Free JACOB by Linda Cooper

Chapter One
     
    “We’ll keep him safe,” I promised. I wouldn’t let anything happen to him. That was a promise I made to Becky years before she died, and I intended on keeping it, for the rest of my life.
    Dom glanced at me. He wasn’t so sure I meant what I said, but I did.
    We sat at the table for a long time. The last time we would sit at our table. Just one more night, and I would be out of here.
    I’d waited for this to come for years, and now here it finally was. I’d wait a year and then I would start looking for him. We’d already talked about it and figured everything out. We’d wait six months before seeing each other again—that would give us lots of time to get back on our feet and get our lives together. Then we would wait another six months before we started trying to find him—then we would kill him
     
    One year later
     
    My mind raced. She hadn’t said we were going out. Now here I was in my favorite red kimono sleeved dress, my heels on and my makeup done. My heart skipped a beat as I heard the doorbell ring.
    “You should go answer that.”
    I padded over to the door wondering what Jade had done this time. My fingers curled around the handle, and I pulled the door open.
    My jaw dropped.
    He wore a black button-up shirt and dark jeans, but the thing I really noticed was the bright red bow placed on his head.
    “Happy Birthday!” he exclaimed.
    I forced myself to close my mouth.
    “Well,” Jade cleared her throat behind me. “Why don’t you to come in for a while, and maybe later we can go grab a bite?” She grabbed my forearm and pulled me to the side.
    “Actually ...” his friend held up a white plastic bag “... we figured we’d stop by a Chinese place and grab something for everyone. I hope that’s okay.”
    “Of course.”
    “Jacob, this is Ashley, Ashley this is Jacob.”
    He reached out, and we shook hands. My heart skipped several beats as I stared at him. His green eyes locked on mine.
    Heat rushed through my body with that handshake, I realized I’d probably been touching him for too long and pulled away quickly, a blush spreading over my cheeks.
    “I believe I’m supposed to be your birthday present.”
    My cheeks burned as I searched for something, anything, to say. “I um, I’m not sure what to say honestly.”
    Jacob grinned as we all made our way into the kitchen. It took us a couple minutes to get everything out on the table, and then I dropped down into the chair beside Jacob.
    “I’m going to have a smoke before we all settle down, but everyone feel free to get started without me.” 
    I nodded as Jade followed him out and turned my attention to Jacob. “So, didn’t you have anything better tonight?”
    “Than see you? Not at all.”
    I felt my cheeks burn. “Well, um thank you.” I paused. “So tell me about yourself?”
    “There isn’t much to say.” He shrugged. “My work is my life. I work with dogs, and there isn’t anything I would rather do with my life.” He smiled softly. His smile was so beautiful it amazed me.
    “Do you work at a pet store or something?”
    “Or something. I am at a rehab center, so I pretty much spend my day around dogs who are so damaged it’s hard to believe that they are still alive.” My heart sank.
    “I have no clue how you can do that … It makes me want to cry just thinking about it.”
    His smile widened a little. “I’m not sure how I do it either,” he confessed.
    I reached out, touched his shoulder and smiled as I took the bow off his head. “I’ve got to say you are the best birthday present I’ve ever had.”
    He leaned towards me; his warm breath touching my neck softly as his soft voice came to my ear.
    “I’ve got another present for you to unwrap later if you want it.”
    Innuendo seeped through his voice.
    I felt my cheeks burn as I heard the front door open. Jacob pulled away from me and turned his attention to the sweet and sour chicken balls as Jade and Luke made their way back