Home Is Where Your Bark Is

Chapter 13

After her sister left, Jenna found the silence in her apartment to be pervasive. The brightness of the television proved too intense for comfort and reading threatened to stir up a headache. Still, she wasn’t yet ready to call it a day, especially given how she’d slept through most of this one. Sketching new designs for her pots proved the only thing both constructive and cathartic, so Jenna sat crossed-legged on her couch, soft music playing in the background, sketching on her notepads.

She’d downplayed it earlier to Jake, but she’d loved drawing ever since she was a kid. She’d stopped in medical school—she’d basically put a stop to everything those two years but eating, breathing, going to school, and studying—but she’d picked it up again not long afterward, and those two years had been the only time since she was little that she’d not found solace in art.

At one point, she’d considered majoring in the subject in college, but hardly anybody could support themselves creating their own art, and she hadn’t been willing to risk losing the joy she experienced drawing and painting in a career like graphic design where productivity would, over time, likely trump passion. Besides, back then, Jenna had still been dead set on becoming a doctor and saving the world. Or at the very least, curing it of cancer.

When it came to her terra-cotta pots, Jenna had been at this side business long enough to trust that the ones that sold most quickly were those related to the upcoming season. Several Saint Paddy’s Day-themed pots had been shipped out in the last week or so as her fellow Chicagoans geared up for Saint Patrick’s Day. Since the holiday was just around the corner and she had several more out in the shed to get her through the next few weeks, Jenna figured her best bet was to focus any new designs on spring or Easter instead.

A basket of robin-blue eggs would look cute on a pot, or perhaps a string of Easter-egg garland. She could paint an impressive vintage rabbit too. Before painting anything, she polished the idea first by sketching it in a notebook. She was only half-surprised when her hand refused to listen to suggestion and began to sketch something entirely different than planned.

Border collies weren’t as easy to sketch as vintage rabbits or Easter-egg garland. Neither were tall, lean guys sitting in the grass, attempting to interact with one. The next time she glanced at the clock, the better part of an hour had passed, and Jenna had three different sketches of Jake and his—albeit temporary—dog.

The fact that she hadn’t yet called him even though he’d asked her to do so said as much as the fact that her fingertips were burning to snatch up her phone and press in his number. If she didn’t call him soon, it would be too late. And he had asked her to check in, hadn’t he?

Before she lost her nerve, Jenna grabbed her phone and hammered out his number on her cell. She hit Send and turned on the speaker, then set her phone on the arm of the couch next to her. As soon as it began to ring, doubt flooded in. Seriously? Why are you calling? Didn’t he say to text, not call?

He answered on the third ring. “Jake speaking.”

Jake speaking. Was that always how he answered the phone? Something about it made Jenna’s pulse skitter. “Hey, this is Jenna.”

“Jenna, hey. I was hoping you’d call.”

Her cheeks warmed instantly. “How’s Seven doing?”

“Ah, dozing until a second ago when he heard my voice. Now he’s on his feet and looking out the window. So far, I’d say he’s either on or off with no middle zone. And mostly on.”

“Yeah, I noticed that at my sister’s. If only he’d give in and really let himself relax.”

“I’m hopeful his second night here will be better. It took some cajoling, but I fed him dinner out of my hands earlier. I’ve been reading dog training blogs every chance I get, and apparently that helps with the bonding.”

“I bet it does.” His phone was on speaker, too, and there was soft music in the background, too quiet for her to tell the genre. Was that Johnny Cash, maybe? “And judging by what I saw while he was at my sister’s, I’m sure that wasn’t easy to do.”

“It took about a half hour or so, but I finally wore him down. What’s clearly not helping matters is the kennel I bought earlier. I’ve got it set up in the room so he gets used to it. You warned me, but he really hates them, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, he does.”

“He keeps looking at it like it’s going to snatch him up.”

“Aww. Poor puppy.”

“I’m hoping he gets used to this one. It was the biggest they had. I think I could just about nap in there. I’m working from home the next couple of days, but I have to be in court next Friday, and there’s no taking him with me there.”

“Well, let me know if I can help somehow. I’m likely off all week next week because of the accident.”

“Thanks. I may take you up on that. How’s your head, by the way?”

