Jacob sighed deeply as he set Evie on her bed, tired from the walk. He had difficulty controlling his urge to touch her, but he fought back as best he could. The young man looked at Evie, admiring her look of innocence, soon tearing his eyes off her, walking out of the room. He headed to his room and took his top hat off, along with his coat. Jacob lied on his couch, looking up at the ceiling, trying to clear his mind, but ended up unsuccessful. He couldn't stop thinking of Evie and the things he long desired to do. He sat up quickly with irritation growing to where he bolted, jumping off the train and rushing back to the bar.
He wanted to just drink his problems away or at least distract himself with someone else. He felt guilt begin to join in once thinking of Rose. He had a liking to her, but not enough to feel anything more. Jacob wanted and desperately tried to force himself into finding interest in someone like he tried with Roth, but nothing worked. The young man even put effort into being with Rose, but he couldn't get the will to find interest in her, so he distanced himself soon after realizing the things he was doing was just the use of distraction for his own sake. He didn't want to be the type of man to toy with others, not unless the emotions were mutual, so he barely talked to Rose. Until now...
"Welcome back, Mr. Frye." Rose grinned from ear to ear, surprised to see Jacob rush in, "Quite a shocker to see you return so soon. What can I serve you this time?"
"How about your time?" He questioned with a smirk.
"P-Pardon...?" Her face became as red as a tomato when her mind began to fill with countless thoughts.
"If you're free after work, mind... taking a stroll with me? I'd love to escort you home for old times, seeing as to how it's been awhile since we've last chatted." He smiled with a faint chuckle.
Rose stood there, speechless. The glass she held in her hand almost slipped until Jacob took hold of it and set it down on the bar. His charming grin appeared as he stared deeply into the woman's beautiful azure eyes. Jacob stood there, feeling awkwardness fill the air as he awaited for an answer. It took several minutes for her to finally reply. An associates of hers had to nudge her in order to make her finally answer.
"I'd... I'd love to!" She grinned, "I'll be done in—oof!"
"She's done right now." Her best friend and co-worker said, taking the rag and pushing her out from behind the bar.
"What are you doing, Sarah?!" She whispered anxiously.
"Here's your chance to get him back!" Sarah responded.
"Don't be ridiculous! He has no interest in me nor love and you know that!" Rose exclaimed.
"It's been five years already and love happens when you least expect it and it happens only once in a lifetime. Remember?" She pointed out, "You of all people should know!"
Rose bit her bottom lip, her heart racing practically one hundred miles per second. She wanted to retaliate to what her friend pointed, but she had nothing else. The young woman did long to spend time with Jacob again, but she didn't have the courage to go after him. She wanted to support and comfort him for the things he was going through the passed five years, but she felt she wasn't good enough for this man. The man who had a heart of gold. The man who had the will power to save anyone or do anything that was dangerous just to support anyone in need. The man who had strength to face anything head on. The man who sacrificed a lot during the years. The young woman felt he could find someone better than her, so she didn't risk to go after him, but with what her friend pointed out, she wanted to give this opportunity a shot.
"Fine..." Rose said, her shoulders dropping.
"Hey... you can do this, Rose. I know you can win this mans heart at one point or another. Never give up or else someone else will take this opportunity right out from under you." Sarah helped Rose reposition her into a more confident stance, "Go get him while you still can. I'll be waiting to hear wedding bells." She pushed her off into Jacobs arms.
"Sarah!" She groaned before being pushed into Jacob, "S-Sorry... about... about that..." Rose could barely think once her nose inhaled the sweet aroma coming from Jacob, "My friend... she... um..." She could even barely look up at the man she fell head over heels for.
"No need to apologize, Ms. Moore." He chuckled faintly, placing his hands on her arms, suddenly caressing them softly and slowly, admiring the smoothness of her skin.
Rose finally looked up at the young man, her face still as red as a tomato, "Call me Rose." She smiled sheepishly.
