But instead of texting her first, he scrolled to another name …. Kelly.
He exhaled and hit call.
“Jake?” her voice came through after the second ring, curious and a little guarded.
“Hey. I know this is out of the blue, but I need your help with something. Something good.”
There was a pause. “Okay… go on.”
“I got concert tickets. For Kylee. Bleeding Halo is coming to New Orleans in two weeks. Front row. Backstage passes. I booked a suite at The Ritz-Carlton for the both of you.”
Kelly let out a small gasp. “Wait, seriously?”
“Dead serious,” Jake said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “She’s been through so much lately. I want her to have something that’s just for her. Something that makes her feel alive again.”
There was a beat of silence, then Kelly’s voice softened. “Alright. I’ll make it work. She’s going to lose her mind.”
“Thanks, Kel. I owe you one.”
Then he picked up the phone and called Lillian.
“Hey, it’s Jake,” he said when she answered. “Are you free this afternoon? Around four?”
“Of course,” Lillian replied cheerfully. “Are you and Kylee going out?”
Jake exhaled, almost nervously. “Yeah. I’m surprising her with something. I want her to feel… appreciated.”
“I’ll be there,” Lillian said. “She’ll love that.”
He smiled. “Thanks, Lillian.”
As soon as he hung up, he pulled up his text messages and typed quickly.
Jake:
Put on your best outfit. Be ready by 4 p.m.
Lillian’s coming to watch the kids. You’re not allowed to ask questions, just trust me.
He hesitated before pressing send, then did it anyway. A few seconds passed before the message was marked read.
Kylee stared at the message, her stomach tightening with confusion, nerves, and something she hadn’t felt in a long time: anticipation. She re-read it twice. Best outfit. Four o’clock. A sitter?
Her first instinct was suspicion, part of her still aching, still raw. But something about the tone in Jake’s message felt different. There was no apology, no begging. Just… intention.
She looked down at her worn leggings, a trail of spit-up down one thigh, and blinked hard. A slow warmth stirred in her chest. Whatever he had planned… he was trying. Really trying. Maybe just maybe she was ready to see what came next.
Kylee stood in front of her closet, towel wrapped tightly around her body, the steam from her shower still clinging to the bathroom mirror.
Her phone buzzed again.
Lillian:On my way, be there in 10!
She stared at her reflection, damp curls falling down her shoulders, cheeks a little flushed, eyes tired but alive. The message from Jake still lingered in her mind. A knot twisted in her stomach.
He hadn’t said beautiful.
He hadn’t said sexy.
