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“Woman!”

Jacob ran to the stove and turned the knob off. Hitting the dial for the exhaust, he moved the skillet into the sink, then rushed to the back door to prop it open.

Luke burst through the kitchen doors, his gaze landing on his wife, who was still waving at the smoke detector. He ran to her rescue, grabbing her before she fell while keeping her away from the stove.

The men worked to clear out the smoke while Jasmine watched on in confused horror. Everything had been going great for about twenty minutes. Then it was like the stove caught fire.

When they were done, both Jacob and Luke turned to Jasmine.

“I had this under control.”

The men glanced at each other.

“I did.” Jasmine turned to Luke for backup. “Baby, you know I can cook. This was nothing more than a fluke.” She glanced at Jacob, who held on to a tight smirk. “You,” she pointed at him. “Shut up.”

Laughter flew from Jacob, and Jasmine swatted him.

“Get out. What are you doing here anyway?”

Jacob held up his hands in surrender. “I’m leaving. Trust me. I won’t let you burn me down in this house.”

“Shut up!”

Jacob’s gut constricted as he guffawed, exiting the kitchen.

“I’ll call you in a few days when it’s time to get started, Steele!”

And with that, he was gone.

* * *

Navigating onto the expressway,Jacob cut his stereo as his mind crossed over to Carla. Her soft brown eyes. Full but puckered lips. Maple cherry brown melanin. She’d been in his dreams since seeing her at his sisters’ wedding, stalking his mind and filling his thoughts with images of her smile.

Since Jacob’s last sham of a relationship, women were far from his radar. Focusing on each of his endeavors was what he was known for, day in and day out. Some would call him a workaholic, a machine that didn’t contemplate anything other than business.

But that wasn’t true. In reality, Jacob was protecting himself. His heart. From the known fears of loving someone and losing them in whatever way life dealt that hand.

But though he’d managed to stay away from Carla in presence, she haunted him like a beautiful apparition that wouldn’t go away.

Jacob didn’t understand it. They’d had a few brief conversations in the past. Still, he came away from those feeling full, alive. Like she was the missing link to the half of him that would make him whole.

And now thathe’d made a move to get closer to her, optimism for what would follow clung to a string of hope that he readily digested.

Dialing her, he sat in silence, cruising down the boulevard when she answered the phone.

“Hey, you.”

His mouth curved into a smile.

“Hey,bellissima.”

“I thought I’d missed you for the night for a minute.”

His eyes glanced at the time. Ten thirty.

“Is it too late for me to call?”

“No. But I thought maybe you’d called it a night.”