Page 37 of Stuck with You
15
I’m tucked in comfortably in Jacob’s arms. It’s a beautiful moment, but it’s also very sad because I know it’s our last. He draws slow circles on my shoulder with the tip of his finger. “So…” he starts, hesitating before continuing on, “are you going to see Alex again?”
It’s really not his business but I can’t leave him hanging. It would be cruel. I want him to know that I’m not going to just run from his arms into another man’s. “No, I probably won’t see him again. I’m not sleeping with him.”
Jacob exhales a breath of relief, and it makes me smile.
“He’s still hooked on his ex, and I really have no desire to be his rebound cougar.”
Jacob laughs. “Rebound cougar? He should be so lucky.”
I prop myself up on my elbows. “No seriously, his ex looks exactly like me. It’s weird.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” I reach for my phone on the nightstand, and scramble to find her profile. Tap tap tap. Finally, I’m super excited when I find it. I show him her profile photo.
His jaw drops. “Wow. She really does look like you.”
“He’d probably call out her name if we fucked,” I joke. “Oohhh… Sandra,” I say in my best male voice. “Fuck, you’re hot. I missed you so much. Did your tits get smaller?”
Jacob laughs and studies the photo more closely. “Her tits look as small as yours.”
I slap him on the shoulder and he cracks up again.
Our laughter fades and his gaze lingers on mine. He’s biting his bottom lip, and I’m not sure if he wants to have another go. Seriously, the man is insatiable.
“I… I have a confession to make, Corrie,” he says, guilt written all over his face.
I cock a brow, curious. Another confession. What could it be? My mind jumps right back to the same scenario: he has a girlfriend. He likes her a lot. And my heart is already breaking.
“James and Beatrice didn’t lend me the place.”
I’m confused. “What?”
“I ran into Beatrice a few days ago when I was at Whole Foods, and she mentioned that you were going to be staying at the cottage.”
I back away from him, appalled. “You set this whole thing up? You made me think that she had double booked us.”
“I know… I’m horrible.”
“I was so angry at her for meddling and you just went along with it. I was about to call her and bitch at her, remember?”
“Yeah, but I stopped you, remember?”
“Yeah, and I thought it was because you’re a level-headed nice guy, but I know now that it was all a conspiracy to get into my pants.”
He winces.
“You’re a pig. It’s just sex isn’t it for you? Well, you must be happy. You got laid three times. Not once, not twice, but three fucking times. I bet you’re pretty happy with yourself.”
“Yeah, well, honestly, I thought I might have a harder time at it—”
“Get out of my bed!” I throw a pillow at him. Baxter bounces up from his little corner and starts to yap at him. Then, Abby gets up and starts yapping at Baxter, as if to say,Stay away from my Jacob.
It’s chaos, and I’m still wrapped up in my sheet. Jacob scrambles off the bed as I slap at him feverishly. I’m livid, and he knows it. “I’m glad you’re leaving tomorrow, you pervert,” I snap.
He grins. He’s always found me thoroughly amusing when I lose it. I throw another pillow at him as he disappears out the door. Abby follows after him, of course — such a little clingy bitch.
I lie back on my bed. So our beautiful lovemaking didn’t quite end like I had imagined. Suddenly, a heavy weight presses on my chest, and I want to cry. But I’m determined not to. It will all be okay. He’s leaving soon, and I’ll have a few quiet days to myself to get my head together. Then I’ll go back to my life, to my friends. Who knows… maybe I’ll go back to college, meet new people.
Life goes on.
I’m filledwith sorrow when I hug Jacob goodbye. Abby looks devastated. Baxter looks happy. And Jacob looks like he could crumble any minute. I watch his car intently as it backs out of the driveway and disappears around the bend. I sigh when he’s out of sight.
I spend the next few days reading, watching Netflix, eating frozen dinners, painting horrible watercolors, and thinking too much.
As soon as I get back home, I unpack and call Kayla to tell her all about my trip. Then, I measure my dining room.
