Page 53

RUMI

I’m never leaving this bed.

After tearing ourselves from each other, we took a shower and cleaned up, having to remind each other to keep our hands to ourselves multiple times before Jack bent me over and fucked me against the glass shower door.

By the time we got dressed, we were both starving.

We ordered a pizza and ate in bed, talking about everything and anything until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

With the sunlight peeking through from under the shades, I look over at the sleeping man next to me, wondering if the butterflies I get when I see him will ever go away.

The way he makes me feel is unlike anything I ever thought possible, and last night was so much more than sex. It was hard to not get in my head when it was about to finally happen—I couldn’t stop the self-doubt and nerves from taking over, making me feel like I didn’t know what I was doing.

But he knew exactly what to say to ground me, to remind me that I was with him—the man I trust—not with the man who almost broke me beyond repair.

I brush a few pieces of his hair off his forehead before curling up against him.

“Good morning,” he says against my hair, his voice rough and ridden with sleep.

“Shh,” I tell him. “Go back to sleep. We still have two hours before I told Ava I would be back, and Sundays are for rest.”

I try to lay on his bare chest but he wraps his arms around me, murmuring something about how maybe he doesn’t hate Sundays after all; I don’t have time to ask him what he means because he’s pulling me on top of him.

“I don’t need rest. I need you,” he says, his hands gripping the tops of my thighs as they settle on either side of him.

“Didn’t you get your fill last night?” I tease, already feeling desire pool in my lower belly.

“Never.” I lean down to press a kiss to his lips. “Now, hold on to the headboard,” he says against my lips.

“What?” I ask, not sure that I heard him right.

“I said, hold on to the headboard,” he repeats.

“Why?” I ask.

“Because you’re going to need something to hold on to while you fuck my face.”

“Mia, Drew, your drinks are ready.” Setting down the iced vanilla latte and a coffee with cream at the pickup counter, I exhale as the last of my orders for the morning rush are finished.

“Thanks, Rumi,” Mia says, grabbing her coffee as Drew gives me a smile and grabs hers. They’re both in athletic wear, out for a walk and on their way to meet Annie for her lunch break.

Chatting with them has become a weekly routine when they stop in, and it’s nice to feel like my roots here in Milwaukee have solidified as more friendships bloom.

“Luke mentioned that Sadie was working out well for Evee? I’m glad I finally annoyed you enough to take my list of babysitters.” Mia smiles before taking a sip of her coffee.

“Oh, she’s the older sister of one of my old students. She’s great,” Drew adds as I cap my Sharpie, putting it in the pocket of my apron.

“Evee loves her. I’m so sad her schedule won’t be as open now that her college courses start at the end of the month, but she’s been such a big help this summer,” I tell the girls.

“And how did your meeting with your agent go yesterday?” Mia asks, tucking a piece of her blonde hair behind her ears. “Did you decide on your title?”

“We’re officially waiting for the final proof of The Rainbow of Emotions, ” I announce with pride, gaining smiles from both Drew and Mia who have been nothing but supportive since hearing about my new, potential career change.

“With Emerson’s new rendition of Callista the Chameleon, everything is finally feeling complete,” I tell them.

I never thought I’d get used to having such a big circle of people interested in what I’m up to and happy for my success. The last month of meeting Lauren at the library and then meeting with her—and my—agent, Joanna, has been such a whirlwind I never expected.

But between the help of my friends, Sadie with Evee, and Jack’s constant support whenever I need him, I finally understand why they say it takes a village—not just with raising a child, but going through life.

I don’t know why I ever wanted to do it alone.

I think it would’ve been possible, but I just don’t think it’s what life is meant to be like.

“You should be so proud,” Drew says, her green eyes shining, contrasting against her red wine hair. “We can’t wait to get the girls and Knox a copy. You’ll have to sign them for us too.”

“Oh! And I’m sure Annie would love to throw you a release party here. And you have Ava to handle all the party planning,” Mia adds, having begged Ava to plan her twin’s birthday party back in June.

I can’t help but laugh, my cheeks blushing at their excitement for me. I’m about to tell them how I don’t want to get too excited—there’s still a lot up in the air, and I shouldn’t be getting my hopes up yet—but there’s a part of me that instead decides to say, “I can’t wait.”

After Mia and Drew leave, the next hour of my shift drags, causing my mind to wander back to my night with Jack, wishing that our nights together weren’t so few and far between.

Leaving my toothbrush there and a change of clothes is a promise for more nights and mornings together, but it’s only been a day since waking up with Jack, and it already feels like an eternity.

