Then she pressed it.
As the message whooshed into the digital ether, Claire felt her pulse tick upward. Her fingers tightened around the phone, a nervous flutter settling low in her stomach. Had she overstepped? Would Jack see this as too much, too soon? She almost considered sending a follow-up message—something casual to soften it—but stopped herself.
Instead, she took a slow breath and set the phone down, willing herself to embrace the unknown. A swirl of anticipation and uncertainty settled in her chest. Would he see this as an intrusion? Or would he take it for what it was—a genuine invitation, a step toward something neither of them had fully defined yet?
She exhaled, willing herself to let go of expectations, but a small spark of hope remained. Jack had taken steps toward her—now, she was reaching back. Into the new day. Into possibility.
And even as uncertainty hummed in her chest, she couldn’t help wondering—if maybe, just maybe, this time, something good was waiting on the other side.
Chapter Fifteen
Jack
Jackadjustedthecuffsof his button-down shirt as he stood outside Seaview Elementary. He thought briefly of how he'd imagined this would feel. In his mind, he had pictured awkwardness, detachment—like a guest stepping into someone else’s life.
He’d expected stiff smiles and long stretches of silence, the kind of school events where he'd feel like the only adult not part of a complete family unit. A time when Chloe would cling to his hand, wide-eyed, while he tried to mask the ache of absence and pretend it didn’t matter.
But the nervous flutter in his chest wasn’t fear. It was something unfamiliar. Something like hope.
The low hum of parental chatter filtered through the open doors. The crisp morning air carried the scent of freshly cut grass and the faint tang of chalk dust, mingling with the aroma of coffee wafting from a nearby group of parents.
A light breeze ruffled his hair, and he rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the tension tightening his muscles. He exhaled, feeling the unfamiliar weight of nerves settle in his chest. School meetings weren’t something he ever imagined himself attending, not like this. Not as part of something bigger than just him and Chloe.
He had told himself this was about supporting Claire and Gabe, about showing up as a friend, but deep down, he knew it was more than that. It had been years since he’d willingly stepped into a setting that required him to engage as more than just a doctor or a grieving widower. And yet, here he was.
“Daddy, come on! We get to sit in the big room with all the parents!" Chloe tugged at his hand, her face bright with excitement. “I saved us seats near the front so we can see everything! And maybe Mrs. Kendall will give me a sticker if you ask a question!”
Jack let out a chuckle, allowing himself to be led inside. The moment he stepped through the doorway, a subtle shift in the air made his muscles tense. People noticed him. Whispers flickered through the crowd—curious glances, knowing nods, hushed speculation. He wasn’t oblivious to the small-town rumor mill. A billionaire doctor with a tragic past integrating himself into local school functions wasn’t something that went unnoticed.
Jack’s jaw tensed, his spine stiffening as a familiar wave of scrutiny rolled over him, the back of his neck prickling as if under a spotlight. He shifted his weight, resisting the old urge to excuse himself and disappear. But then he caught sight of Chloe’s bright ponytail bobbing through the crowd and Claire’s easy laughter drifting from the corner—and the discomfort dulled, replaced by something steadier. He stayed rooted, unwilling to let old fears dictate this new moment.
Jack felt the familiar urge to retreat, to shield himself from judgment, but something held him in place. He wasn’t just the outsider anymore, the grieving man people pitied from afar. Not here, not now. Maybe, he thought, he was beginning to belong.
He spotted Claire almost instantly. She stood near a row of chairs, chatting easily with another parent, her golden hair catching the light. When she turned and saw him, her face softened, an expression of something unspoken passing between them. Relief? Appreciation? Whatever it was, it helped steady him.
“Jack,” Claire greeted as he approached, warmth evident in her voice. "You made it."
“Wouldn’t miss it.” The words surprised him even as he said them. They settled into his chest like a promise—quiet, but certain. He wasn’t just showing up; he wanted to be here.
Gabe sat near the front, a hand-drawn poster propped proudly on the table beside him with the words “Our Neighborhood Science Fair” in bold marker strokes. Claire had mentioned how hard he’d worked on it—how he'd chosen to present it himself instead of letting her speak for him. For a quiet kid who usually kept to the background, this was a big step. Jack felt the weight of that trust just being here.
The meeting opened with the principal’s announcements, a rhythmic rundown of upcoming events, school initiatives, and school improvements, that buzzed quietly beneath the real energy in the room. Nervous kids, proud parents, and the occasional squeak of sneakers on the gym floor as everyone waited to walk through the exhibits.
Jack listened, half-focused, but mostly attuned to the way Gabe lit up when he spoke to Chloe about his latest science project—a homemade volcano made from clay and baking soda. Gabe animatedly described how the red food coloring made the eruption look "just like lava," and Chloe, wide-eyed, asked if he could show her how to build one.
Jack's heart clenched slightly, watching their exchange. Seeing Chloe connect with another child, finding joy in a shared curiosity—it reminded him how essential these friendships were to her healing too. He'd spent so long focused on shielding her from pain, he hadn't realized how much she needed connection, just like he did.
For a moment, he imagined her years from now—surrounded by friends, laughing freely, unburdened by the shadows of loss that had marked her early childhood. That image anchored him. This was why he was trying. Not just to rebuild a life, but to give her one that was full and whole and filled with joy.
Their easy banter and mutual excitement reminded Jack of the kind of childhood moments he used to dream of giving Chloe more often. The sight of the two children so effortlessly enjoying each other's company struck something deep in him.
Halfway through the evening, a couple of parents near Jack exchanged quiet words, their eyes flickering in his direction. He knew that look—curiosity mixed with assumptions. It wasn’t the first time people had speculated about his connection to Claire. But for once, he didn’t let it bother him. Let them talk. He was here for the people who mattered.
Chloe beamed at him from her seat, bouncing slightly as she whispered something to Gabe, who grinned in response. Their easy camaraderie filled Jack with a quiet sense of contentment, grounding him in the moment. That moment—two kids sharing laughter and trust—was worth more than any whispered speculation.
When the event ended, Claire turned to him. “Thanks for coming. Gabe’s been talking about it all week. It really means a lot to him—and to me. He’s come a long way,” she added, watching Gabe tuck his poster into his backpack with surprising care. “Last year, he wouldn’t have raised his hand in front of the class, let alone volunteered to present something. But today... he stood tall. I think it helped knowing you’d be here too. He doesn’t always feel like he has that many people cheering him on. Gabe doesn't always say it, but I know it meant something special to him. To me, too.”
Jack glanced around the room, seeing families reconnecting, children hugging their parents, easy laughter floating between them.
