When You Least Expect It
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight
Pomegranate Lemonade
Paul's POV
My heart sped up while my breathing increased at hearing the simple sentence. My mind whirled and my palms grew moist while my throat seemed to be imitating the Grand Canyon. At first I'd panicked, immediately wanting to hang up and turn off the phone so that he wouldn't be able to get in contact with me anymore. But then I'd calmed down, realizing that the husky voice on the other end of the phone wasn't who I thought it was, not someone who was panic inducing or vaguely intimidating towards me. Instead, once my mind caught up with me, my stomach fluttered with warmth and a fluttery sensation that had me pressing a trembling palm to it in an attempt to calm it.
"Jake."
The breathy sigh of the name pulled the attention of the other three people sitting on the couch a few feet from where I'd stood to answer my phone. Rachel raised a curious brow as a small smile curved her lips—I'm sure that if I'd told her what had happened this morning she'd be reacting differently—while Peter and Brady both began shooting a million questions for me to ask him.
I fought the laugh but let a smile curve my lips, "It's good to hear from you."
"Yeah?" He sounded curious, and a tinge confused, "This morning it kinda seemed like you didn't want anything more to do with me."
There wasn't any cruelty or malice in the words, only the same confusion that I was feeling in my own mind at that moment, but I couldn't help but wince at the truth in the words. "About that," I began as soon as I was able to move to the front door and step out to stand along the walkway of my complex, "I'm so sorry. I don't…I don't know what was going on with me; all I can say is that I got scared of all the possible ways that things could go bad between you and me and how it would all affect the boys…" I felt my voice trail off and all that was left was a silence that left me feeling tense and worrying my bottom lip. After a while I opened my mouth but shocked myself when the words tumbled out of my mouth with no thought or hesitation.
"I've been regretting it all day, if that means anything to you."
I held my breath, waiting for a response of some kind from him—be it bad or good, at least I'd know where we stood in our situation. I didn't know what to call it, how it would end up, or if the road through it all would be easy…but I was sure that I was willing to take a chance to see it through.
"That does mean a lot to me," He finally responded and I felt myself releasing my breath, "but at the same time, it just serves to make me more confused than I already was."
Not surprising, I thought wryly. I was probably the master of sending mixed signals, and honestly, who wouldn't be confused after having a perfectly good date only to be brushed off the next morning as if it hadn't ever happened?
"Can I ask what was going through your mind this morning?"
It was a moment that I'd been dreading, but knew it was coming at the same time. No matter how much I'd told myself that it was in my past and that I was over it and me and the kids were fine, the fact remained that I was still uneasy and insecure about how everything with Garret went down.
"I think…no, I know that that's something that we should talk about in person. If you'll meet with me, that is."
"Yeah…yeah, sure. I really want to work this out, so where should we meet up?" He asked eagerly and that gave my hopes a small boost that I was desperate to gain.
We agreed on a small coffee shop that was close to my apartment, and ended the call. I had a little bit of time to kill, so I headed back to my apartment and met Rachel's curious gaze immediately.
"So what did my brother want?" She asked nonchalantly.
I shrugged, though I couldn't wipe the stupid grin from my face even if it was tinged with nerves.
"Hey guys, are you finished eating?" I asked the boys who were completely oblivious to anything other than the movie they were watching, and began picking up the collection of dishes from the worn coffee table where we'd all eaten.
They hadn't even answered me, just laughed at something that happened in the movie. After taking the dishes to the kitchen and rinsing them off, I moved to the bathroom and brushed my teeth and washed my face in hopes of looking a little less tired—it didn't work. Working every day and then coming home to raise two rambunctious twins was beginning to wear him down—well, that and all the stress over money, that is.
By the time I'd changed out of my pair of lazy sweats and a tank top into jeans and a black t-shirt, Rachel was waiting for me in the hallway just outside of my door, "What's going on?"
"Uh..." I ran a hand through my hair, wondering if I should try to fix it up before leaving to meet with Jacob, "Can you stay here and watch the boys for me…for like, an hour?"
