Young Love Dies Hard: The Young Brothers, Book 1 by Nikki Lane (old books to read txt) 📗

people were thinking or what they’d say. If someone would recognize me from the club and blow up my spot in front of Jacob. I’d managed to keep it a well-hidden part of my life. But they were people who knew, and I couldn’t control who came into the club and who blabbed about what they saw. Surprisingly, Rich had kept quiet.

“Who said I wanted to see Sarah again?”

“I guess I just assumed.”

Jacob took the last bite of his food and then crumpled the container in his hand. “Well, you assumed wrong.” He got up to throw the empty food containers in the trash. “I like spending time with you, Maeve.”

“I like spending time with you, too.”

“I hope once the semester starts, we can keep in touch.”

“I’m sure we’ll see each other on campus. And when I come to visit Aunt Meg and Uncle Jim.”

“Yeah, but I mean, I hope we can be friends again. Like on a regular basis.”

“Sure, we will.”

I hoped. I liked having him close. Having him back in my life made me feel good. It was a deep feeling, like I’d found something that I didn’t even know I was looking for. But I was hit with a brief moment of panic—what would happen when the semester started and we were both too busy. And what about the girl he’d inevitably meet and fall in love with? She wouldn’t approve of our friendship, especially not with a girl like me.

He came back for my empty container and threw that away, too. “I better get going.”

“You’re not taking the bus home.”

“Of course I am.”

“Jacob, that’s ridiculous. It’s late. Why don’t you just stay here for the night?”

“Really?” He looked at me like he wasn’t sure if I was being serious.

“Yes. I don’t want you to spend the next two hours on some shitty bus.” I winced as I tried to get up from the floor. Not only was my ankle sore, but my leg had fallen asleep.

Jacob came over to help me back on the couch. “Are you sure?”

“Of course.” No one had ever slept in this apartment besides me as long as I’d lived here. But Jacob wasn’t just some guy I brought home to sleep with. He was a friend. The first friend I made when I ran away from home for the first time when I was eight. The first friend who made me feel like people could be still be trusted. Who knew about what is was like for me at home and didn’t ask questions even though I knew he’d wanted to.

I grabbed a pillow from my bed and the extra blanket Aunt Meg had crocheted for me. “If you need anything, you know where the bedroom is.”

“Okay,” he said, taking off his shoes. Thanks.”

I hobbled toward the bedroom and stopped mid-stride. I wanted to say something to keep him with me. I didn’t want to lose him. Not just yet. Selfish, maybe. But I knew I couldn’t hold on to him forever. “You know—if you wanted—you could stay here with me.”

“What do you mean? Like, move in here?”

“Yeah,” I said with a shrug. “I mean…” I cracked my knuckles. “Just until you figure something else out. You can’t commute two hours on the bus when the semester starts.”

He gave me the slighted hint of a smile. “Okay.”

I smiled, too. “Okay. Great. Well, I guess I’ll see you in the morning then.”

He nodded, and I continued toward the bedroom, resisting the urge to invite him to go with me.

I rolled around bed restless for hours, thinking about Jacob moving in with me. I admit I hadn’t thought that one through. I got up for something to drink and saw Jacob lying on the couch in just his boxers, the blanket barely covering his body. Maybe it was a little stalkerish, but I watched him sleep from the kitchen, remembering the night we camped in the backyard when we were about eleven years old. That night I’d made another runaway attempt to Aunt Meg and Uncle Jim’s house. They’d found me in the barn where I hid behind the bales of hay. Aunt Meg had called Jacob over to calm me down and keep me company. I’d cried in the tent, afraid to fall asleep. I was scared my father would find me and drag me back home. Jacob had told me not to worry, that he promised he would always protect me. It had been the first good night’s sleep I’d had in months.

Chapter Eight

Jacob drove my car as we made our way to Aunt Meg and Uncle Jim’s. Since we’d become roommates last night, we had to make the trip to the farm to grab his stuff. I could just picture the look on Aunt Meg’s face when we told her our plan. Jacob had called earlier that morning to let them know he planned on coming back sometime in the afternoon. I’d told him not to mention anything about bringing me along. I wanted to surprise Kasey.

“What’ll your parents say when they find out you’re staying with me?” I pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

Jacob ripped it from my lips and threw it out the window. I’d gotten used to it. At this rate, I’d be cigarette free in a month.

“My mother will probably think we’re engaged.”

I smiled, remembering when his mom used to call me her future daughter-in-law. I would bet my first-born that she’d change her mind in a heartbeat if she knew me now.

“Do you think Meg and Jim will be upset?” he asked.

“Aunt Meg? Definitely not.” I cocked my head. “Uncle Jim might need some convincing.” I covered my mouth as I let out a huge yawn.

Jacob gave me a funny look when I yawned again, only this time longer and louder.

“Sorry,” I said.

“Maybe you should think about getting a day job.”

“Tried that, didn’t work out. Besides the money’s too good to pass up.”

It wasn’t like I could call home as a safety