Page 12 of The Way Home (Pathfinders Lake Romance #5)

If I was going to find a way forward with him, I needed to get over myself, get out of my room, and get used to being around him without picturing his mouth on me.

He had such a pretty mouth, though, and now I had a brand new memory of it seared onto my lips, not just the ones from the past. Fuck me.

Pulling on a pair of jeans in the hopes it would keep my dick under control, I took a deep breath and headed toward the kitchen. I can do this. I can do this.

To my surprise, Jeremy wasn't in the kitchen, not that he said he would be waiting for me, but perhaps a part of me was hoping he would be.

Contradicting thoughts? Yup, as per usual when it came to him.

I opened the oven and found a plate with an egg white omelet and what looked like turkey bacon.

It smelled delicious, and I was starving.

I wasn't used to someone cooking for me.

In all honesty, I ate a lot of food that came out of boxes.

It was a habit that started in college when I was too overwhelmed and exhausted to cook food from scratch, and the microwave was so convenient.

Once I graduated and was living on my own, well…

it was a hard habit to break. Besides seeing the family, coming home for the holidays meant eating good, home-cooked food.

Though my appetite for it often failed when it meant having to sit across from Jeremy.

Now, I found myself wishing for exactly that, to have him at the table with me.

I heard a clunk from down the hall and turned to look. “Everything okay?” I shouted, resisting the urge to check it out. The last time I did, I'd gotten an eye-full of Jeremy in tiny little briefs while he was on all fours on the floor, and damn, that image wasn't one I would forget anytime soon.

Jeremy popped his head out of the bathroom, holding up a first aid kit. “Yup. Found it.”

My ridiculous stomach fluttered as he came toward me. Jeremy knelt in front of me, making that fluttering turn into a swarm, and my heart kicked up. It was too soon after thinking of him in the shower for him to be in this position. “What are you doing?”

Gone was the too-serious, too-worried expression that had been present when he was in my room. It was almost as if it had never happened, but I wouldn't forget that look either. Not the tiny briefs, and not the hurt on his face. “Let me look at your arm. I promised we would get you fixed up.”

The cut had stopped bleeding over an hour ago, and I'd been so distracted in the shower and after the shower I hadn't even thought about it. Still, I held it up, needing to do what he asked.

Jeremy turned my arm over and chuckled. “It's just a scratch.”

“That's what I said,” I responded. “The whole backpack ride home was completely unnecessary. It just bled a lot at first, but it's fine.”

“I disagree. It was completely necessary, and you know what? I think you liked it, too.” He opened an alcohol wipe and swiped it over the wound. I hissed slightly at the sting. Okay, maybe it was a little more than a scratch.

“I, uh, tolerated it.”

“Uh-huh.” Jeremy shot me an amused look that said we both knew it was a lie, and I couldn't even deny it.

He rifled through the kit, pursing his lips. While it wasn't a serious injury, I could admit to myself it was nice to have him fussing over me. “I think we need to restock this. It probably hasn't gotten a lot of use since I was in school getting roughed up in football. I might have to wrap it.”

“Whatever you say, Coach.”

Jeremy gave me one of his award-winning smiles. “That sounds pretty good, doesn't it?”

My lips tilted up at seeing the way he lit up. “Yeah, it's got a ring to it.”

As he coated gauze with antibacterial cream and pressed it against my arm, he said, “I'm trying really hard not to get too ahead of myself.

But, fuck, I really want this. And I swear, I've been putting in a lot of work for it. I want to earn it and not just get it because of my history with the team, you know?”

I put my hand on his shoulder. “I get it. You're going to do great, Jem. You know, it's okay to have your reputation lead the way. There's nothing wrong with that when it's well-earned.”

He wrapped an ace bandage around my arm and secured it before sitting back on his heels and looking up at me. “I suppose , but I feel like I won't be taken seriously.”

“Then prove them wrong. Let your name open the door and then show them why you deserve to be there, because you do.” Jeremy was always so confident and sure of himself.

In this moment of vulnerability, I wanted to hold him, to comfort him, but with everything this morning so fresh in my mind, I didn't trust myself to stop if I started, but my words were sincere.

I fully believed Jeremy could do whatever he put his mind to.

The way he looked up at me with light and hope shining behind his eyes nearly made me break my resolve and fall to the floor to plant myself in front of him. “You really think so?”

“Yes, really.”

“Thank you for saying that, Ri.” Jeremy gave me another smile and began repacking the first aid supplies.

“Of course. And thank you for this.” I held up my wrapped arm.

Jeremy chuckled as he stood. “Yeah, sorry, it looks worse than it is, but it was the only way to cover it fully.”

“It's fine.” It definitely looked worse. Mom would flip out with worry if she saw me right now, I thought with amusement. Mom ! “Hey!”

Jeremy stopped and flicked his gaze to mine. “Yeah?”

“You said you've been working toward this for a while. How long exactly?”

He put his hand on the top of his trimmed hair that looked soft enough I wanted to touch it.

“Shit, maybe about a year now. Dad had been in town and saw some of his old teammates. I guess they got to talking and said there had been rumors that Coach Lewis was going to retire. When he mentioned it to me, it was with a strong suggestion that I consider it. Going into education was never on my radar before. But football? Hell, I know football.”

A year? He'd been thinking about this for a year? Fuck, I wished I would have known, but I'd made a big effort to not know about him. I was a selfish bastard. “So when did it become official?”

“He made the announcement about a month ago. The job posting opened up pretty much right after, and I applied before I could overthink it. Which, I'm doing plenty of now, ha, but at least I got the process started.”

