other side of the counter and taking the seat next to him. “I’m just plain awesome.”
Jake smiled. “Eat your breakfast.”
“You eat your breakfast.”
“You can’t even be quiet when you’re eating, can you?”
Ally opened her mouth to argue, but Jake shoved a piece of toast from his own plate into her mouth. “Eat your breakfast, Ally.”
The next few minutes were blissfully quiet – and comfortable – and neither realization was lost on Jake. There was something about Ally’s mere presence that comforted him. The banging on the front door jostled them both out of their reverie.
Jake was on his feet, his stance wary. “Who would be here this early?”
Ally sighed. “I’m guessing it’s James and Mandy.”
“Do they always visit you this early on a Sunday morning?”
“No,” Ally said. “I just have a feeling.”
Jake watched her walk to the front door, worry twisting his insides. She seemed sure she knew who was on the other side of the door, but how could that be? His internal danger alarm wasn’t dinging, but still … . “Ally, wait.”
It was too late. Ally was throwing open the door, her hands on her hips and a petulant look on her face, before he could finish his thought.
James pushed Ally to the side and stalked into the house. “I can’t believe your house was broken into and you didn’t tell me!”
“I’m sorry,” Mandy said, giving Ally a quick hug. “I didn’t know he was listening when you called. That’s why I went into the other room.”
“It’s fine,” Ally said, waving off Mandy’s concerns. “I expected you when our conversation was so abruptly cut short.”
“He’s in a mood,” Mandy warned.
“I noticed.”
“You two know I’m in the room, right?” James said, his gaze finally landing on Jake. “What are you doing here?”
Jake dropped his napkin on the counter and fixed James with a stoic look. “I didn’t think she should be alone. I slept on the couch.”
James’ brown eyes traveled to the piece of furniture in question, like he was making sure, and then he turned back to Ally. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“Nothing was stolen,” Ally replied. “Jake thinks we interrupted whoever it was. It’s not like a robber is going to come back to the scene of the crime.”
“I’m still your brother.”
“So? I have three brothers. I didn’t call Grady or Finn either. Suck it up.”
“Suck it up?”
“Yes, suck it up,” Ally said. “This is my house. I made the decision.”
James turned on Jake. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“I … I don’t know. I wanted to. She said not to,” Jake replied.
“And you listened to her?”
“She’s very convincing when she wants to be.” Jake knew the explanation was lame, but he didn’t have an excuse.
“James,” Mandy warned. “Ally is an adult.”
“You’re not a part of this,” James snapped. “This is my family.”
Mandy took a step back, rearing as if she’d been struck. “Sorry. I didn’t realize I was the outsider here. I guess I’ll be leaving.”
James scowled. “Oh, don’t you start.”
“You can bite me,” Mandy spat back. “I know you’re angry, but you don’t get to talk to me that way. I don’t deserve it.”
“You knew Ally’s place was broken into and didn’t say anything,” James charged.
“I found out when you did,” Mandy said. “You found out from eavesdropping, so you found out at the exact same time I did.”
“And would you have told me?”
Mandy worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Probably not.”
“Because your loyalty is to Ally, not me,” James said. “Don’t you dare deny it!”
“Hey!” Ally’s voice was shrill, causing all three heads to swivel in her direction. “Don’t you dare yell at her! I called my best friend, not your soon-to-be wife. I don’t have to tell you what’s going on in my life.”
“Don’t get involved in our argument,” James seethed.
“Don’t yell at her,” Mandy
Jake smiled. “Eat your breakfast.”
“You eat your breakfast.”
“You can’t even be quiet when you’re eating, can you?”
Ally opened her mouth to argue, but Jake shoved a piece of toast from his own plate into her mouth. “Eat your breakfast, Ally.”
The next few minutes were blissfully quiet – and comfortable – and neither realization was lost on Jake. There was something about Ally’s mere presence that comforted him. The banging on the front door jostled them both out of their reverie.
Jake was on his feet, his stance wary. “Who would be here this early?”
Ally sighed. “I’m guessing it’s James and Mandy.”
“Do they always visit you this early on a Sunday morning?”
“No,” Ally said. “I just have a feeling.”
Jake watched her walk to the front door, worry twisting his insides. She seemed sure she knew who was on the other side of the door, but how could that be? His internal danger alarm wasn’t dinging, but still … . “Ally, wait.”
It was too late. Ally was throwing open the door, her hands on her hips and a petulant look on her face, before he could finish his thought.
James pushed Ally to the side and stalked into the house. “I can’t believe your house was broken into and you didn’t tell me!”
“I’m sorry,” Mandy said, giving Ally a quick hug. “I didn’t know he was listening when you called. That’s why I went into the other room.”
“It’s fine,” Ally said, waving off Mandy’s concerns. “I expected you when our conversation was so abruptly cut short.”
“He’s in a mood,” Mandy warned.
“I noticed.”
“You two know I’m in the room, right?” James said, his gaze finally landing on Jake. “What are you doing here?”
Jake dropped his napkin on the counter and fixed James with a stoic look. “I didn’t think she should be alone. I slept on the couch.”
James’ brown eyes traveled to the piece of furniture in question, like he was making sure, and then he turned back to Ally. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“Nothing was stolen,” Ally replied. “Jake thinks we interrupted whoever it was. It’s not like a robber is going to come back to the scene of the crime.”
“I’m still your brother.”
“So? I have three brothers. I didn’t call Grady or Finn either. Suck it up.”
“Suck it up?”
“Yes, suck it up,” Ally said. “This is my house. I made the decision.”
James turned on Jake. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“I … I don’t know. I wanted to. She said not to,” Jake replied.
“And you listened to her?”
“She’s very convincing when she wants to be.” Jake knew the explanation was lame, but he didn’t have an excuse.
“James,” Mandy warned. “Ally is an adult.”
“You’re not a part of this,” James snapped. “This is my family.”
Mandy took a step back, rearing as if she’d been struck. “Sorry. I didn’t realize I was the outsider here. I guess I’ll be leaving.”
James scowled. “Oh, don’t you start.”
“You can bite me,” Mandy spat back. “I know you’re angry, but you don’t get to talk to me that way. I don’t deserve it.”
“You knew Ally’s place was broken into and didn’t say anything,” James charged.
“I found out when you did,” Mandy said. “You found out from eavesdropping, so you found out at the exact same time I did.”
“And would you have told me?”
Mandy worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Probably not.”
“Because your loyalty is to Ally, not me,” James said. “Don’t you dare deny it!”
“Hey!” Ally’s voice was shrill, causing all three heads to swivel in her direction. “Don’t you dare yell at her! I called my best friend, not your soon-to-be wife. I don’t have to tell you what’s going on in my life.”
“Don’t get involved in our argument,” James seethed.
“Don’t yell at her,” Mandy
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