After seeing the young woman's innocent grin, Jacob felt his heart skip a beat. The gentleness in her eyes. The beauty of her pale, pink lips curling up into a soft grin. The look of bashfulness. Everything that he noticed he missed suddenly warmed his cold heart that he thought would never be warm again. He knew his heart was still not healed, but the purity he saw in Rose, made him admire her in a way.
Five Years Ago...
"Keep them coming, barkeeper..." Jacob sighed deeply, slamming his fifth beer mug.
"Is everything alright, sir?" A young woman questioned with concern, cleaning a glass before serving Jacob his sixth drink.
Jacob sat there silently, fiddling with his thumbs before rubbing his chin as he tried to figure out how to respond to the woman. A chuckle left his lips as he looked down, shaking his head. He didn't know what to say, so he just spat out whatever his mouth wanted to say first.
"I'd be lying if I said yes." He gave a crooked smile to the young lass, a look of sadness in his eyes.
"Would you like to talk about it?" She questioned.
"Have you ever loved someone so much to where it just began to hurt at some point?" He clasped his hands together, looking at the woman.
The woman was dumbfounded for a moment, but only for a moment before looking at Jacob with a faint grin. She rested her hands on the bar and thought for a moment, looking away from him, trying to think of a polite, honest answer for her customer. The young woman sighed lightly and looked back at the young man, with a gentle grin.
"I'd like to say I have, but it hasn't come across me yet." She chuckled faintly, standing up straight, "I can understand your pain in a way, but my deep apologies, sir, I have not felt such pain quite yet."
Jacob scoffed lightly, "Well, I hope a beautiful woman like you would never have to go through such pain." He looked at her with a look of pain in his eyes as he tried to hide it with a genuine smile, "Anyway, thank you for your concerns. I should head off, I... have a wedding to attend to tomorrow. Let's hope this pain will end soon." Jacob chuckled a bit, paying for his drinks after chugging down his last mug, "Have a nice evening, Miss...?"
"Rose Moore." She smiled softly at him, "I'll be here any time if you need someone to talk to. Please keep that in mind."
"Thank you, Ms. Moore." Jacob placed his hat on and tipped it slightly before leaving the bar.
The Next Day...
Wedding bells rung once the bride and groom exited the church. Flower petals falling from the top of the building. Cheer, tears, and laughter leaving the guests. Everything was lively on Henry and Evie Greens wedding. Everything and everyone. Well, except one man... and that man being Jacob Frye. He placed forced grins on his face when speaking to other guests, but when his eyes looked at Evie, his stare became cold. The young man wanted to bolt and leave a scene that was too painful for him, but he promised Henry one thing as a gift and that being a dance with his sister, Evie.
"May I have this dance?" Jacob bowed, holding out his hand towards his sister, awaiting for an answer, hoping she would decline, but alas, she reached out.
"I'd love to, brother." She smiled gently, hiding her look of sorrow as she linked her hand with his.
They walked to the dance floor and waited a few seconds for the next song to begin. Once it began they danced smoothly across the dance floor thanks to their grandmother forcing them to take lessons. Jacob could barely look at Evie. It was difficult enough for him to even hold her in his arms as the dance continued. The young man wanted this to end quickly, but it felt as though there was no end to it. He glanced at Evie every now and again, but it just made his heart ache.
"Brother...?" Evie whispered, trying to look into Jacobs eyes that continuously wandered.
"Yes, sweet sister of mine?" He questioned with a meaningless growl, still giving no eye contact.
"Why are you still giving me the cold shoulder?" She mumbled.
"I'm not, sister dearest." He replied, "If I were, I wouldn't be attending this beautiful wedding of yours." He chuckled faintly, failing at hiding his sarcasm, "Why would it matter to you anyway if I did? Shouldn't you be focusing on your man today? It is something you longed for, is it not?" He finally looked at her, but with a dark glare in his eyes, trying to hide it with his usual fake grin.
