He sets his bottle down, crossing his arms. “So… Thanksgiving. You bringing Charlotte and the kids?”
I pause mid-sip, glancing at him. “Yeah, that’s the plan. Mentioned it to her last night. She’s hesitant, but I think she’s on board.”
Ryan quirks an eyebrow. “Last night?”
“Yeah. Noah got into some trouble at school, so I offered to help out. Then I hung around for a bit.”
He smirks, leaning against the counter. “You thinking about making it exclusive?”
I frown. I hadn’t considered I needed to ask outright, I just assumed we were.
“She’s mine.” I sound like a caveman, but I don’t care.
He chuckles, lifting his water. “Doessheknow that?”
My thoughts race at the question, the weight of it settling over me.She better fucking know it.
“I don’t want to push her too fast. She’s been through a lot, so I don’t wanna screw this up by rushing things.”
Ryan’s expression turns serious. “You’re all in with her, aren’t you? The way you talk about her, man…”
“All in, one hundred percent. She appeared right in front of me after twelve years, there's no way I’m not letting her go again.”
“Dude, you’re in deep.”
I run a hand through my hair, sorting out everything in my head. “I just don’t want to scare her off, you know? She’s got the kids to think about, but I don’t want her thinking I’m not serious either.”
His head shakes, amused. “I’ve never seen you like this over anyone. Surely she knows.”
I glance at him, trying to gauge how much is friendly reassurance and how much is truth. “I don’t wanna screw this up. I…” I trail off, unable to voice my deepest feelings out loud—not yet. Not until I’ve said them to her first.
Ryan claps a hand on my shoulder, giving ita squeeze. “You’re doing everything right, man. Just keep being yourself. She’s already halfway there.”
Nodding, I take in his words. He’s right. I’ve put it all out there, and I’ve got to trust that she feels the same. Still, the idea of making our relationship official is a lot to process.
I’d do it in a heartbeat, but I have to be careful. Losing her now, before we’ve even really started, scares the shit out of me.
We finish our waters, the conversation lightening up as we talk about the upcoming game, Chase’s escapades, and the usual locker room banter. But after Ryan leaves, the condo feels even more sterile, the silence pressing in around me.
I take in the sleek lines and pristine surfaces. It’s the kind of place that looks good in a magazine. Impressive on the outside, but hollow at its core. The same way I’ve felt without her these past twelve years.
I think back to Charlie’s house and how warm it felt; how alive. There’s a coziness there, a sense of home my place is missing. The thought crosses my mind to make my condo more inviting for her and the kids. It’s not something I’ve thought about before, but now it feels important. I want them with me.I want to be with them.
With a sigh, I pull out my phone, scrolling until I find Charlie’s name. My thumb hovers over the screen for a moment before I hit the call button. It rings a couple of times, and I hear chaos in the background when she picks up.
“Hey, Jake,” she says, voice frazzled. A high-pitched wail sounds in the background.
“Hey, Lady Lightning,” I reply, a smile tugging at my lips. “Everything okay over there?”
“Sorry, it’s a bit crazy right now.” Her words are nearly lost in the noise—sounds like Meadow is in full meltdown mode.
“You okay?”
She lets out a tired laugh. “Just another standard night at Casa Charlotte. Meadow’s decided that bath time is the end of the world, and Noah’s arguing with me about whether broccoli is necessary. You know, the usual fun and rainbows.”
I chuckle, picturing the scene. “Sounds like a full house.”
“Yeah, it’s… something,” she says, then quickly changes the subject. “How was practice?”
