Chapter 832 Chapter 832
Gage hefted another suitcase over the box of the truck. Jake caught it before it knocked his carefully stacked pile over.
“Some of those weigh quite a bit. What’s in them?”
Jake tried to fit it beside the last one, but it didn’t, so he shifted the few piled beside them and tried again. “Clothes, I was told.”
Gage grinned. “Chainmail?”
Jake snorted. “I have no idea. I don’t ask things that will lead to me saying things like you just did.”
“Afraid she’ll burn her mark off your neck and leave you?”
Jake turned and looked at him slowly. “They can do that?” His heart felt like it had stopped beating, but it was actually beating so fast there was no pause between.
Gage grinned. “No.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Not that I know of.”
Jake scowled at him. “Don’t be putting shit like that out there, Gage.” He put his hand over his chest. “You almost gave me a heart attack.” He jumped down out of the box. “How many more are left?” He looked in the box. He had two bags sitting there and one toolbox with tools he’d purchased himself when he finally had the hang of using the shop tools. It had taken months for him to finally be able to work without breaking something, tools, equipment, and a few times part of his own body. Now, he was going to Chicago and was going to be running his own shop.
“Blair is right.”
He looked at Gage. “About what?” He started toward the house.
“You’re so quiet now. It’s like someone took Jake and replaced him with this silent version.”
Jake glanced at him and gave him a blank look. “I’m just thinking.”
“Should I call Zain and warn him that when you’re thinking, the unexpected can happen?”
Jake stopped and then looked to see he was teasing him. “Admit it, you’re going to miss me.”
Gage shrugged. “Maybe we’ll come visit you.”
Jake turned to go and then paused. “Kelsey’s suggestion?”
Gage shrugged again and walked by him.
Jake went in and saw another large suitcase by the door. Hopefully, that was the last one. He hadn’t had this much in the back of his truck since he’d had to haul back pieces of equipment when the construction company had rolled one of the rigs down a ravine. Needless to say, those were some of the companies they went to and operated the equipment for now. He was going to miss doing that. He pulled off his boots and went into the kitchen. Sitting beside the door were four cases of different sizes. He was going to have to put some in the back seat area.
Blair, Noah, Kobie and Emersyn were gathered around the table, along with Beth, Kelsey, Cooper and Mari. They were looking at something.
“I didn’t have time to draw them out in detail, but I have copies, so if you need me to, I can, and I’ll send them to you,” Rory said.
He walked around the table and looked over her shoulder. Spread out on the table were several sheets of paper with sketches, diagrams, and drawings. “What am I looking at?”
Blair tapped one of the sheets of paper. “Rory has some ideas for an extra bathroom at our place.” He grinned at Jake. “A third bathroom would save a lot of yelling and whining.” Kobie nodded.
Emersyn picked up one of the sheets and looked at it. “She has new layouts for the bedrooms figured out.” She looked at Noah. “Ones without the beds attached to the walls.”
Jake looked at Rory. “When did you have time for this?”
She shrugged. “The ideas came to me this morning.”
He looked at the clock on the wall. He knew for a fact that he had been with her until six, it was now eleven. Shaking his head, he put his arm around her and hugged her against him. “Zain is going to have to find you things to do when you’re done that building.”
Rory smiled, and it hit Jake right in the chest. She was so pretty when she smiled. “It's a whole building. Blair says with several floors, it’s going to take me some time to do it.”
“We’ll see.” He motioned to the bags by the door. “Is that the last of it?”
She nodded. “Yes. I just have to get a pair of appropriate footwear to wear while traveling.”
Jake looked over at Blair and shook his head. “Okay, then.” He stepped back and motioned to the cases. “I want to get on the road soon.”
She nodded, “It will only take me a minute.” She went around the table and out the door and then wheeled the large case back into the room. She tipped it over and unzipped it. Jake knew his eyes were bugging out, but he didn’t say a word. The case had little pockets and big pockets on both sides. Each one was filled with a pair of shoes. She flipped it one of the sides up and the lower part was filled with boots.
