Page 45 of Until Forever
I’m mid-swallow, my breath catching from the laugh ripping through me. “What did you expect? He caught us kissing with your hand on my chest,undermy clothes.”
“Pssh. He didn’t need a bat, and that’s all I’m saying.”
I chuckle and shake my head. “You just need to be glad he didn’t catch you. Besides, if JJ were a girl, you’d probably do the same thing when the time comes.”
“You’re right about that.”
“See.” I adjust myself so that one leg is tucked beneath me. “You’re just the boy who got his daughter pregnant—”
“And bailed,” he finishes my statements.
“That’s not what I was trying to say.”
“I know, but it’s our truth. The only way we can move forward is to acknowledge it. It happened, and now we’re here.”
“Mom, I’m finished,” JJ yells.
“Okay. Your pajamas are on your bed,” I holler back.
The door to the bathroom creaks open, and then I hear him enter his room. I know because the sound of him walking is stifled by the carpet in his room. A moment later, the pitter-patter of JJ’s feet against the hardwood flooring grows louder.
“Goodnight, Mommy. I love you.”
He rushes me with a hug, nearly knocking my glass from my hand. Jasper notices and takes it from me, freeing my hands so that I am able to return our son’s gesture.
“I love you, too, young man.” I squeeze him as if it’s the last thing I’ll ever do.
“Can Dad tuck me in?” JJ steps away, fixing his clothes.
My heart aches a little, but the look on his face fades away the jealousy that wants to creep up on me. They’ve bonded. Of course, he’d want as much time with Jasper as possible. I don’t blame him because no matter how hard I try not to care, I want time with him, too.
“Let’s go, buddy,” Jasper answers for me with a hand on my knee.
I swallow a breath, watching the slow drag of his fingers over the taut denim. He disappears around the corner, and soon I hear the two of them giggling. I’m still for a moment, only moving to refill my glass. A lot has happened this past month, and I really don’t know what to do with myself.
Jasper’s here, in my home, moving about as if we’ve been one big happy family all along. It’s weird but comfortable when I allow myself to think about it. The way things were these past few days, us passing on duties like true co-parents. And the happiness that’s replaced the sour mood JJ has been in makes it all worth it. It makes me consider things I’m not fully sure I need to be considering right now.
Jasper returns, reclaiming his space next to me. He reaches for his drink then settles into the oversized cushion. His gaze is on me as he sips, sending a nervous chill down my spine. Needing to ease the tension, I clear my throat and speak.
“That’s my job, you know,” I joke and swallow a gulp of wine.
“Oh, yeah. We can take turns now.” He smirks then brings his glass to his lips.
“Deal.” I sigh, tucking my leg back under me. “He really loves that you’re here.”
“I’m glad I’m here, too.”
I smile at him, narrowing my eyes as I take him in. Locking the sight of him into memory while racking my brain to compare Jasper of today to the boy I knew when I was eighteen. And yes, there are similarities, like the way his nose wrinkles when he winks, the birthmark that peeks out just beneath the collar of his shirt at the nape of his neck, and the scar on his chin that he got on the day he tried to impress me by popping wheelies on his Harley.
But then, at the same time, he’s different. He’s mature and seems happier and more content with himself. The boy I knew certainly wouldn’t have handled this whole situation the way he is, and he damn sure wouldn’t have cleaned my entire house for the hell of it. So now all I can do is wonder what his life was like away from small-town Tennessee.
“So you’ve been here a month and don’t seem too worried about getting back to your job or anything. I mean, I know you said you’re remote, but what do you do?”
“I’m a small business owner. Tiny staff, just me and one other employee—my assistant. She handles all the admin and billing tasks, and I do everything else. It affords me the ability to take my work anywhere in the world,” he answers and shifts so that we’re face to face.
“Wow.” I pause for a beat, a fuzzy feeling pricking at my insides. “You did it? You went to trade school,” I answer my own question.
We’d talked about it growing up and planned how it’d all go. Knowing that he stayed true to himself and followed our plans to better himself warms me. It makes me proud in the way that a lover would feel for their person.
