Free Forever's Embrace (Forever In Luck Series Book 2) by J. Darling

to
summer school, and took college level courses in the evening, as time and
requirements would allow. I did it all so I’d have enough credits to finish
early, and so I could be there to help Nana as her health failed. I had no
choice, I had to study and get good grades.”
    She
stopped and took a drink of her tea, before continuing, “I worked at the bakery
in the early morning hours to help us get by. When I was sixteen, and weeks
away from getting my diploma, Nana encouraged me to petition the courts for
emancipation as a minor, so I wouldn’t become a ward of the state and have to
go into foster care. I did and prevailed. Not long after, I received notice
that I’d been accepted into the pharmacy program, also via scholarship. Nana,
now in her early eighties, died in her sleep soon after. She stayed alive only
for me, and when she knew I’d be alright, she was able to go.”
    Holy
shit. He was dumbfounded. Sure she was shy, but he had thought of her as having
had it relatively easy all her life. Was it because she’d been sheltered, or
because of the all-girls bit, or maybe because she had a good job? Hell, he
didn’t know if he should congratulate her, or offer her his sympathy. So he
said nothing. Instead, he took the chopsticks from her hand, picked up his
fork, and started feeding her.
    They
sat and talked until the restaurant closed, and he hated that his time with her
was coming to an end. She was intriguing and fascinating to him, and he was
enthralled by her. He decided early on, she could be talking about something as
mundane as lint balls, and he’d be engrossed, that’s how into her he was.
    Pulling
in the yard, he helped her into the house, and then took her coat. “You head on
down. I’ll give you some time before I come down and get ready for bed. I’ll
set my alarm. We’ll need about an hour and a half to get to the airport.”
    She
went down, while he went up. Giving it about ten minutes, he headed down to the
basement, and as he came to the bottom of the stairs, Jules opened the bathroom
door, and they stared at one another.
    Dropping
her gaze to his shoulder, she said, “Thank you, Jake. It’s been a lovely
holiday, and I can’t remember ever having had a nicer time. I appreciate all
you’ve done for me, and for being so kind. I don’t know what else to say or do,
so please accept my heartfelt gratitude.”
    He
didn’t have to think about it, he responded quickly, “I accept, and I loved
every minute of it myself, so it certainly was no hardship. However, there are
a few things you can do for me, if you want.”
    Startled,
she looked up with wide eyes. “What?”
    “First,
tell me what scent you wear. I can’t figure it out and it’s making me crazy.”
    She
averted her gaze, then moistened her lips. “It’s cloves. I love cloves. I use
clove oil, and chew clove flavored gum, and ah, my shampoo is scented with
cloves too.” Then she quickly glanced at him, before looking away.
    Cloves,
imagine that, he thought. He guessed he loved cloves too. “Really? Do they use
cloves when cooking?” he asked, not sure.
    She
nodded. “In apple pie, pumpkin pie, on ham.”
    Pumpkin
pie, who knew? He really could taste her the other night. “The second thing you
could do if you want, is to take down your hair for me. You always wear it up,
and I’d like to see it down for once.”
    She
quickly looked up at him, and after blinking several times, she slowly began
removing hairpins as she looked away, all the while nibbling on her bottom lip.
Gradually, she unwound a beautiful length of golden tresses. Once done, she ran
her fingers through its thickness, loosening it and spreading it out. It fell
to just above her waist, and he was stunned breathless.
    Reminding
himself to breathe, and then swallowing hard, he said in astonishment, “I
didn’t think it possible, but you’re even more beautiful. More beautiful than
I’d ever imagined.” She blushed profusely, and he smiled at her