CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Skye
Present Day…
And the best day ever it was.
We spent hours at the Central Park Zoo, then got dizzy as Jagg insisted we ride all fifty-two of the horses on the Friedsam Memorial Carousel. We didn’t, but it felt like it. We finished up on a Venetian gondola ride where Jagg fell asleep on his father’s lap.
Our little boy woke when we docked and was ready for round two, having had just enough sleep for renewed energy but not enough to not be cranky. He was riding Jake’s shoulders, begging for another turn on the carousel. I slid my arm around Jake’s waist and he draped an arm over my shoulder.
“But Daaaaddy, I’m not tired. I want to ride it again. Please. Please. Please.”
“It’s been a long day, bud. We’ll come back another day. Let’s go somewhere and get a good dinner. What do you think?”
“I’m not hungry, Daddy. I want to ride.”
We were heading toward full meltdown, I could tell.
Jagg started wiggling on Jake’s shoulders and he let me go, then lifted him off. When the boy’s feet where on the ground, Jake crouched down until he was eye to eye. “Listen, buddy. It’s time to go and eat a good meal. We need to rest up for tomorrow. We have another big day ahead of us.”
Jagg dug his toe into the concrete and sighed long and hard. “Alright. Can we have pizza? I love pizza. Cheese is my favorite, but I like pepperoni too if it’s not too hot. No anchovies. Yuck. Or olives or anything green.”
Jake looked appalled. “Nothing green? You’re kidding me. How are you going to get big like me if you don’t eat your vegetables?”
Jagg stuck out his tongue, making a terrible looking face. “You eat vegetables? My entire opinion of you has changed.”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed. Jagg had been using big words for about a year now, ever since he realized that adults thought it was funny. And if Jagg wanted anything in this world, it was to make people laugh.
Jake ignored me. “Veggies rock.”
“I thought SEALs liked to eat fish.”
“Well, they do like fish a lot, but all good SEALs know you need a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.”
Jagg seemed to consider this. “Maybe I don’t want to be a SEAL anymore. I think I’ll be an astronaut like I’d originally planned when I was four.”
“They eat veggies.”
Jagg’s entire face scrunched up. “What about firemen?”
Jake lifted a shoulder. “Veggies.”
“A doctor?”
“Veggies.”
“A movie star?”
“Lots and lots of veggies.”
Jagg looked downtrodden. “Are there any jobs that don’t mean veggies?” He spat out the word like it tasted bad.
Jake seemed to consider it. “Worm farmers, maybe, but I’m not sure.”
I slapped a hand over my mouth as Jagger wrinkled his nose. “That doesn’t sound like a solid, long-term plan.” I snorted, unable to keep the laugh back this time. Cadence was just talking about long-term plans the other day. Kids were like sponges, especially this one.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
I jumped as a bunch of kids started a war with their pop guns right behind us, but Jake did more than jump. He yanked Jagger to him, covering him with his body. The kids laughed.
“Scared the crap out of that dude,” one of them yelled and popped his gun several more times just to be an ass about it.
I laid a hand on Jake’s shoulder, and he let Jagger go. “Sorry, bud.”
Jagg swiped at his shorts. “You really need to get a grip on that.”
Jake laughed, and it was a genuine sound. It was good to see him find humor in the situation. He stood up, and I slipped my hand in his. “Pizza?” I prompted.
He kissed my nose, then my lips. His mouth lingered there for a long moment and something in my stomach curled and twisted. “Pizza sounds good,” he murmured against my lips. “Can I have that ass for dessert?”
Was he serious? With Jake, it was so hard to tell.
“Do you mean ass-ass?” I whispered, moving my lips to his ear.
He gave me a slow nod. “Yes, I want every part of you.”
My breathing grew heavy, and I gripped his hand tighter. Be brave, Skye. Like the girl you used to be. “Then yes. I’m up for an adventure.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled with his grin. “Good. Then maybe I’ll need to find other ways to bring out your adventurous side.”
Being so close to him, having him talking to me this way was making it very hard to breathe. I took a step back and looked down to grab Jagg’s hand.
But Jagger wasn’t there.
Panic hit hard and fast. I whipped around. He wasn’t within a ten-foot vicinity.
“What’s wrong?”
I ignored Jake and yelled. “Jagger!”
Jake cursed and headed toward a concession stand. “I’ll go this way,” he said unnecessarily and started calling Jagger’s name.
“Jagger!”
I ran toward another concession stand, weaving through people, looking for my son.
One minute. I hadn’t paid attention for one full minute, and he was gone just like that.
I’m a terrible mom. Bad. Bad. Bad.
I knew better. I knew I should never take my eyes off him, even for an instant. Oh please God, if you let me find him, I’ll never look away again. Ever. Never. I swear.
“Jagger!”
“Jagger!” That voice was from Jake, who must have circled around.
“Mommy!”
I whirled around, my heart pounding as I searched for the orange shirt and the brown hair I loved so much.
“Daddy!”
There. To my right. I headed that way. And I saw him, just as a man was handing him an ice cream cone. Then Jake was there, swiping the treat from the man’s hand, flinging it to the ground. Jagger burst into tears as Jake hauled the man up by the shirt, and I noticed a huge camera around his neck. And there was another man beside him, his camera glued to his face.
Snap. Snap. Snap snap snap.
Jagger was crying, and I ran to him, pulling him into my arms, then grabbed hold of Jake before he could punch the guy out.
“Is this your kid, Mr. Truman?” the man asked, although his voice was strained from where Jake still had hold of him.
