Hard Charger: Jake & Sophia: A Hot Contemporary Romance by Tracy Fobes Page B
Authors: Tracy Fobes
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would.”
“Why? Is Rockport Grove a hopeless case?”
Father Al’s lingering smile faded. “Not all is right here, Jake.”
“What do you mean?”
“My vocation gives me certain kinds of...knowledge,” the priest hedged.
“Like, confessional knowledge?”
“Let’s just say that evil lingers just below the surface.”
“Evil?” Jake snorted. “Come on, Father. Be real.”
“I’m not talking about vampires and werewolves,” Father Al said. “At least not supernatural ones. The evil is wholly human.”
“Well, that clears it up,” Jake remarked, sarcasm creeping into his voice. “First Ray Morris, and then my mom, and now you. You’re all looking anxious and talking about evil, but no one wants to say anything specific. What’s the big deal?”
“I can’t speak for your mother or Ray, and I’m bound by the confessional,” Father Al answered.
“Who’s paying for the renovations to the rectory?” Jake asked suddenly, remembering how both Ray and his mom had been talking about poor insurance payouts.
“The parishioners have been very generous in their donations. The entire amount was raised over the course of a year.”
“That’s good to hear.” He finished his sandwich and shoved the crumpled aluminum wrapping back in his lunchbox. Both he and Father Al stood. “So...given all of this evil, what do you advise me to do?”
“The same as always,” the priest replied steadily. “Don’t give in to temptation. Refuse it. And watch out for those you love.”
“Okay.” Thoroughly unsettled, Jake turned to head back to the construction site. “Thanks, Father, for the warning, though who you’re warning me against and why you’re warning me are both still up for grabs.”
“And thank you for working to repair my home.”
“My pleasure,” Jake replied.
Father Al gave him a fatherly pat on the shoulder, and then Jake was climbing back to the second floor, the priest’s advice ringing in his head.
Chapter Five
Jake finished at the construction site well after five PM, and then drove the half-mile down Queen Street to the Mermaid Inn. With aqua green shingles, deeper green trim and a coral red roof, the old Victorian mansion looked as though it could double as part of a tropical reef. Wondering if he had enough in his bank account to cover dinner, he parked his bike and walked up the beautifully landscaped brick sidewalk, past a number of impressive flower gardens to the restaurant door.
He stepped inside and immediately felt welcome. Sophia’s mother, Kat Melkin, was known for her generous heart and warmth, and that feeling pervaded her restaurant: plain, homey curtains on the windows, simple wooden tables, chairs and benches; used wine bottles and farm implements decorating the walls. A candle flickered at each table.
A girl he didn’t recognize was waiting at the hostess stand. “Hi, one for dinner?” she asked him.
He smiled. “Yes, but...I have a favor to ask. Would you mind seating me at one of Sophia Melkin’s tables? I’m an old friend and I want to surprise her.”
Smiling and shooting little glances at him, the girl quickly seated him near the window, and then he had a menu in his hand.
He cast a glance around the restaurant. Sophia interested him more than food, despite the way his stomach was rumbling. Within a few moments, he saw her. She wore a white shirt and black trousers, with a red rose threaded through her hair and had bright red lipstick on. She was heading his way, and his throat tightened at how creamy white her skin looked, at the way her greenish-gray eyes gleamed, at the silky reddish-brown curls that hung down her back. Just the sight of her was enough to give him a hard-on. He lowered his menu to conceal it.
She wasn’t really looking at him, and when she finally did pay attention to his table, she’d come within about five feet of it. She stopped short and her
“Why? Is Rockport Grove a hopeless case?”
Father Al’s lingering smile faded. “Not all is right here, Jake.”
“What do you mean?”
“My vocation gives me certain kinds of...knowledge,” the priest hedged.
“Like, confessional knowledge?”
“Let’s just say that evil lingers just below the surface.”
“Evil?” Jake snorted. “Come on, Father. Be real.”
“I’m not talking about vampires and werewolves,” Father Al said. “At least not supernatural ones. The evil is wholly human.”
“Well, that clears it up,” Jake remarked, sarcasm creeping into his voice. “First Ray Morris, and then my mom, and now you. You’re all looking anxious and talking about evil, but no one wants to say anything specific. What’s the big deal?”
“I can’t speak for your mother or Ray, and I’m bound by the confessional,” Father Al answered.
“Who’s paying for the renovations to the rectory?” Jake asked suddenly, remembering how both Ray and his mom had been talking about poor insurance payouts.
“The parishioners have been very generous in their donations. The entire amount was raised over the course of a year.”
“That’s good to hear.” He finished his sandwich and shoved the crumpled aluminum wrapping back in his lunchbox. Both he and Father Al stood. “So...given all of this evil, what do you advise me to do?”
“The same as always,” the priest replied steadily. “Don’t give in to temptation. Refuse it. And watch out for those you love.”
“Okay.” Thoroughly unsettled, Jake turned to head back to the construction site. “Thanks, Father, for the warning, though who you’re warning me against and why you’re warning me are both still up for grabs.”
“And thank you for working to repair my home.”
“My pleasure,” Jake replied.
Father Al gave him a fatherly pat on the shoulder, and then Jake was climbing back to the second floor, the priest’s advice ringing in his head.
Chapter Five
Jake finished at the construction site well after five PM, and then drove the half-mile down Queen Street to the Mermaid Inn. With aqua green shingles, deeper green trim and a coral red roof, the old Victorian mansion looked as though it could double as part of a tropical reef. Wondering if he had enough in his bank account to cover dinner, he parked his bike and walked up the beautifully landscaped brick sidewalk, past a number of impressive flower gardens to the restaurant door.
He stepped inside and immediately felt welcome. Sophia’s mother, Kat Melkin, was known for her generous heart and warmth, and that feeling pervaded her restaurant: plain, homey curtains on the windows, simple wooden tables, chairs and benches; used wine bottles and farm implements decorating the walls. A candle flickered at each table.
A girl he didn’t recognize was waiting at the hostess stand. “Hi, one for dinner?” she asked him.
He smiled. “Yes, but...I have a favor to ask. Would you mind seating me at one of Sophia Melkin’s tables? I’m an old friend and I want to surprise her.”
Smiling and shooting little glances at him, the girl quickly seated him near the window, and then he had a menu in his hand.
He cast a glance around the restaurant. Sophia interested him more than food, despite the way his stomach was rumbling. Within a few moments, he saw her. She wore a white shirt and black trousers, with a red rose threaded through her hair and had bright red lipstick on. She was heading his way, and his throat tightened at how creamy white her skin looked, at the way her greenish-gray eyes gleamed, at the silky reddish-brown curls that hung down her back. Just the sight of her was enough to give him a hard-on. He lowered his menu to conceal it.
She wasn’t really looking at him, and when she finally did pay attention to his table, she’d come within about five feet of it. She stopped short and her
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