Evie didn't know how to respond to that remark. The coldness in his eyes. The snarky remarks he hid behind his so-called compliments. It pained her to see her brother give such bitterness to her. She's never been through such negativity with her brother that it left her speechless. Evie had nothing to say. She felt she needed to say something, but she just didn't know what would help and she certainly did not want to cause a scene on such a tremendous day. Or so she tried to view it that way. The young woman looked away as did he, awaiting for the song to finally come to an end.
"Well... it was an honor to dance with you, Mrs. Green." Jacob grinned politely as though he viewed her as nothing, but a stranger, "I wish you both a happy future. Good day, Madam." He bowed before passing by her, leaving the wedding before anything regretful would arise.
Jacob felt a sharp pain in his chest as though a dagger was plunged straight into his heart as he walked away, as Evie felt just the same. They both feel they are going to regret the way things are ending, but neither gave in to fix something they both felt was slowly breaking. Their time together came to an end. Jacob wanted to forget everything as for Evie, she wanted to find a way to fix it, but she knew she wouldn't be able to even though she would have given everything up just to make amends with her younger brother. Evie did not want to lose him, but she felt she already did once he walked away without another word.
Present Time...
Jacob and Rose left the building, walking down the sidewalk in silence. Both were unable to bring up a topic. Discomfort began to fill the air that Rose was the first to give in to break the silence.
"So... Mr. Frye..." She began slowly.
"No need for formality, Rose." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Okay... Well, Jacob... What exactly made you return so soon?" She clasped her hands behind her back, glancing over at the young man.
He stopped in his tracks, beginning to question himself the same thing, "Well... it's been quite some time since we've last spoken, has it not?" Jacob then continued to walk.
"Yes, It has been, but... I can't exactly put it on the tip of my tongue, but... something seems off." Rose stopped and turned to him, "Is something the matter?"
Jacob stopped and turned towards her, placing his hands in his pockets, "Whatever do you mean?" He asked, bewildered.
"The only time you tend to come visit is when you feel troubled." She tilted her head, remembering the times he came to visit, "I understand drinking can wash away problems for the time being and talking to others can distract you from it, but... why me? There are several different bars to go to and several different women that would die to be with a man, such as yourself, but why do you always come to me?"
Jacob felt a sting in his chest as she asked, "Well..." He paused, clearing his throat, "I know there are several bars and women out there, but... your bar is the most comfortable and you're the only one that appears to understand me the most." Jacob scoffed lightly, "I don't understand it myself, but I do know, you are a woman I can surely trust." He smiled gently, "You are not the type to use others, nor go after those with looks, nor those with money, nor use things against them for your own personal gain. People can most definitely trust you. You're supportive. You're trustworthy. You're kind and sweet. You, my dear, are a rare gem any man would be lucky to call their own."
Rose placed her hand on her racing heart, barely able to say anything, having to forcefully spit out her question, "Really...?"
"Truly..." He gave a genuine grin to her, "You are—?!"
Before he could even complete his sentence, his lips were sealed with hers as her arms wrapped around the back of his neck, pulling him close to her. Jacob was in utter shock to where all he could do was stand there as the kiss began to deepen. He felt as though his heart was about to explode that he closed his eyes tightly, finding difficulty on where to place his hands. He enjoyed it, man did he enjoy it, but he couldn't tell if this was right or wrong seeing as to how things were difficult for him at the moment. He felt he should push her away for her sake, but his body ended up following suit with hers as their kiss became passionate.
Rose separated their lips, looking down, biting her bottom lip as though slight regret began to rise, "I— m-my deep apologies, Jacob, I—?!"
As she was about to apologize for her abrupt action, her lips were then sealed by his in turn. Within seconds, it felt as though everything around them didn't matter, completely ignoring the people passing by. Their kiss became intense to where their excitement built up little by little, escalating to the top of craving each other's touch. Longing for one another as it felt as though their sexual tension finally came to a close.