"If you tell me where you're going."
"I have to go and talk to someone…" I trailed off, not really wanting to let on that I was going to meet her brother because I knew if I did then the rest would simply come pouring out.
"Oh, are you going to meet up with…what's his name? Oh, Jacob!" She cackled as she followed me to the front door.
"Yes, okay; I am going to go meet up with your brother for a cup of coffee. Can you watch the boys?"
"Sure thing, sugar." She grinned as she closed the front door behind me.
Jacob Black was a nervous wreck at the moment.
He really didn't know what to expect, but he was certainly hoping for the best. Paul had said that he'd been regretting his action from that morning all day; that had to mean that this meeting was a good thing. Or at least that was Jacob's reasoning.
And then, of course, there was the chance that Paul simply regretted the way that he'd rejected Jacob and any chance of their sharing a relationship in the future and simply wanted to get together so that he could explain things more clearly to Jacob. That option was making Jake's palms sweaty as he looked nervously around the coffee shop. They'd agreed to meet at the shop within half-an-hour's time, but Jacob had left for the shop right away and now barely registered his surroundings after having been sitting at the small table tucked away in a back corner for nearly five minutes.
Rubbing his palms on the black slacks that he'd yet to change out of since he left the clinic and noticed that most of the patrons were either reading or typing away meticulously at the laptops they'd brought. It was nice, decorated with warm, woodsy colors that seemed to enhance the rich aroma of the drinks being brewed. It was slightly calming and Jacob figured that he should probably order a drink or something rather than simply sit there gazing at nothing, but just as he stood up he sat back down at the sight of Paul walking into the shop.
Immediately, a flutter joined the quench of nerves in his stomach leaving Jacob feeling even more anxious to get straight to the meat-and-potatoes of this whole meeting. Regardless of the outcome, he thought determinedly, at least I'll know where we stand.
"Paul!"
At the call of his name, the man immediately found Jacob waving him over with a small smile pulling the ends of the well-built man's lips.
Paul didn't exactly know what to expect from this, but he knew what he was hoping for: He wanted another chance with the handsome veterinarian. He realized that he'd written the man off too quickly and really shouldn't judge him based on his previous bad experiences from his time with Garrett. If anything, from what he learned from Rachel and from the his experience last night, Jacob Black seemed like too much of a gentleman to pull the same kind of stint that Garrett had pulled. A break-up with Jacob Black would hardly be anything other than amicable. Or at least, that's what he'd been telling himself since he set out for the walk to the café.
"Hey." He smiled broadly as he took a seat across from Jacob.
The gesture was immediately returned with a gesture towards the line for taking orders, "Would you like to get somethin' to drink, or did you just wanna…jump right in?"
It was like shinning a flashlight on the big pink elephant hiding under the table. Was Paul going to drag it out with a drink, or was he going to skip right to the good parts—if you could call it that?
"I'll probably get a drink; would you like something?"
"No babe, I'll get it—what do you want?" Jacob asked, jumping up to his feet.
Babe? Paul blushed slightly at the endearment, "A-uh, a pomegranate lemonade. H-Here lemme give you the mo-"
"Don't even think about it." Jacob dismissed his offer with a pointed look before walking away from the table.
Paul followed him with his eyes, grateful for the chance to build up his courage and gather his thoughts. He knew he had to fill Mr. Black in on the details of his previous relationship as well as his hesitations when it came to being in a relationship with him.
How could he not want to be with Jacob Black? The man was like the living-breathing epitome of sex on legs. As if the universe was showing signs to agree with him, Paul watched as the two female baristas paused in their work to watch as Jacob paid for their drinks and dropped all the change into the tip jar before turning away to walk back to their table. The two women were practically raping the veterinarian with their eyes as they whispered and giggled behind their hands—and as if that weren't enough, a young twink ran an appreciative gaze slowly over his body as Jake passed his table.
Jacob seemed oblivious to it, though, as he sat down again, "They're gonna bring the drinks when they're done."
Paul couldn't resist quirking a brow and asking, "Are you really oblivious to the effect you have on people?"
