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“I’m in front of the building where your blue dot is on the ‘Find My Phone,’ but I don’t know which apartment is yours,” Jett said quietly.

“I could go knockin’ and see who answers, but that is usually how people end up on the news, and I don’t need any help.

I’ve already been fired once this week. I’d prefer to start my career over , not sink it before I get a chance. ”

“You’re… here?” she yelped, running for a bathrobe and yanking a hairbrush through her hair quickly. “Why are you here ?”

“Food.”

Karen heard the single word just tossed there and knew deep within her soul that Jett just shrugged. He always shrugged.

“I thought you just ate?”

“I brought you some food so that you could eat something. Your man is providing.”

Karen made a noise deep in her throat as a lump threatened to choke her. Why was this infernal man being so sweet to her, tending to her most basic of needs without being asked to? “I’m in apartment 4C.”

“I’ll be right there…” – and he hung up again.

Karen stared at her phone, blinking in disbelief, and let out a breathy laugh.

That was the second time he’d ended a call like that—just poof , gone—without even a proper goodbye.

The corner of her mouth tugged upward despite herself.

She was definitely going to have to tell him how much she hated that.

It felt unfinished somehow, like a story without a final page.

A soft sigh slipped from her lips as she lowered the phone, the air heavy with unspoken emotions and a flicker of something she didn’t want to name yet.

She was still standing there, trying to make sense of her chaotic thoughts, when she heard it—the knock.

Her heart gave a nervous flutter.

She glanced down at herself. Her robe was barely tied, her hair was a mess, and she hadn’t even brushed her teeth yet. She wasn’t ready for this. She wasn’t ready for him .

Drawing in a deep breath and trying to summon whatever courage she could muster, she stepped to the door. Her fingers hesitated on the knob for just a second before she pulled it open.

There he stood.

She barely had time to register the man behind the door before a McDonald’s bag was suddenly thrust in front of her, blocking her view. The greasy scent of hash browns and breakfast sandwiches hit her nostrils, and her stomach, traitorous as ever, gave an eager little growl.

Then, slowly, the bag dipped—and in its place, rising like something out of a dream, was a single rose. Just one. Delicate. Soft red. Fragrant. And behind it, Jett’s face, boyishly handsome and beaming with that smile she was already growing weak to.

“You wake up pretty decent looking,” he chuckled, flashing her that impish grin that somehow made her feel flustered and cherished all at once. “I look like a bad advertisement for hair gel with my hair all sticking up and smushed weirdly around my head.”

She ducked her head with a shy smile, heat rushing to her cheeks. “Be still my beating heart,” she murmured, her voice playful, tinged with affection. “I can only imagine.”

“Gimme a chance, and someday you’ll see it…”

“You don’t stop, do you.”

“Not now, not ever. I play hockey the same way – maybe you’ll give that a chance, too.”

“Might be a cool day in hell…”

“I’m already pretty awesome on the ice.”

They stood there, framed in the open doorway, a strange stillness between them—a charged moment neither of them seemed ready to break.

Karen swallowed hard, suddenly hyper-aware of how she must look: sleep-tousled, unkempt, vulnerable.

Her fingers rose instinctively to clutch the neckline of her robe, tugging it tighter, trying to hide the old pajama top beneath.

“Why are you here?” she asked, not accusing, just… confused. Unsure.

His eyes softened, and for the briefest moment, she saw the sincerity he kept trying to convince her of. The part of him that meant it when he said he wanted to “give his all to the marriage.”

“I thought you might like something to eat – and this week is going to fly by before we both know it. With us being newlyweds, I thought I’d take a chance at seeing you for a quick moment and see about sneaking a kiss – unless you have morning breath.”

Her jaw dropped slightly, and she let out a startled laugh, clapping a hand over her mouth. “I do… but thanks for pointing that out again.”

“Keeping it real, right?” he teased with a grin.

But then—to her surprise—he stepped closer and leaned in, his lips brushing a feather-light kiss against her cheek. His breath was warm as he paused just long enough to whisper against her skin.

“Maybe I stopped by because I missed you and was willing to chance the halitosis.”

Karen jerked back instinctively, covering her mouth again in mock horror as he burst out laughing. He was impossible… and somehow, impossibly sweet.

“See you later this week, Nutella,” Jett called over his shoulder, turning to walk away with that same casual confidence that had annoyed her the first time they met—and now left her oddly breathless. “Be ready to fly out when I book the plane.”

