97

97

Jacob’s POV

The restaurant was quiet, just how I’d hoped it would be. The low murmurs of the conversations going on around us, the clink of silverware against plates, the dim lighting—it all set the perfect mood for the evening. I’d gone out of my way to make sure everything was just right tonight. Jenny deserved that, and more.

This was our first date and I was determined to make sure everything was perfect.

I sat across from her, watching as the candlelight flickered, casting a soft glow across her face. She looked beautiful tonight, not that she didn’t always, but there was something about her now that made it impossible to look away. Her eyes were bright, the kind of brightness that came from within, not just the reflection of the soft lighting. It was like she was glowing, radiating this energy that pulled me in, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“You’re staring,” she said, her voice teasing but with that slight blush rising to her cheeks.

I leaned back in my chair, a smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth. “Can you blame me? You look… incredible tonight.”

Her smile widened, that playful spark I loved so much dancing in her eyes. “I clean up nice when I have to.”

“You clean up nice even when you don’t try.” I wasn’t just saying it to flatter her. It was the truth. Jenny had this effortless beauty about her. Regardless of what she wore, she always took my breath away.

She laughed softly, her hand reaching for her glass of wine, and I watched her every move. It was strange, this pull I felt toward her. It had been there since the first time we met when she was looking for Sophia, but now it felt stronger. Deeper. Like every moment with her was something I wanted to hold onto, savor, because it felt real in a way I wasn’t used to.

“So,” she said after taking a sip, setting the glass back down on the table softly, “what’s the occasion? Not that I’m complaining, but this feels a little too perfect to be a casual dinner.”

I chuckled, shrugging. “Do I need a reason to take you out? I thought maybe we could just enjoy each other’s company without any distractions. No drama, no vampire politics, just us.”

She raised an eyebrow. “No drama? Are we capable of that?”

“Tonight we are,” I said firmly. “No hunters, no vampires. Just Jacob and Jenny.”

Her smile softened, and for a moment, the playful banter faded. She reached across the table, her fingers brushing against mine. The touch was light, but it sent a wave of warmth through me. “I like that,” she said softly. “Just us.”

I curled my fingers around hers, holding her hand for a moment longer than necessary. There was a peace between us tonight, a calm that I hadn’t felt in a long time. It was strange, considering everything we’d been through, but I welcomed it. Needed it.

The waiter interrupted us, bringing our food, and we both pulled our hands back reluctantly. Jenny grinned as she eyed her plate. “You remembered my favorite,” she said, her voice a mix of surprise and delight.

“Of course I did.” I winked at her. “I pay attention, you know.”

She laughed, and the sound was like music to my ears. “I’m impressed.”

I wasn’t sure what it was about tonight, but everything felt right. The food, the wine, the easy conversation—it all blended together seamlessly. Jenny was comfortable, laughing more than she had in weeks, and I couldn’t help but feel proud of that. After everything we’d been through lately, seeing her like this was a relief.

As we ate, we talked about everything and nothing. She told me about some ridiculous thing that had happened at class, and I listened, hanging on to every word because I loved hearing her talk. I told her about the last time Ian and I had gone head-to-head in one of our usual arguments. We both knew it wasn’t serious, but Jenny loved hearing about the banter between my brother and me, and I loved telling her stories that made her laugh.

“So, you mean to tell me Ian actually admitted he was wrong?” Jenny raised an eyebrow, disbelief all over her face. “That doesn’t sound like the Ian I know.”

“Well, he didn’t exactly admit it,” I said with a grin, “but he didn’t deny it either. That’s basically the same thing when it comes to him.”

She laughed again, shaking her head. “I swear, the two of you… it’s like watching a soap opera.”

“Hey, we like to keep things interesting.”

The conversation drifted, but it never, for one moment, felt forced. Being with Jenny was easy. It always had been. When I was with her, the weight of everything—vampire politics, the constant threats, the shadow of what we were—it all faded away. She grounded me.

“Can I ask you something?” she said suddenly, her tone more serious now.

“Of course.” I set my fork down, giving her my full attention.

“Do you ever… I don’t know, think about the future?” She looked down at her plate, fiddling with the edge of her napkin. “I mean, with everything going on, sometimes I feel like we’re always stuck in the moment. Like we’re just surviving, you know? Do you ever think about what comes next?”

Her words caught me off guard, but I didn’t show it. The future. It wasn’t something I let myself think about often, not with everything happening around us. But Jenny… she made me want to think about it.

“I do,” I said after a moment. “I think about it more than you know.”

She looked up, her eyes searching mine. “And what do you see?”

“I see us,” I said simply. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with the hunters or the council or any of that, but I know I want you there with me. Whatever happens, I want us to face it together.”

Her eyes softened, and she leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at me. “You always know the right thing to say, don’t you?”

I smirked. “It’s a gift.”

“Well, I’m glad I’m part of your future,” she said softly, her voice full of sincerity. “Because I want the same thing, Jacob. I want us.”

Hearing her say it out loud, hearing the certainty in her voice, made something settle inside me. I had always known, deep down, that Jenny was it for me, but hearing her say it—knowing she felt the same—made it real.

We finished our dinner in comfortable silence, the kind that didn’t need to be filled with words. By the time dessert arrived, the mood had shifted again, lighter, more playful. I teased her about the amount of chocolate she was eating, and she threw it back at me with the same fire I’d grown to love.

Afterward, we walked out of the restaurant, hand in hand, the night air cool against our skin. The city buzzed around us, but it felt like we were in our own little world.

“You know,” Jenny said, glancing up at me, “this was perfect. I needed this.”

I squeezed her hand. “So did I.”

We walked in silence for a while, the sound of our footsteps the only thing between us. I couldn’t help but glance at her every few moments, feeling this strange sense of contentment I wasn’t used to.

“You want to know something?” I asked, breaking the silence.

“What?”

“I think tonight is the first time in a long time that I’ve felt like… everything’s going to be okay.”

She smiled up at me, her eyes bright with the same emotion I was feeling. “That’s because it is, Jacob. We’re going to be okay.”

And in that moment, I believed her. Because with Jenny by my side, maybe we really would be.