AN: I do not own Twilight.

We left the restaurant hand in hand.

It felt odd to hold Jake's hand since it had been ages since we had touched so innocently. The feel of his slightly gruff skin against mine transported me back to high school and the nervous twist in my stomach each time we touched.

It had been years since that I had felt that.

"What's with the frown?" Jake asked me as he walked me to my car.

"What was that about?" I countered, deflecting any conversation about my feelings back to weird meet up with his work friend.

"What do you mean?" he asked as I pulled my hand from his.

"Work friends?" I asked in an incredulous tone that earned an eye role from Jake as I motioned him forward towards where I had parked.

"Oh, come on," he groused before grabbing my hand again.

"You have complained for years about not knowing my work friends," he said with a shrug as if this meeting was nothing, but I knew he was lying.

I could feel it and when I looked at him the sheepish look on his face gave him away.

"You're a liar, Jacob Black," I stated in a firm tone and watched his face pale for a moment.

"I have asked for years and you have never cared until tonight... and... and even then, you gave me no notice. Like none. Just a call asking where I was," I growled at him, not bothering to hide my irritation with the situation.

"What is up with you, Bella," he countered back, stopping in his tracks, basically forcing me to stop as well.

"What do you mean?" I asked him as I felt my stomach drop in fear.

Edward.

Did he know?

There was no way he could know.

I had been careful, and it had barely happened so there was no reason for him to know about my time with Edward.

"I mean, you used to be interested in what I was doing," he replied softly. His brown eyes that always been a window into his soul reflected a sadness that made my heart hurt.

I swallowed hard against the guilt that was threatening to overtake me as I stood before him.

Looking up at him, for a split second he was the Jacob I remembered. The one who had a quick laugh and warm smile. The one who I could count on to be there before five plans of success and keeping up with the Jones' took over the man I loved.

"I still am," I said softly, feeling myself shrink once more.

Jake smiled in response to my kinder tone.

"But…But this is weird, Jake," I added trying to find my edge once more, but it was hard I as felt my phone buzz with a message that was no doubt from Edward.

"What's so weird about wanting them to meet you?" he asked with a hitch in his voice that appeared every time he lied to me. I rolled my eyes in response.

"Because you haven't cared before," I called him out as I took a step closer to him, willing him to start walking again.

"That's not true," he replied while rubbing his neck in a nervous manner that made me laugh darkly.

"You're such a bad liar," I chuckled until he closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Fine," he sighed as I found myself laughing louder as if I had won something instead of catching my husband in another lie.

"But it matters now," he assured me, catching my hand in his. It was a move that caught me off guard just enough for him to pull me into a warm embrace. As his arms wrapped around me, enveloping me in his never-ending warmth. He leaned down and softly brushed his lips against mine in the sweetest of kisses.

"Let's go home," Jake whispered against my lips as his hands brushed my hair out of my face. It an innocent gesture and reminded me of summer days spent by the river from when we were kids.

I couldn't find my voice.

It was lost as I struggled against the urge to confess all my sins, so instead all I could do was nod in agreement.

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