“Daddy!”
The man smirked. “Guess that was my answer.” Then he looked at me. “Who are you? How old is the kid? I get that his name is Jagger. What’s the last name?”
Snap. Snap. Snap.
Jake pushed the man back. “Leave us alone,” he warned, trying to smack the other man’s camera away. “This is none of your fucking business.”
“The people have the right to know. They’re interested. How old is the kid? How have you hidden him away this long?”
“Leave my daddy alone!” Jagger yelled, and I whirled until he was no longer facing the men. He fought against me, but I didn’t let go as I walked away.
Then Jake was beside me, pulling Jagger into his arms. He grabbed my hand and said tightly, “Just keep walking.”
Snap. Snap. Snap.
The men hounded us until we got to Jake’s car, the cameras clicking as I latched Jagg into his booster seat, doing it quickly even as he yelled that he could do it himself. When the car roared to life, I could still hear the clicking in my ears.
Six Years Ago…
“Jacob Mitchell Truman.”
I whistled as Jake’s name was called, and he crossed the stage to receive his diploma, throwing a fist into the air as he did so. “Freedom!” he yelled and everyone laughed, except for the principal, who frowned into Jake’s grinning face.
Then it was over. We were all free from all high school responsibility. For some reason, the very thought filled me with dread. Not because I wasn’t happy that I was holding a diploma in my hand. Not because I wasn’t excited about college. I liked school. I did. Well, not all the time, but mostly. I hated math because I sucked at it, but I loved science and history, and even writing. I was leaning toward something in the medical field when I went to college, but I wasn’t exactly certain what that would be yet.
But it didn’t matter.
Because Jake was intent on leaving our small town and whatever I did would be done in the lonely isolation of his absence.
Jake had talked about going backpacking across Europe and wanted me to go with him, but my parents would never agree to that. Ever. In fact, they had been wanting me to spend less and less time with him, thinking he was a bad influence. Besides, being in the friend zone while doing some so fun and romantic would be excruciating.
I sighed and looked over to where the media was stationed. No, not media. The hateful paparazzi.
It was really their fault, how my mom and dad now looked at Jake. The tabloids never caught him doing something good or normal. No, they waited in the bushes until they caught him racing, or drinking, or doing something else bad. Then the “playboy billionaire” headlines would pop up, and I’d be the one who got in trouble.
Sure, Jake would get his hand slapped from his Uncle Paul, but his uncle really couldn’t do anything. Jake was a legal adult and didn’t need anyone’s permission to do just about whatever he wanted.
Looking at his smiling face as he grinned up into the crowd, giving a thumbs-up to his uncle, I sighed again. He was worth it.
He was worth everything.
I listened reverently to the principal as he told us to switch our tassels from one side of the other. I looked back a few rows and caught Trey’s eyes. He gave me a wink.
Back at his seat, Jake yelled, “One, two, three!” and we all tossed our caps into the air, crying and laughing as this huge chapter of our lives ended. Then it was over. I was no longer in high school. It made me want to cry.
Once the caps were tossed into the air, I made my way to the back of the gym. I found Trey before I found Jake and gave him a big hug. He slung his arm over my shoulders and we headed where the huge crowd of people stood. Yep, there was Jake, right in the middle, laughing and joking and shaking hands with everyone who wanted to be close to the billionaire playboy.
I leaned my head against Trey’s shoulder. I was tired and we still had the party to go to later. Maybe I should just bail on it. Then I wouldn’t have to watch Jake flirt with other girls. Worse, I wouldn’t have to watch him take another girl into his tent.
The party was in the woods and there would be a huge bonfire in the center. Tons of kids were bringing tents and staying the entire night. There would be a lot of drinking. Drugs too probably, but I didn’t use. Trey didn’t either, and Jake swore he didn’t touch it, but I wasn’t sure if he’d been telling the truth.
Nearly a half hour passed before everyone had dissipated enough that Jake could see the two of us waiting on him. He grinned big and struck a dashing pose in his cap and gown. I laughed then giggled as he caught me up and twirled me around.
I hadn’t touched him since our kiss the other day, and electricity ran through me as his lips brushed my cheek.
“Congratulations, graduate man.”
He kissed my cheek again, his lips lingering there for an extra-long time. I shivered in his arms and pulled away.
Jake turned his attention to Trey, and they high fived, then fist bumped, then did some ungodly hard back slapping that made them both cough and wince. Boys.
I listened as they talked about tonight. Trey was apparently spending the night as well because he was setting up his own tent. I tuned out as they made a check list of everything they’d need.
I noticed that Trey looked a little pale, and he kept rubbing his stomach. “You okay, Trey?” I asked him, but he just waved me off.
Jake draped an arm over my shoulder. “You staying all night?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. Mom and Dad already packed up my tent for me and everything.”
He laughed, knowing how protective my parents were. “But you’re going to hang out for a while, right?”
I swear, I could’ve gotten lost in those brown eyes.
“Please pretty please,” he begged, batting his long lashes at me. No boy should have lashes that long.
“Alright.”
Of course I said alright. Why did I think I’d say anything different?
Jake whooped and swept me up again, turning me around in a circle. “I gotta go do some dinner thing with my uncle, but I’ll be at the campsite by eight. Cool?”
I grinned up at him. “Cool.”
He kissed my cheek again, then he and Trey headed off to do whatever they needed to get ready for tonight, leaving me to watch them head out of the school’s gymnasium together for the last time.