My brothers best friend

Chapter 45: A Journey of Healing

Chapter 45

Valerie's Point of View

A week later

The week had started with a quietness I wasn't used to. Jake wasn't the loudest person in the room—that wasn't his style—but there was always this undercurrent of energy to him, this presence that made you feel like everything would be okay as long as he was around. Whether it was the quick glances that told you he was listening, the dry humor that slipped in at just the right moment, or the calm steadiness he carried, Jake had this way of grounding everyone around him without even trying.

Lately, though, that energy had dimmed, like someone had turned the volume down on him. It was subtle at first—things only I would notice, probably. The way he lingered in his own thoughts a little too long, the faint crease between his brows even when nothing seemed wrong. But by the end of the weekend, it was undeniable.

I noticed it in the way his laughter came less freely, as if it had to fight its way through some invisible barrier. His smiles felt weighed down, like they were just muscle memory, not the real thing. And his eyes—those warm green eyes that had a way of pulling you in—seemed distant, like they were focused on something only he could see.

Even when we were sitting side by side, a comfortable silence usually our default, that silence now felt... different. It wasn't the quiet companionship I'd grown to love. This silence felt heavy, as if there were unspoken words weighing it down, a tension I couldn't name but couldn't ignore either.

Something was bothering him, something deep. And though I wanted to ask, to reach out and fix it somehow, I knew better. Jake wasn't the type to open up on command. If you pushed too hard, he'd retreat even further, shutting himself off like a door quietly clicking shut. It wasn't out of malice—it was just his way. He needed time, space, and the right moment.

But that didn't mean I was content to do nothing.

I'd been turning it over in my mind, trying to think of ways to help without prying. It wasn't about being a hero or solving all his problems. I just wanted him to know he didn't have to carry it all alone. Maybe he didn't realize that yet, or maybe he didn't know how to say it out loud. Either way, I was determined to show him.

Instead of sitting back and hoping he'd magically start talking, I came up with a different plan. Something simple, something that didn't require words but could still reach him. Because sometimes, when someone is lost in their own head, the best thing you can do isn't to ask questions—it's to remind them what it feels like to be here, in the moment, with someone who cares.

And if there was one thing I was good at, it was finding ways to break through the clouds.

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"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" I called out as I swung the passenger door of his truck open, balancing two travel mugs and a bag of pastries precariously in my arms. The early morning light spilled across the street, soft and golden, painting everything in a gentle glow.

Jake blinked at me from the driver's seat, his hair slightly tousled, his expression a perfect mix of confusion and amusement. "Val? What are you doing here?" His voice was low and scratchy, still heavy with sleep.

"Kidnapping you," I said matter-of-factly, sliding into the passenger seat like I belonged there. I handed him one of the mugs, the warmth seeping through the lid and into my fingers. "Here, coffee. Drink up. We've got places to be."

He raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching as if fighting back a smile. "Places to be?"

"Yep. And I'm not giving you the chance to overthink it, either," I said as I buckled my seatbelt with a decisive click. "We're going on an adventure."