The knots tightened. “C-Cole.”
I was so sure this was the right move, that I just needed to get the two brothers in the same room and everything would work itself out, but when I saw Jacob’s face, I realized I was wrong.
I made a huge mistake.
Jacob’s face was darkened with anger, his eyes turning to coal as he glared at me like my very existence was enough to make him want to put his fist through the wall. He didn’t move, and neither did I, terrified that the slightest movement, even a blink, would make him burn the entire building to the ground.
“I’m sorry – it sounded like you said that Cole was joining us for dinner, but I must be mistaken.” His voice was savage. “Tell me I’m mistaken, Leila.”
I couldn’t look at him. I couldn’t breathe. And as badly as I wanted to, I couldn’t lie. “I did ask him over, but-”
Jacob didn’t wait for the rest, storming into the next room. I saw the tense lines in his back, the way his muscles rippled because he couldn’t stop shaking. Everything in me except my heart said to give him space, but I followed him instead. I had to make him understand. “The way you talked about him, all the lost time...I just wanted to help. Give you a chance to hear his story. And he can hear yours.”
The elevator intercom buzzed and I winced. I knew it was Cole before his voice filtered through the speaker.
“Hello? Anybody there?”
“He’s here?” Jacob had murder in his eyes. “You really had no intention of giving me an opportunity to decline. Dinner or else?”
My throat was on fire, regret bringing emotion to my eyes. “Jacob, please...”
He made a grand gesture. Ladies first. Or maybe it was ‘Go to hell’. “He’s your guest. By all means, buzz him up.”
I went to the wall console, my finger hovering above the button.
Jacob pulled out his chair with an unsettling screech. “Don’t worry. I won’t stab him before the first course.”
That should have been a sign that he was cooling off, but considering Jacob rarely made jokes, my heart was still in my gut. I pressed the buzzer, trying to make my voice normal and not like my husband was a ticking time bomb. “C-come on up, Cole.”
I dropped my hand, realizing that there really was no going back now. Realizing that the pressure in my chest must have been twice as heavy for Jacob. Fear, anger, nerves—he was trapped. I thought dinner would be freeing but from the way Jacob gripped the arm of his chair, his body made of stone, I realized that he was a prisoner. And I was the judge, jury, and executioner.
Before I could utter another apology that he ignored, the elevator announced my betrayal. Jacob didn't move a single muscle but I somehow managed to turn my head and plaster on a smile.
Cole had swapped the casual attire from work with a navy blue sweater and khakis. His white blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail that made him look worldly. He held a bottle of wine in one hand, a bouquet of red roses in the other, and an expression that said he knew this was a bad idea, but it was too late to turn back now.
“Cole,” I croaked, my voice breaking. I clutched the pearls around my neck, wondering if Jacob would say something. Anything.
“Are you okay, Leila?” Cole asked, nearly rushing to my side until Jacob finally had a reaction. He hurled a look in his brother's direction that stopped him dead in his tracks.
Cole's eyes flashed, but he pulled his lips into a smile. “I came bearing gifts. To thank you two for having me over.” He extended the roses to me and the bottle to Jacob.
Jacob dismissed the olive branch, reaching for the bottle of wine on the table instead. Cole tensed, but I put a hand on his shoulder, smiling until it hurt. “I've got 'em. Thanks. Why don't you have a seat and after I put these in water, we can start on dinner?”
He hesitated, then carefully maneuvered to the chair beside Jacob. Once he was seated and the awkward silence filled the room like poison, I dashed to the kitchen to catch my breath and come up with a plan to salvage the evening.
My heart throttled my ear drums and when I filled the vase with water I was tempted to throw it back. My throat, my body was filled with dread.
Well, you're here now. There's no turning back. You're in the middle of this, so you might as well make the most of it.
I placed the vase on the bar, reminding myself that it wasn't all on me...and each one of them had made moves without realizing it. Jacob could have left. Or refused to have Cole in his home. Cole didn't have to bring anything to dinner but himself, and he didn't have to sit next to Jacob, especially when Jacob was doing his best to ignore his existence. We all were just trying to make sense of this thing I forced on us.
With a little bit of clarity and a spark of hope, I went back into the dining room. Jacob looked straight ahead. Cole glanced up at me with a uncomfortable grin.
“This, uh, looks amazing!”
“I wish I could take all the credit,” I winked.
He turned to Jacob, his eyes widening with surprise. “You helped with all of this?”
Jacob finally looked at him. “It's kind of difficult to help with something that you're completely unaware of.”
Cole's eyes shifted between the two of us, then rested on me. I twisted my mouth to one side in my best 'my bad' and prepared myself for an earful.
He reached for the wine and filled his glass, taking a hearty swallow before he spoke. “How I got here doesn't matter. I'm just glad I'm here.”
Jacob's eyes flickered to me, then his brother. “No one likes a kiss ass, kid.”
“Jacob!” I hissed, giving him a pointed look that he completely ignored.
But Cole was unfazed, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “I've found that a little charm goes a long way.”
“Well, you can keep your charm to yourself.”
I was trying to give Jacob the benefit of the doubt. Cut him some slack because this was all dumped in his lap—his brother, and now this dinner. But it was becoming clear that Jacob had no intention of giving Cole a fair shake. Maybe he did say those things to Cole. The man beside me was so filled with animosity that it made me ache...and it pissed me off. “No one is asking you two to pick up like you're long lost friends. But if you think we're going to have a repeat of your last run in and I'm going to sit here while you talk down-”
Jacob whipped his head in my direction, a frown filling his face.
“You know what, I get it.” We both glanced at Cole. He threw his hands up. “I understand. I kind of set fire to your relationship with your mother-”