My brothers best friend

Chapter 24: Fishing for More

Chapter 24

Jake's Point of View

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, and I woke up slowly, feeling a warmth against my side. At first, I thought it was just the weight of the blanket, but when I shifted, I realized Valerie was there, her head resting on my chest, one arm draped across my waist. My heart jumped in my chest, and for a moment, panic flickered through me—what the hell? But then I froze, feeling something deeper stir inside me.

She was still asleep, her breathing steady, her body soft against mine. The weight of her presence was... comforting. Familiar. I couldn't help but smile, even as my pulse quickened. There was a part of me that felt a rush of happiness, despite the initial shock. This was different, and it felt natural.

I couldn't stay like this, though. The last thing I wanted was to overstep or make things more complicated between us. Gently, I eased out of bed, careful not to wake her, and slipped out of the room.

The fresh morning air hit me as soon as I stepped outside. My mind was a swirl of thoughts, so I decided to go for a run, something to clear my head. Jack came bounding up to me as soon as I passed the front door, his face lighting up with excitement.

"Jake! Can I come with you?" he asked, already pulling on his sneakers, his enthusiasm infectious.

"Yeah, sure, kid," I said, trying to shake off the tension that had settled in my chest. "You wanna run or just talk?"

"Talk!" he answered immediately, jogging alongside me as we made our way toward the back of the property.

As we jogged, Jack went on and on about all the things he was planning to do with Valerie. "When she wakes up, we're gonna go fishing, Jake! I'm really good at it. I'm gonna show her how to catch a big fish, just like the ones in the pond. And we're gonna go exploring. There's this secret cave behind the barn. I'll take her there too!"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "A cave, huh? Maybe we should ease her into all that adventure, don't you think?"

Jack scrunched his face in mock thought. "Hmm... maybe. But she'll like it, I know it. She's gonna have so much fun here, Jake. She's gonna love it."

I couldn't argue with him. There was something about Valerie's presence here at the farm that already felt right. The quiet, the open space, the freedom—it was the kind of place she could breathe, could recover. And maybe, just maybe, it could be the place we both needed to take the next step.

After a while, we looped back to the house. Jack was full of energy, ready to go again, but I was more than ready for breakfast. When we walked into the kitchen, the smell of something delicious greeted us—cinnamon rolls, eggs, and fresh coffee.

Valerie was sitting at the table, a sleepy but genuine smile lighting up her face as she looked up from a conversation with Abuela. Their laughter echoed through the room, the sound so natural, so comfortable. I paused for a moment, just watching them. Abuela's face was soft with affection, and Valerie, despite her exhaustion from the previous days, seemed at peace. It felt like home. A home that I hadn't known I was missing.

Without thinking, I reached for a glass of water, and as my hand brushed against Valerie's cheek, I couldn't help myself. I leaned down and kissed her softly on the cheek. The gesture was simple, but it felt like it meant something.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she met my gaze, her smile growing. "Good morning," she said softly.

"Morning," I replied, my voice low, almost hesitant, though I couldn't explain why. I could feel the warmth from the kiss lingering in the air between us. It was like the space we were sharing had shifted, subtly, but undeniably.