With a sudden, panicked burst of motion, she turned and slammed the door shut behind her.

The sharp thud echoed through the quiet apartment, and she flinched.

Clutching both the McDonald’s bag and the rose to her chest like lifelines, she bolted for the kitchen.

Her heart thudded in her ears—too loud, too fast—matching the frantic beat of her thoughts.

Yanking open the cupboard, she didn’t bother being careful. Cans clattered, and boxes tumbled as she tossed them aside in a desperate search. Something, anything, to prove or disprove what she already feared from his casually tossed words.

Finally, her hand landed on the Nutella jar. Fingers shaking, she unscrewed the lid and brought it to her nose.

Once.

Twice.

The sugary scent was almost overpowering.

Her heart dropped into her stomach.

“Oh my gosh,” she gasped, recoiling, her eyes wide with horror. Her voice was barely a whisper, the words escaping like steam from a pressure cooker. “My morning breath smells like that ? Do I have diabetes?”

The question hung in the air, sharp and absurd, but also a little terrifying.

“Nooooo. It can’t be. I’m not thirsty, and it doesn’t run in my family but… but why would he say something about Nutella? I can’t take any chances,” she whispered, scheduling an appointment at the nearest clinic.

S ucking in her breath, Karen knocked on the front door – and winced as she heard Jett’s bellow in the distance.

“I GOT IT, MA…”

“Sheesh,” she muttered, realizing once again that she’d tied herself to this person with zero knowledge, zero planning, and utterly no forethought of what her life would be like with him after all those sweet words had hit her straight between the eyes, driving directly into her brain – and hesitated once more as the door opened.

Her bloodwork showed that she did not have diabetes but perhaps she had some brain-eating disease accounting for all of this craziness she was in the middle of… and meeting Jett’s eyes, that seemed to cement the thought.

“Great! You’re here – and early. Cool.”

“Hello,” Karen replied pointedly, expecting him to hold open the door and escort her inside – but once again – Jett threw her for a loop.

He pushed her back bodily, stepping outside the front door and pulling it shut behind him. She had no choice but to move or he would have been smashed up against her.

“What are you doing?”

“Look,” Jett began, leaning forward and whispering.

“My brother is in there and picks up on everything – and my mom,” he paused, swallowing, and she couldn’t help but stare at the rare show of emotion in his dark eyes.

He looked… afraid. “They mean the world to me, and I don’t want them to worry.

I told my mother that we were deeply in love, so she didn’t flip her lid after her past. My dad was awful and…

” The door opened behind him, and his voice died immediately, yanking her into a hug, whispering ‘ please ’ in her ear.

“Ewww,” a boy exclaimed nearly as a woman chuckled softly just as Jett released her, backing away and looking at her silently – his eyes pleading.

“Jett,” Karen said nervously, her face flushing at the feeling of his arms having been around her in a hug – and how much she liked it. “Can you introduce me, sweetheart ?” And Jett’s shoulders seemed to relax visibly as he took her hand, nodding.

“Karen, this is my mother, Joy, and my brother, Elton – who I usually call ‘Biggie E’ or ‘E.J.’ because he’s too little to be an Elton to me…”

“Oh, let’s not get into this again,” Joy interrupted, chuckling as she moved forward to take Karen’s hand. “Come on in, sweetie. I’m so happy to meet you. Do you want something to drink? Some coffee, maybe?”

“They were kissing,” Elton volunteered, grimacing. “She needs a washcloth and some Listerine…”

“Hey you,” Jett laughed, drawing the boy under his arm and rubbing his hair enthusiastically, mussing it up as the kid shrieked in delight. “Knock it off, and if we are talking about cleanliness, you need a shower, Twerp.”

“I took one this morning!”

“Did you? Did you really? Did you use soap or just stand under the water?” Jett pressed, picking up the boy and throwing him over his shoulder before walking inside. Karen couldn’t help but stare in amazement at this side of her new husband. He was gentle, teasing, and almost… parental.

He’s so handsome, she marveled in surprise.

That smile, the easy expression on his face, and how comfortable Jett seemed right now was almost like glancing at a flame before turning your entire head to stare into the sun - overpowering and something she would never forget.

His eyes met hers, raw and unfiltered… and she saw something that made a part of her deep down inside suddenly sit up and take notice.