“What’s bothering you, Son?” His father eased himself down into the matching chair. “Been like a bear with a sore head ever since you got home, excuse the pun.”
Jake peeled the label from his bottle, took the time to smooth it out on the arm of his chair before he spoke. “I’m not sure I’m doing the right thing here, Dad. Our lives are so different.”
“Hmm. Seems to me that you two could do with some alone time to discuss what’s going on then.” He sighed, leaned back in his chair. “You know, your mom and I came from different backgrounds. Her family had money, mine didn’t. Her family wanted her to marry someone with standing in the community. She wanted to marry me, a poor carpenter that lived in a pokey little town miles from anywhere. I didn’t have much to offer her. The cottage was pretty rough in those days, hot in summer and damned freezing in winter but I owned it, you know?”
“You did well. Nobody can say you didn’t work hard to provide for us.”
“That’s not what I meant. What I’m saying is that our differences were an obstacle, that’s all. It was something that was either going to make or break us. It was up to us to decide if we were going to let it or not.” He sniffed. “Lucky for me, your mom was made of strong stuff. I suspect your Bella is the same.”
“But she has her career. You should have seen her today. She was such a different person with her photographer around. Business orientated, focused like you wouldn’t believe. She wouldn’t have that here. That’s if she wanted to give up the city and move. We haven’t got that far yet.”
“Why can’t you be the one to move?”
The words hung in the air for a moment.
“I can’t do that to Cory. I’ve thought about it and it just seems wrong somehow and Bella understands that. He’s had enough upheaval in his life already. Maybe if he was at college it wouldn’t be such a bad thing but not yet and after the way he freaked out today, I feel I have to take his feelings into consideration.”
“Of course you do but not to the extent that you lose what you want because of it. Don’t you think he should be the one to make that decision? Of course he’s going to miss Lisa. Why wouldn’t he, she was his mother? The boy is besotted with Bella though. Any fool can see that and I don’t think you’re far behind him. It might be more painful to let her go than make the move.”
“She lives in a different world than I do. I can’t see her throwing away lucrative contracts to live here.” How much money could she possibly make living in a small town like this?
“Have you even asked her?”
Jake shook his head, regretted it as the stitched forehead throbbed. He was scared to put to words the answers that ran through his head when he gave the thought space to develop.
“Guess you’d better put on your game face because it looks like our dinner has arrived.”
Bella drove down the lane, pulled up beside their gate, and turned off the car. She fussed around inside before Jake got up to go and greet her. When he opened the door, she looked up at him with a breathless smile that went straight to his gut.
“Sorry I’m late. I had to do some prep for tomorrow and Jason wanted to show me the shots from today. I got carried away.” She reached out, cupped his cheek in her palm, concern on her face. “Are you up to this? I can leave the food with you and let you have an early night you know. You don’t have to be sociable for me. That’s got to hurt, Jake.”
“I’d rather eat with you here, thank you.” He slipped his arm around her waist, brought her in close. “I haven’t thanked you for today.”
Bella laughed. “For freaking out on you?”
“No.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “For coming to the rescue and helping keep Cory calm. I’m sorry you got caught up in that.”
“Poor kid. I felt for him and don’t be sorry. You had a wife, Cory had a mother. Of course you’re both going to talk about her. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Jake dropped his head to her mouth and nibbled against her lips. Bella opened to him rewarded him with a passionate exchange. “Thank you anyway. I appreciate it.”
A cough from the garden broke them apart. Woodsie sat watching them, a smile on his face. Bella pulled away with a reluctant sigh and leaned into the car. When she came out, she passed him a brown paper bag before leaning back in to reach for a large padded carry bag she used for hot food.
“What’s this?” Jake peered into the bag.
She smiled, a nervous gleam in her eyes. “Take a look for yourself.”
“Guess we’d better do this in the light. It’s getting dark and cold out here. Although not dark enough to keep my father from spying on us like a teenager.” He glanced at the bag and walked up the path and into the house ignoring the laughter from the garden. Jake put the bag on the kitchen counter and took out the tissue wrapped package. Bella stood nearby, shuffling nervously.
When he unwrapped