My lease with Ava is up next month, and we are set on renewing it because how nice it is to live in the duplex and be just across the street from Hey Honey’s.

The house I brought Evee home to from the hospital, the place I found my best friend—the place where I healed into a better version of myself, the me I didn’t even realize I was capable of being.

But maybe it’s time to move forward.

I don’t want to go back to staying because it’s comfortable or because I’m too scared to find out if the grass is greener on the other side.

I want to continue to heal and grow.

And I want to do it while going to sleep, wrapped in Jack’s arms, and wake up to find his lazy smile and sleepy, green eyes before grabbing Evee to snuggle between us.

“Hi, pretty girl.” The voice pulls me from my thoughts, and it’s like my mind summoned him here.

“Hey, firefighter,” I say as Jack leans over the counter, pressing a kiss to my lips.

Dressed in his black station wear that hugs his strong frame, he leans back, crossing his arms as he asks me about my morning so far.

His easy, grounded confidence is something that was missing the first time he walked into Hey Honey’s, but he’s a new man compared to then.

He looks so sure of himself, like he’s exactly where he needs to be. His radio is strapped to his belt, the one he’s responsible for now as interim Fire Lieutenant before he’s officially promoted.

“I wanted to come see you while we were out for the grocery run,” Jack explains, and I look over his shoulder to see Anderson waving from the truck parked in the lot. “And see if maybe I could come by after I’m done with my shift tomorrow? There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?” I say, and the lack of anxiety surprises me. I expected to feel my smile drop, or my mind try to conjure up everything I’ve done wrong, but there’s nothing.

“It isn’t anything to worry about,” he adds quickly, and I’m still thankful for the reassurance. “I promise, it’s good. Just something I’ve been thinking about since you left on Sunday.” He smiles.

“You’re not even going to give me a hint?” I ask him, and he laughs. and I cross my arms, trying to hide my smile. “I’m serious.”

“So am I.” He leans in again, giving me a quick kiss before he turns to head out the door.

“You’re mean. Who dumps that on someone and then leaves?”

“Bye, baby,” he says, turning around to give me a wink before he’s out the front door. I watch him hop into the truck and throw on a pair of sunglasses with a wide grin on his face as Anderson pulls out of the parking lot.

I shake my head, smiling to myself as I watch the truck disappear from view, and I’m left wondering if maybe it’s not too soon.

Maybe Jack is thinking the same thing as me.

We’ve known this was the real-thing for a while now, probably since before we even started letting ourselves act on the feelings we were developing for one another.

My gaze returns to the parking lot, mostly empty in the early afternoon—my Tuesday shifts always experiencing this same lull—and I’m ripped from my thoughts when the front door to the shop chimes, and I see familiar tattoos and dark hair adorned with a patterned headband.

Emerson waltzes in, bringing my attention back to my surroundings, thoughts of Jack and moving in together floating to the back of my mind for now.

“Hey, hot stuff.” She rounds the counter and asks me about the morning, but I don’t really register her question.

Not when I see a familiar car, one I haven’t seen in months, back out of one of the back parking spots.

I noticed it pull in this morning, but I don’t remember seeing anyone get out. The only reason I gave it any thought was because of the plates.

They’re Minnesota plates.

I’m trying to make out the plates when I hear my name. “Rumi?”

“Yeah?” I say, but my eyes are still on the car as it exits the parking lot, but it’s too far away now. I squint, trying to see who’s in the driver’s side, my heart beating faster and faster every second that passes, but I can’t see who they are. “What did you say?”

Emerson follows my gaze, and we both watch the car disappear in the opposite direction I watched Jack head just minutes ago, and I take in a shaky exhale.

It can’t be him.

It’s been weeks since the court issued Trevor a paternity test, and if he doesn’t respond by the end of August, the court will most likely default judgement and legally declare him the father.

From there, the plan is to go ahead with the child support order, since my circumstances allow for us to go forward without a hearing.

What would he be doing here?

And how would he have found me?

“Who was that?” Emerson asks, and I feel her eyes on me as I begin to busy myself with cleaning the already spotless counters before taking off my apron and folding it over my arm.

“No one,” I answer, shaking my head. “I thought I saw someone I knew, but I don’t think it was them.”

Emerson knows a lot about my past—Jack giving her some details but allowing me to tell her the rest on my own time—but I don’t want to worry her over nothing, not when I’m positive this was just my head playing tricks on me.

Almost positive.