“It’s okay. I slept most of the day, then my sister came over and made everything better with grilled cheese.” She said it with a laugh, one that Jake returned. She fell quiet a second, savoring the sound of his laughter as it pressed into her space and envisioning the energy of it sticking on to whatever it hit like little dewdrops.

“Grilled cheese can do that, can’t it?”

“This one was made on D’Amato’s bread, and it was pretty close to perfect.”

“Now I want grilled cheese.”

“There’s a half slice left. If I don’t get the midnight munchies, I’ll save it for you. If it’s still your plan to work with Seven out in the yard tomorrow, that is.”

“I’d love to, if your landlords say they’re okay with it.”

“I should’ve started with that. I texted them earlier, and yeah, they’re good with it. I knew they would be. Like I said earlier, the yard has pretty much been mine to do with as I wish the last couple of years. It was a barren and overgrown mess when I started, so they’ve had no complaints.”

“I bet not.”

Silence sat between them for the first time since the call started. Jenna glanced down at her notebook only to see her most recent sketch of Jake and Seven staring back up at her. Guiltily, she snapped it closed.

“Did you pick up a rental yet?” he asked into the silence.

“A rental? Oh, no. The truck was old enough that I had liability only. Now I’m wishing otherwise. Obviously.”

“Not to sound like a lawyer, but the driver that hit you was intoxicated. He had full coverage, thankfully, but it wasn’t his first DUI. It had been several years since the last one, but he got that one reduced to a nonmoving violation earlier. Expensive but not impossible to do. My point is that you’re entitled to a decent settlement, all things considered.”

“You found all this out from your insurance company?”

“Not all of it. You’d be surprised by the information that’s readily available if you know where to look.”

Jenna’s heart raced faster. If he’d looked up the other driver, had he looked up her too? If so, what had he found?

“Now you’re wondering if I looked you up too,” he said into her silence, his tone playful.

Jenna bit her lip. “I suspect you did. Thankfully, I don’t have anything to hide.”

“No, you don’t. You’ve got a nice Instagram account though. Plants N Pots by Jenna. It’s got a nice ring to it.”

“Thank you, but no fair,” she said with a laugh. “I can hardly even glance at a screen right now, even if I knew where all this readily available information was hiding.”

“Then to even the score, I’ll have to shake my ghosts out of the closet for you.”

Heat zinged Jenna’s skin. “Only what you want to share.” She reached out and brushed a fingertip over the edge of her phone, wishing he was sitting next to her.

“I should admit I’m seldom called to share much beyond what’s easily skimmed off the surface.”

Jenna processed this, hoping he’d say more. “A lot of people get by that way.”

“My ex-girlfriend would tell you I’m one of them.”

Jenna pressed a hand over her chest. Her heart was racing even before he mentioned his ex-girlfriend again. Once again, it was singular and carried a lot of weight. A red flag? Maybe. Maybe just a yellow one.

“What I’d like,” he said, “is to make you dinner.”

Jenna blinked in surprise at this unexpected turn in the conversation. Whatever color flag she’d picked up on, dinner was something she was willing to commit to. “Oh yeah? Dinner is always nice. Especially when it’s homemade.”

“Assuming I can cook, right?”

“Your words, not mine.”

“I’d ask when you’re free, but how about we circle back to that tomorrow once we see how you’re feeling?”

Maybe Jake didn’t tend to go deep, but he was hands down the most direct person she’d ever met. “Yeah, sure. Makes sense.” Another silence fell between them, and Jenna figured it was time to hang up. “Tomorrow then.”

“Definitely.”

“If I’m not out in my shed when you get here, text me, will you? I’d like to see Seven. And I’ll text you the gate code in a sec so you have it.” In what she hoped was a playful tone, she added, “And if by chance one of those ghosts you’re going to share over dinner is that you’re secretly a career criminal, you should know the house and both apartments have different entry codes than the gate, and there’s a camera down there too.”

Jake chuckled. “If it helps, other than minor traffic violations and underage drinking in college, I’ve never broken the law.”

“It helps.”

“Good. Sleep well, Jenna.”

“You too.”

Jenna hung up and clamped both hands over her mouth, letting the conversation sink in. He’d be over tomorrow, and he’d invited her to dinner. A man she hadn’t known existed just a little over twenty-four hours ago. “Jake Stiles, I certainly didn’t see you coming, but you’ve got my attention. That’s for sure.”