Jace picks up the kids and brings me a donut
Jace picks up the kids and brings me a donut and an iced coffee
Jace picks up the kids and promises to be my sex unicorn for all eternity
“That’s an easy choice, gotta go with number three,” Tiffany chimed in. I laughed, warning them that I was putting the phone down as the women continued to chatter amongst themselves.
Reverently, I picked up the first book off the pile,Barbarian Loverby Ruby Dixon. Ignoring my throb of embarrassment, I flipped the book open to the first marked page. Jace marked one of the passages with a note, sayingNever give a girl a wooden mold of your junk.
I burst out laughing, which prompted more chatter from the phone beside me. But I wasn’t listening, I was too focused on the second book in the pile, one that was particularly steamy. But Jace’s notes weren’t lewd, nor were they mocking or thoughtless. Instead, Jace wrote a note during a sex scene that said,Try this with Polly,causing a flush of heat in my cheeks.
I kept moving through the books, giggling at Jace’s notes which were funny and genuine. Just like Jace, himself. At the bottom of the pile was a book I’d read just before Jace started here. A novella that I’d binged until two in the morning. It was about how a smart, young woman, who was also a closet ninja, met her very sarcastic, and very British future husband in college. A few lines of text were marked.
“Because if it’s possible to have a partner who gives all of themselves without reservation, who looks forward to working and sacrificing for me just as I look forward to doing the same for her, who can’t help but love ferociously, brutally, and unconditionally—and even perhaps without reason or sound judgment—that’s what I want. Because that’s how I plan to love in return.”
The words were swimming in front of me by the time I was done reading. The line of text was heartfelt and beautiful, yes, but that’s not what brought tears to my eyes. It was the word written next to it.
Yes
I was wiping my cheeks as I finally brought the phone back up to my face to find five women, noses practically pressed to their screens. Quickly, I went through the last book and quote, along with Jace’s note.
“I take it you’ve forgiven him?” Leah’s question had a smile in it as I shrugged, a sob escaping my lips.
“You fight for this one, Polly,” Leah continued. “I don’t care how old he is, or if your father doesn’t like him, or if he’s horrible in bed.” She gave me a knowing wink. “But this is why I read romance. I want to read about how a man loves their woman.” She paused. “Or man.”
“Or how a woman loves their woman!” Margo piped up and Rose nodded in agreement.
“Don’t leave out the why-choose tropes!” Tiffany added as Eliza chimed in, “Or the sunscreen and monster tropes!”
Leah raised her eyebrows at me. “See? It’s a person’s devotion to their partner, their unconditional love, their imperfectly perfect words. Morally gray, reverse harem, closed-door, it doesn’t matter. When one person puts another’s needs first and shows us what true partnership is, isn’t that what we all want?”
CHAPTERFORTY-SEVEN
POLLY
I’ve been getting an awful feeling that you don’t love me back, but that doesn’t change what I feel about you or make it any less real. Even if you throw me out of your life forever, I want you to know that you’ll always be the best part of me.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips,First Lady
Ifound Jace standing outside, hands in his pockets, looking out at the mountains when I came downstairs. I knocked on the glass of the patio door and he turned quickly, revealing solemn, weary eyes, his hair frizzy like he’d been running his fingers through it continuously.
I watched him visibly steel himself before coming inside. After closing the door softly behind him, he returned his hands to his pockets and watched me warily.
“Hi,” I rasped, voice still raw with emotion.
“Hiya, darlin’,” he drawled, tone unbearably sad.
When I’d walked down the stairs, I was resolved that I would talk to him calmly, getting the reassurance I wanted before deciding if I truly forgave him. And while that’s what my brain told me, my heart was beating out a different story. Jace had already shown me little by little who he was. His strength of character. His patience. His kindness. When I saw him, I found that I’d already forgiven him. Yes, he made a mistake, but I trusted him. I trusted his apology. My chest ached, feeling full and true and happier than I could remember feeling, maybe ever.
“I’m sorry I overreacted,” I said, which had Jace immediately shaking his head.
“No,I’mthe one who should be sorry. The last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt you. I knew it was wrong when I did it. I have nothing left to say now except I’m sorry and it won’t happen again.”
I nodded, giving him a little smile. “I know.”
Jace reared back. “You know?”
“Yes.” I walked forward until I was right in front of him, my head tipping back to look into his eyes. “There are a lot of things to talk about, but the most important thing is this, I forgive you and I trust you.”
