11
Jake kept the rest of his confession to himself. What he had said was enough to shock me. We reached our apartment complex. He took my luggage, locked the car, and ignored my outstretched hand to head to the elevator.
We were neighbors. Keeping quiet in the elevator, I looked everywhere but at him. He leaned comfortably against the wall, observing my blushing ears. The connection between us was undeniable, and the more I tried to avoid it, the stronger it became. I could feel my wolf want to acknowledge him fully, to claim him as mine.
The elevator dinged. He led me to my door, respecting my need for
space. He ruffled my hair and turned to leave, adding, “I’ll come over with my parents for the details of our wedding. Rosie, my girl, don’t forget we’re getting married.”
“You know, I’ve been waiting for this moment for years. I thought you were going to make me wait forever.” The words hit me like a wave, and I realized just how much Jake had been holding back. The mate bond told me everything.
His teasing made me blush. I rolled my eyes and opened the door without saying anything. He didn’t mind, heading cheerfully towards the stairs.
The apartment was quiet. Six years away, and I felt a touch of apprehension.
Hearing the door open, my grandpa stormed out, cane in hand.“Who’s there?! Rosie?!”
His words faltered. Seeing me, his eyes welled up, and then he turned back into his room.
I rushed in, hugging him as he reached the bed.“Grandpa, I missed you..
”
He didn’t believe me. The last time he saw me was when I left for college, and he waited for me to come back for six years. He knew I was coming home, but not the exact date.
It was Jake who told him I was coming back.
The long absence gave him a feeling that I had forgotten him.“If it weren’t for Jake, you would hear about my death from my lawyer over the telephone!”
I covered his mouth.“Grandpa, don’t say that!”
But I did feel guilty.“I’m sorry, Grandpa. I won’t leave again. I’ll stay with you forever. I mean it.”
He shook his head.“Don’t talk nonsense. All I want is for you to have a wonderful marriage with your mate. As long as you’re happy, I can rest in peace.”
“Grandpa, don’t say that!”
Hearing him talk about death, I felt even worse. I knew he would leave one day, but I wished that day would never come.
07:40
