans and another dark T-shirt. It really isn’t fair how good he can look with such little effort.
The breeze picks up again blowing the faint scent of his cologne right to me. Everything inside of me craves him to step closer, to reach his arms around me, and feel his heat right up against my skin. It's a perfectly normal human reaction, which I remind myself. Humans like human contact. It's my fault, really, for going this long without it. Obviously, it's clouding my judgment.
“You do realize it would take you about two hours to walk from the bar to your house, right?”
“You say that like you know from experience.” I drop my phone back into my purse and cross my arms.
“I didn’t walk home from the bar, but walked from home to the bar.” His lips curve up in a half-smile. “Back when my brothers and I were teenagers, I thought we’d get in here with fake ID's. Don't ask me why I thought that would work when the bartender was good friends with our parents.”
“I want to be young and naive again,” I say with a slight chuckle. “Do you have more than one brother?”
“I do. Mason, who you met tonight, is my younger brother. I have an older brother as well.”
“Oh, so you’re a middle child too. You met my brother, and I also have an older sister.”
“Technically, I’m the middle kid when it comes to the boys in the family. We have a younger sister.”
“And she’s the baby of the family?” I wrinkle my nose. “That had to be fun growing up with three older brothers.”
Jacob laughs, and it’s like I’m seeing a whole new side of him right now. A genuine side, a side I might be able to stand being around. “I don't think fun is the word Rory would choose to describe us. I'll admit, we were a little overprotective. And maybe still are.”
“Do your other siblings live in town?”
“No. My older brother, Sam, lives in Chicago with his fiancée. And my sister and her husband live a few hours away in Indiana.”
“My sister lives in Chicago too. Well, technically, she lives in Lincoln Park, but that's still Chicago.” I shrug. “I grew up in Naperville, so I'm pretty familiar with the whole area.”