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“If and when I marry anyone, there will most likely be some kind of legality involved because yeah, I’m loaded. Don’t worry, you’re in the will.”
His head pops up, and he grins at me. “I am? Nice. Don’t worry, I won’t off you or anything just for the money.”
“Thanks. That inspires a lot of confidence. And lastly, women can be trusted. Look at Grandma Joy and Erin and Summer. Millie. Heck, even Polly. You know Polly, and you like her.”
He shrugs a shoulder. “Yeah, I like her. Even when she caught those morons stealing from her, she wasn’t a raging bitch or anything.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “Watch the language, kid.”
“I’m just saying she wasn’t too bad, and I liked helping her at the shop. She’s always been decent to me. And she treats me like a person and not just a kid. So, if she’s around some, I guess it would be okay.”
“Good. Now, why don’t you think women can be trusted?”
And just like every time I want to talk about his past, Jake clams right up.
“So, this horse race,” he says, changing the subject. “It’s pretty cool.”
He tells me about the race, and I finish making breakfast. When we’re done eating, we hear Polly’s car in the driveway.
“Is Polly early?” he asks me, looking outside to see who it is.
“I told her to come early so we could show her around and stuff.”
He eyes me. “I’ll go to the barn.”
“No way. You’ll hang out with us and help me show her around.”
“Don’t kiss her,” he says, shaking his head ruefully. “I don’t need to see that. I’m an impressionable child.”
I snort. “Right.”
The doorbell rings while I’m still filling the dishwasher.
“I’ll get it,” Jake says and hurries for the door.
I can hear them chatting as he leads her back this way, and as soon as I see her, I want to kiss her like I did the other night. Instead, I smile at her.
“The gate just opened for me,” she says with a perplexed frown. “I didn’t even have to press the buzzer or anything.”
“I told them to let you in whenever you’re here. No need to buzz.”
“Oh, thanks. This kitchen is impressive. I see you went with white paint. That’s probably the smart way to go. You can decorate it with any color you want and change it out with the seasons and stuff.”
“We don’t really decorate much,” Jake says, making me grin.
Polly is nervous.
“Right,” she says with a laugh that has Jake frowning. “Of course. Bachelor pad, and all that. Most guys don’t change things out with the seasons. Hell, even I don’t change anything. I’ve had paint swatches on my walls for two years.”
“Don’t gag,” I whisper to Jake as I pat his shoulder and walk past him and simply pull Polly in for a hug. I tighten my arms around her and feel her shoulders droop in relief. “You’re here because I asked you to be. Don’t overthink it, okay?”
“Sorry,” she whispers with a shaky breath. “I don’t know why I’m nervous.”
“It’s okay. It’s just a tour of the house.” I pull back from her, smile gently, and trace my fingertips down her jawline, and then I turn to Jake, who’s watching us with curiosity. “Where should we start this tour, buddy?”
“Duh.” He turns to start out of the room. “In the theater. I want some Milk Duds.”
“The kid never stops eating,” I inform her as we follow behind him. “We literally just finished breakfast. He’s going to break me within a year.”