"Huh?"
Discreetly, Paul nodded his head towards the twink, and after Jacob had looked he added, "Not to mention the two women you've managed to distract with your amazing good looks."
One end of Jacob's full lips quirked up, "Amazing good looks, huh?"
Blushing, the other man dropped his gaze to inspect the table-top, "Don't act like you don't know you're gorgeous."
"Hmm…I may have noticed it once or twice." Jacob said with a teasing tone to his sultry voice, to which Paul snorted, "But the fact that you've taken notice is much for gratifying to me, babe."
Looking up, Paul note the seriousness in Jacob's expression and slid a look towards the twink and caught him sneaking a glance at the man sitting across from him. "He's good-looking."
"Hmm…"
The thoughtful noise drew Paul's gaze back to the man sitting across from him. Before either of them could say anything, a busty-blond worker—one of the two that had been visually-raping Jacob before—had appeared to place their drinks down on the table before leaning unnecessarily onto the table towards Jacob as she asked him in a soft and what Paul was sure was meant to be a seductive in if there was anything else he needed.
"Uh, not really—so if you could stop flirting with me, that'd be great. It's really starting to make my boyfriend uncomfortable."
"Oh-oh god, I'm so sorry. I thought…no. Never mind." She turned and quickly hurried away.
"So there," Jacob smiled triumphantly as he brought his cup of coffee to his lips and took a slow sip, "surely, the word will get around that I'm spoken for."
"Are you?"
"I'd like to be."
"Have anyone in mind?"
"Hmm…yeah there is this one guy—I'm supposed to meet up with him and I'm hoping I'll be able to convince him to give me another chance to show him that I'm not going to abandon him like that last guy he was with."
Paul's eyes narrowed and he snapped back into his chair, his grip on the plastic cup wavering as his hands went slack with shock, "What do you know about that?"
Tracing the bottom rim of his cup with one finger, he rubbed the back of his neck with the other hand, "Nothing other than what I just told you—and only that much because Rachel gave me fair warning before I went on our date that if I'd hurt you, I'd be unrecognizable after she was finished with me." He laughed, but it was missing any sense of amusement.
"Oh…"
After a moment filled with a slightly awkward silence, Jacob asked, "Are you afraid I'll do the same thing? Is that why you pushed me away?"
Numbly, Paul nodded, looking anywhere but at Jacob's face.
"Paul…Baby…look at me, please."
It took a moment but Paul was finally able to follow through with Jacob's request and met Jacob's adoring and determined gaze.
"Will you give me a chance to prove that you have nothing to be afraid of with me?"
"How do you know that? You don't think Garrett said the same thing? That I've got nothing to worry about; that he was always going to be there for me and my kids?"
The doctor's eyebrows knit together and his eyes lit with a sudden fury, "He was a fucking idiot to ever leave someone as amazing as you, Brady, and Peter. And I know that even if I did end up feeling somehow unfulfilled with our relationship then our split would be completely civil—I would never blindside a lover by just up and leaving, never to return or be heard from again. And most likely, we would end up being friends anyway and still see a lot of each other since you're so close with my sister and I'd most likely end up being close with the boys. And besides," The doctor's serious demeanor finally cracked with a lopsided smirk as he shrugged, "if I ever pulled any shit and hurt you or the boys, I'd wind up in a coma, not if, but when Rachel would get her hands on me."
Paul laughed at the truth of the statement. His mind was at ease, for now at least, and he gazed adoringly at the man sitting across from him only to find the look being mirrored back. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, all of the worried feelings he'd been feeling were put to rest. He knew that if anything happened to make them not want to be together, then they'd most likely end up on friendly terms. Although there was a niggling of doubt eating at his positive thoughts, he decided to—for once—hold on to all the good. He really did want to give Jacob Black a chance. He'd been happy throughout their entire date, and was even felt giddy inside when he'd first set eyes on the man once he'd walked into the small coffee shop.