I stood up as the realization set in. “So… you were already planning to come out here at this exact time?”

Jeremy's brow arched high. “Yeah, why?”

“Unbelievable.” I shook my head as I pulled out my phone.

Jeremy set the kit down and came over, curiosity getting the best of him. “What? What's going on?”

I didn't answer, instead I focused on my phone as I sent a text.

Me: Mom! Did you know that Jeremy was going to be at the cabin?

Mom: Oh? He is? What a funny coincidence.

Me: Coincidence? Really?!

My phone rang in response. I stepped away from Jeremy to answer it, unable to hide the exasperation in my voice. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, honey. How's the cabin?”

With a shake of my head. “Did you know?”

“I… did.”

“Seriously? And you didn't think to tell me?”

Her tone turned serious. “Would you have gone if I did?”

I sighed. No, probably not. Now that I was here, and things had gotten… complicated, I was glad to have Jeremy home with me, but I hadn't made it easy. My silence must have been answer enough.

“And that's why I didn't tell you.”

“What the hell, Mom?”

“ Riley .” Uh-oh. I was getting the lecture voice now.

“I don't know what happened between you two, but it needs to stop. I love you both, and it hurts to see you so divided. I just want my sons to get along and for us to be a united, happy family again. So, I need you to get out of your head and make an effort. Can you do that for me, please ?”

Shit, I felt like an asshole. It was never my intention to cause division in the family. I was only trying to protect myself. Jeremy's words came back to me, begging me not to leave again. I had to make this work, one way or another. Not just for his sake, but for all of us. “Yes, I can do that.”

I could practically feel her relief through the phone. “Oh, sweetheart, thank you! Truly. I know you two have more in common than you think. If you give it a chance, I'm sure you'll find ways to get along.”

I barked out a humorless laugh. Would she think the same thing if she'd known his tongue had been down my throat? “Yeah. We'll try.”

“That's music to a mother's ears. Give Jeremy a hug for me. I love you.”

“Love you, too, Mom. I'll talk to you later.”

My head fell when I hung up the phone. “Unbelievable.”

Jeremy hurried over with a look of concern etched into his face. “What is it? What's happening?”

“We were set up,” I replied.

“Set up? What do you mean?”

“My mom knew you were going to be here, and she purposely had me come at the same time.” How did I not see it coming? She'd been acting weird about my trip, but I figured it was my own weirdness I was sensing.

A smirk stretched Jeremy's lips. “So…. that's what that was about.”

It was my turn to be confused. “Huh? What?”

“Dad. I texted him when I pulled up and saw your rental car, not knowing who was here. He was super weird and vague about it and just told me to play nice.”

My head tilted as I tried to get the full picture. “So he was in on it, too?”

“Seems like it. You know they don't keep any secrets from each other.” He turned to me with a light sparkling in his eyes. “Holy shit! Do you know what this means?”

“What?”

“We've been parent-trapped!”

“Parent-trapped? Isn't that where the kids set up the parents to fall in love again?” I'd watched the Lindsay Lohan movie multiple times with my mom before we moved out of California.

Jeremy waved his hand. “Okay, sibling-trapped. Whatever.”

I rolled my eyes, even if my lips curved up a little at his excitement. “Yeah. I suppose so. She wants us to get along.”

The humor fell from his face, and he tilted his head to lock his eyes on mine. “I want that, too. More than anything.”

The way he stared at me, his eyes lowering to my mouth, made heat settle low in my gut.

It would be so easy to bend my neck and press my lips to his, but that was exactly what I shouldn't do.

Especially right after talking to my mom and hearing how she wanted her sons to get along.

Sons . Jeremy wasn't just a man I wanted to be with. He was family and always would be.

“I want to, I really do, but it's hard for me to think with you this close.” I reached out but dropped my hand before touching him, sighing internally.

A kaleidoscope of emotions crossed Jeremy's face before it settled into the playful one I knew so well. He took the tiniest of steps backward, barely moved really, and asked, “How's this? Better?”

His antics made me smile despite the turmoil within. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Just for you, darling.” He winked, sending those traitorous butterflies to make me feel as gooey and confused as ever. If only I had the power to just shut it off. Since chemical compounds only went so far, my next best option was fleeing the scene.

“I, uh, think I'll go read for a bit.”

“Okay, that sounds fine. But… instead of being alone in your room, why don't you bring your book out to the living room?

I was planning on playing some Madden on the PS4.

I know sports games aren't your favorite, but at least we can do what we want together.

We're supposed to be ‘ playing nice and trying to get along’ after all.”

I breathed in deep, and let it out slowly.

He was right, and like my mom said, I needed to get out of my head and out of my own way.

I hated hearing the hurt in my mom's voice, knowing I'd put it there.

Jeremy wasn't demanding anything extreme—he wasn't demanding anything at all—but the hopeful tone wasn't something I wanted to shut down.

In truth, having a low pressure way to exist together sounded kind of… nice, actually.

“Okay.”

Jeremy beamed, looking as radiant as ever. Fuck, I really wanted to run my thumb over that beautiful smile. “Hell yeah! Make sure you come back, though. Otherwise, I'll have to engage in a search and rescue operation.”

I shook my head as I walked down the hall, knowing full well he would find a reason to come and get me, or he would crawl into my bed and block my book.

The man was relentless. With anyone else, it would be irritating as hell, but with him, it was strangely endearing to know that he wasn't going to let me escape no matter how much my instincts told me I should.