Part 9 (1/2)
Jake walked beside Kayden, the sun glinting off his fair skin. There was so much she wanted to know.
”It's okay,” he said with a lopsided smile.
”What is?” She prayed he wasn't bringing Brody up again. Brody's words had stung, but she'd shaken them off just like she did everything else. Jake's concern was thoughtful, and she'd fought hard not to crawl back into her fortress-actually answering his questions with honesty, but one step at a time was frightening enough.
He plucked a wild flower growing by the sidewalk and rolled its stem through his fingers. ”I know you're curious.”
Her brows pinched. Where is he going with this? ”About . . . ?”
”Me.” He smiled slowly, in a way he'd never smiled before, and it left her throat suddenly parched. He was so virile, so handsome . . . so . . . so much she shouldn't be thinking about.
He dipped his head. ”It's okay to ask. If it's something I don't want to answer, I won't.”
She laughed, the tightness in her belly relaxing.
He arched a brow, his lip twitching with a smile. ”What?”
She shook her head. ”Just sounds like something I'd say.”
”Maybe we're more alike than you think.”
She bit her bottom lip. ”Maybe.”
A knock sounded on his door. Reef smiled. He'd been wondering how long it would take. ”Come in.”
Piper stepped inside. ”Getting settled?”
”Yes.” He put the last of his things in the dresser, waiting for it.
Piper sank onto the bed. ”She's very nice.”
There it is. He glanced at the clock. Thirty seconds to bring up Anna. It was a new record. ”Yes, she is.”
”So how long have you-”
”Been going to church?”
”I was going to say known Anna, but sounds like they happened at the same time, so sure.”
”Three months.”
”She's-”
”Very different from the girls I usually date.”
Piper threw a pillow at him. ”You're taking the fun out of this.”
He caught the pillow before it smashed him in the face. Her aim was getting better. ”Sorry. I just know you too well.”
”And I know you.”
”And . . . ?”
”And I'm really happy for you.”
”But . . . ?”
”But”-she s.h.i.+fted, sitting Indian-style-”I'm just curious.”
He chuckled. ”When aren't you?”
”True.”
He sat on the bed beside her. ”So what do you want to know?”
”What made you decide to start going to church?”
”My time here with you all. I saw the difference church makes in your life. I saw the direction my life was headed, and I knew I needed to make a change.”
”That's great, but it's not church that makes the difference-it's Christ.”
Semantics-not worth quibbling over now.
”And Anna?” she prodded.
”Is perfect.”
”Really?”
He frowned. ”Why do you say it like that?”
”She seems great, but I-”
”Just don't see her with someone like me?”
”Actually, I was going to say it the other way around. You're so full of life and adventure.”
”And it's time that part of my life settled down.”
”You can settle down in some ways without giving up your love of adventure.”
”I'm not giving it up. I'm just toning it down.” He stood, moving for the window. ”You know, I'm surprised. I thought you'd be thrilled.”
”I am. If you're happy, I'm happy. I just want to make sure you're truly happy.”
”I'm happy, Piper.” It was just a different kind of happy.
Piper stood. ”Good. Then I'm happy for you. Anna is a lovely girl.”
”Who we've left waiting long enough.” He followed Piper back down the hall to the room Anna would be staying in-his old room. He was confused. He'd thought Piper would be thrilled, not concerned. He'd brought home a good girl. He was making good changes. Why the hesitation on her part? Why the questioning? So Anna didn't love adventure sports-or sports, period. That didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. The fact that she loved G.o.d was much more important. Didn't Piper get that? Or was he the one missing the mark again?