"Nick, I'm sure he's fine, babe. Maybe he'll pick up later?"
Nick wanted to believe Mac was right but he couldn't help but worry about Jake. As creepy as it sounded, Nick knew Jake didn't have anything to do today. Which left Nick to wonder... What did Jake have to lie about? And why did he feel like he had to?
It must have been something Jake didn't want Nick to know. The two friends shared everything. There was never a moment they didn't know everything about the other one's life.
"Nick? You alright?"
Mackenzie touched Nick's arm as Nick shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts.
"Uh, I'm gonna go for a walk. I need to think. I'll be back soon," Nick mumbled, grabbing his phone and mask before rushing out, leaving Mac stammering behind the closed door.
Nick wandered all over the sidewalks before he found himself at Jake's house.
Coincidence?
Definitely not.
Nick climbed his front steps and knocked on the door. Nothing. He knocked again and one more time before Jake answered.
"Hey, Nick," he answered.
Nick read into the reply and used the time to study his friend. Jake looked tired and almost disheveled as if...he had just woken up from a nap.
"What are you doing here? I didn't miss a text, did I?" Jake asks, walking over to his countertop where his phone lay charging.
"No, no, not at all. I...uh."
Nick found himself struggling with how to convey to Jake that he had decided to take a walk and just happened to end up at his friend's house. If Nick said he showed up to check-in, Jake would suspect something and Nick didn't want to alienate his friend so he just decided to go for a safe answer. One that would work even if it started to backfire.
The truth... with a few configurations.
"I wanted to take a walk and I decided to say hi."
"Oh, well, sorry the place is such a mess," Jake said, throwing the blanket he had used moments ago back onto the couch, trying to make his living room look more presentable.
"Have a seat. You want anything?"
"No, I'm good. My question is, are you?" Nick asked, stopping Jake in his tracks to the kitchen. Jake sat down on the couch, looking at Nick.
"I'm fine. Just fine."
"Uh-huh. Are you feeling okay? You normally don't sleep in the middle of the day."
"Yeah, I'm good. Been sleeping off a headache. I think it's this weather."
Nick didn't say anything, just nodded and hummed an incoherent response.
"And you? How is Mackenzie doing?"
Again, Nick stifled his frustration.
"She's good. She has good days and bad days. So do I. But we're getting along."
Jake nodded and Nick realized he had never felt more uncomfortable in his life. He realized he had nothing to say to Jake. Well, at least nothing that didn't sound accusing. Nick stood up and put his phone he had been fiddling with back into his pocket.
"Uh, well I better go. Mackenzie had me run to the store for milk. I'd better go do that. Uh, see you, Jake."
Nick rushed out hurriedly, leaving Jake by the door to wonder...
YOU ARE READING
Catching Faith
General Fiction**SEQUEL to "The Gift of a Coach: A Novel of Baseball and Friendship** Jake Wolff has been Brennan's saving grace. He took a team that meant nothing into a team that is feared by every competitor they come up against. Everyone at the school cannot t...