“I think I need more shoes,” Mari said.
Kobie went over and pointed. “Those are the cutest ever.”
Rory unzipped it and held up a little shiny sandal that had two thin straps. “These are my favorite.”
“They look expensive,” Kobie said in a soft voice.
Cooper snorted. “If you paid more than five bucks for a sole with two straps, you got ripped off, Rory.”
Blair coughed and put his hand over his mouth.
Jake looked at Gage, who was looking at the floor. He cleared his throat. “Do you have a pair of boots for now?” He brushed his hair back from his face. “We can stop and buy a pair if…”
All the women in the room looked at him. He closed his mouth and checked to see if any of them looked upset by what he said.
“You got a winner, girl.” Mari nodded. “A man that takes you shopping, that’s real nice.” She looked at Cooper.
He frowned. “All you ever want to look at are forks.” He grinned. “I don’t think you need any more.”
Mari scoffed. “You never know which one you’ll need.” She looked at Rory and rolled her eyes. “Get yourself a good fork while you’re shopping.”
Rory turned to Jake, and he could see the confusion on her face. “I’ll explain when we’re on the road.”
She smiled and knelt back beside the case. “I’ll just wear these cute duckies I got for a street market.”
Jake had no idea what a duckie was, and he didn’t care. She looked happy, and that was all that mattered to him. He glanced over at Noah, who had an ‘I told you so’ look on his face. He nodded his head once at him. Jake nodded back. He went around the table and picked up two of the other bags. “I’ll go put these in the truck.”
He went outside; he had hoped Beth was there. He glared at the ground. No, it was better she wasn’t. Telling them he was leaving was emotional enough.
“You good? You’re mumbling to yourself.”
He turned to see Cooper follow him out, carrying two more of the bags.
“Yeah, just wondering if Beth is around here somewhere.” He opened the truck and looked in the back. He’d already put the bags of supplies that Kobie had given him in there. He didn’t know what was in them but was told Zain would need them. Shifting one of them over, he set the first bag in.
“She had to go over to Noah’s and help with lessons.” Cooper was beside him. “I think she didn’t want to blubber because you were going.”
Jake glanced at him. “Why would she do that?”
Cooper chuckled. “Because, knucklehead, you're part of the family, and you’re leaving.”
Jake shrugged. “I can still call.”
“It’s not the same.”
Jake took the bags out of his hands and jammed them in and closed the door quickly. He turned to see Cooper looking at him with watery eyes. He frowned.
“I’m trying to tell you we’re proud of you, but you’re too thick in the head to understand that.” He shook his head. “I’m proud of you.”
“Who knew shoes weighed so much.”
Jake turned to see Blair and was thankful he’d come out. He went over and took the case from him and then hauled it to the back of the truck. Hefting it up, he stepped up onto the tire and made it fit. Hopping down, he pulled the tunnel cover down over the load. He grinned. She’d probably hate if he called her clothes the load. Securing it, he glanced at Blair. “When are you coming down?”
Blair glanced back at the door of the house to see Kobie hugging Rory. “Probably end of next week. Calum says they’ll have team assignments by then.”
Jake nodded. “I’ll have a good ride ready for you.”
Blair grinned. “You better. Make sure it has speed.”
“Of course.” Jake jammed his hands in his pockets and watched Rory come toward them. “Where do I take her to buy boots? She’s not going to want a discount store.”
Blair chuckled. “I’ll text you a good location.”
Jake nodded.
“Are we ready?” She came over and hugged him. It was the first time she’d made the first move. “I’m giddy. A new start, and I can’t wait to see this building I’m redoing.”
Jake leaned down, kissed the top of her head, and inhaled her scent. A new start. Just as soon as they cleaned up all those people taking their kind, every shifter out there could have a new start, and he planned to do his part to make sure it happened.