"Are you sure you want to be with me?" He asked tentatively, "I've got two three-almost-four year old boys, and the only time I really get to be alone is when your sister doesn't mind watching them—and even then, I hate burdening her like that. We wouldn't have much time to ourselves."
Jacob simply smiled and reached across to place his hands over Paul's where they rest on of the table, "I'm sure babe. Besides, the boys are already growing on me."
In response, Paul grinned cheekily and flipped his hands over to lace their fingers together, "They were asking about you when I got home."
"Oh yeah?" Jacob asked on a laugh.
"Yeah, don't let it get to your head though." Paul chided playfully.
"Hmm…too late."
Just as Paul was about to reply with another smart remark, he felt a vibration in his pocket and reluctantly pulled one hand away to reach for it.
"Shit…" he muttered under his breath as he read the message.
"Everything okay?"
"Uh, yeah, I just gotta go. Rachel just remembered that she has a deadline and she has to get home. I've got to get back to the boys."
"Oh alright…c'mon, I'll take you."
"Oh, no—I'll just walk; I live-"
"I know where you live; I know I've got no where I have to be for the rest of the night; I know that it's late and I'd feel much better knowing you've gotten home safely. I know that much." Jacob stood up and took a long swig from his coffee and held out a hand, "Besides, I hear there are two kids that have been asking about me."
"Hmm…I suppose you make a good point." Paul smiled as he stood and took the offered hand, allowing Jake to lead them out of the shop, both men sipping their drinks as they went.
The drive to Paul's apartment was quick and once they'd parked across the street from the complex, Paul had a sudden ball of unease in the pit of his stomach. Sure he'd worked things out, and they'd managed to discuss his fears and put them at ease—but they'd spent all of, what, a few minutes discussing it? He hadn't even gotten around to explaining his situation with Garrett or anything. Although he was sure it wouldn't change the outcome of the night, Paul still felt as if it was important for him to explain the situation regardless.
"Jake, I-" He paused, looking for the right wording as he searched Jacob's curious gaze, "I should tell you what happened…with Garret."
"Paul." Jacob stopped him with a raised hand and sighed, "Right now, let's just enjoy the moment. Okay? I really don't think I could even talk about it right now because even just thinking about what that asshole did makes me livid; so give me a little time, enjoy our relationship; and when the time is right, we'll talk about it. Alright?"
With a silent nod, they agreed on the deal with a kiss, which Paul pulled away from before things became too uncontrollable. Both men let out slightly frustrated huffs of disappointment, but neither said anything about it. They both knew that both Rachel and the boys were waiting in the apartment and they really couldn't allow themselves to get carried away.
"You would…like to come and say hi to the boys?"
"Hmm…perhaps I could make a special appearance." He chuckled as quickly left the car and met Paul on the passenger side, quickly taking his hand and followed Paul's lead to his apartment.
Jacob knew he probably looked dorky as hell with a sappy grin on his face, and the look that Rachel gave the two men as she left only confirmed that feeling. Brady and Peter quickly began jumping all over Jacob and the man didn't even falter as he began tickling them, laughing, and joking around with the twins. Paul felt completely at ease and knew he and his kids were safe with Jacob.
So when they settled in to watch some TV on the small screen in the front room, all bunched together on the couch, Paul wasn't surprised when he jerked awake suddenly when Peter prodded him awake to tell him that he was cold.
He hauled his son onto his lap and cuddled him close as he toed Jake's foot in an attempt to wake the veterinarian up.
"Huh, what?" Jacob jerked awake, causing Brady—who had cuddled in against his side—to stir and groan before getting comfortable again, "Damn, I fell asleep again didn't I?"
Barely suppressing a chuckle, Paul nodded and smiled at the other man in the dim light cast by the television.
"Hmm…suppose this is a habit that I should continue since I could definitely get used to it." Jacob grinned wide and lift Brady into his arms as he stood, "C'mon babe, let's get to bed."
A/N: So, I finally got a full on, 3000+ chapter written! Haha hope I didn't disappoint, and we'll see how things go from here, right? Haha I would love to get some reviews because they really motivate me to write!
Notoriously Yours,
GoinnGaGa
