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Chapter twenty-seven

You’ve reached your quota on the word ‘friend’

Charlie

M ondays always feel chaotic. The office hums with the usual morning buzz of clacking keyboards, ringing phones, and the occasional burst of laughter from down the corridor. I stare at an email, but my mind drifts back to last night.

The game. The kids. The way Jake looked at me when I called him a friend.

I press my hands to my face. I could have handled that so much better. The kids caught us off guard, but the sting in Jake’s eyes when I stumbled over my words still lingers in my chest.

Seeing him get hit was terrifying. Instinct pulled me to him, forgetting the kids in my rush to make sure he was okay. I didn’t think twice. Being so openly affectionate with him in front of his teammates and our friends doesn’t bother me at all, but in that moment, I forgot the kids were there too.

I'm trying to ease the kids into this, but last night I went and did the opposite. And then I doubled down, confusing them even more by insisting Jake and I were just friends.

“Morning, lover girl,” Zoe’s voice breaks through my thoughts, and I glance up to see her grinning from the doorway.

“Hey,” I reply, trying to sound casual. “Aren’t you supposed to be in the boardroom?”

“I’ve got a few minutes.” She waves her freshly manicured hand dismissively and steps in, closing the door behind her. “So, how was the rest of your night with your good friend Jake?

I groan, dropping my head to the keyboard. “Don’t start.”

“Oh, I’m starting,” she says, sliding onto the edge of my desk. “It was pretty entertaining. Every time you said the word friend , he looked ready to haul you over his shoulder like a caveman to stake his claim.”

“It wasn’t like that,” I argue, though my cheeks heat at the memory. “The kids were confused, and I didn’t want to make it more complicated.”

“Complicated? Charlie, those kids are smart . Anyone with eyes can see there’s more going on than friendship.”

I run a hand through my hair, trying to sound firm. “We agreed to ease the kids into this. It’s not as simple as jumping into his arms forever.”

“It’s exactly that simple,” she counters. “You’ve got a guy who’s crazy about you and the kids. So why are you still holding back?”

Before I can respond, there’s a knock at the door. Marcus peeks his head in, a bright smile on his face. “Morning, Charlotte. Zoe.”

Zoe gives me a pointed look before hopping off my desk. “Catch you later, Charlie.” she says, muttering something about popcorn as she brushes past.

Marcus steps inside, his gaze lingering a moment too long before he speaks. “I was wondering if you’d like to grab lunch today? My treat.”

“Oh,” I stammer, caught off guard. “Thanks Marcus, but I’ve got a lot to get through.”

“Everyone’s gotta eat,” he says with an easy laugh, leaning casually against my desk. “Besides, it’s a new place. Great reviews. Thought it’d be nice to, you know, get to know each other better.”

Before I can find a polite way to brush him off, there’s another loud knock, and the air in the room shifts. Jake steps inside, his presence commanding without effort. His eyes sweep over Marcus, then land on me, and I feel my stomach do a flip. There’s a tension in him that immediately sets me on edge.

“Morning, Charlotte,” Jake says, but there’s an edge to his tone. “Zoe said you were in here.”

Of course she did.

“Hey,” I reply. “What can I do for you?” His eyes flash at the question, because I know exactly what he wants me to do, and I stifle a grin.

Marcus pipes up, still oblivious to the vibe. “Hey, Jake. Good to see you again. How’s the team doing?”

Jake’s gaze cuts to Marcus, polite but sharp. “We’re good. Just gearing up for an away game.”

“That’s great,” Marcus replies, continuing like he’s not about to be the target of a seething pro hockey player. “Charlotte and I were just talking about grabbing lunch later.”

I feel the blood drain from my face. I shoot a glance at Jake, a fierce flash of something primal crossing his eyes. I know that look—it’s the one he gets right before he slams an opponent into the boards.

“Actually,” Jake says smoothly but pointed, “I’d already made plans with my good friend here.”

I shoot Jake a look, trying to ease some tension. “Your good friend, huh? Thought I was your best friend ?”

Jake smirks, but his eyes burn into mine. “You’re pushin’ it, Charlie.”

Marcus blinks, clearly taken aback. “Oh, I didn’t realize—”

“You wouldn’t.” Jake cuts him off with a shrug. “We’ve been keeping things low-key.”

The air feels hot, the weight of Jake’s words settling over the room. Marcus glances between us, his smile faltering as he heads for the door. “Right, well… Maybe another time, Charlotte.”

As soon as he’s gone, I whirl on Jake. “What was that?”

He doesn’t answer immediately, his gaze still on the door Marcus just walked out of before clicking it shut and turning to me. “That was me making it clear you’re off-limits.”

“Off-limits?” I echo. “You can’t just—”

“What was I supposed to do? Stand there while he kept hitting on you?”

I cross my arms. “I can handle myself, Jake.”

“Oh, I know you can.” He steps closer, eyes blazing into mine. “But I’m n ot going to stand there and watch some guy act like you’re fair game. I know we agreed to keep things low-key for the kids, but I’m not okay with you pretending we’re just friends, especially after last night.”

“Jake—”

“No. You’ve now hit your quota on calling me your friend, Charlie. I’m the guy who’s spent the last few weeks in your bed with my face between your legs. I’m not your friend. I’m never going to be okay with that word when it comes to us. You get that, right?”

I bite back a smile, hoping to lighten his mood. “Okay, but what about best friend? Does that still count?”

His lips twitch but the fire in his eyes doesn’t waver. “Not even close. You’re not just a best friend, you’re not just anything. You’re mine, and I won’t let you pretend otherwise.”

“I was just trying to keep things simple,” I explain, guilt starting to gnaw at me.

Jake runs a hand through his hair, clearly struggling to find the right words. “I get that, but I won’t sit back and watch some guy act like you’re available. You’re not, Charlie. You’re with me .”

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “I know, but we still need to be careful. I need to protect the kids, and the media… they complicate things. We can’t just tell everyone without thinking about the consequences.”

His expression softens, though frustration still simmers beneath the surface. “I’m not saying we need to broadcast it, but I’m not hiding. I’m proud you’re mine.”

Those words hit their mark, and I feel the weight of everything we’ve been navigating. “You know I’m proud to be with you too, right?”

He steps closer, his eyes crinkling. “Yeah, I do. But when Noah asked if we were together, that was our opening. I could’ve told him the truth—hell, I wanted to—but then you jumped in with the just friends line again and again. You don’t know how much that sucked.”

I look away, his words sinking in, heavy and undeniable. “I hate that I made you feel like that. I’m scared that if the kids don’t adjust or if things get too intense, Alex will find a way to take them back. I’m scared of the media, of how they might spin things . What if all of this blows up in our faces?”

Jake lifts my chin. “It won’t. Because I’m not going to let it. But I need to know that you’re with me on this.”

I search his eyes, finding nothing but steadfast certainty and something deeper, something I’m not ready for him to admit yet.

“I’m with you, Jake,” I say, leaning into his touch. “I just… I need to protect the kids.”

He nods, brushing his thumb gently across my cheek. “I know, Charlie girl. I want to protect them, too. But I’m not going to hide what we are, and I’m sure as hell not going to stand by while some guy acts like he has a shot with you.”

His words hang between us, heavy with meaning, and I take a shuddering breath. “I don’t wanna mess this up.”

“We won’t. We’ll figure it out together. But don’t push me away, especially not in front of the kids. They need to see that we’re solid, even if we’re still figuring it out.”

I nod slowly. “Okay.”

“Good.” He smiles, the tension easing as he leans down to kiss me, but I stop him with my fingers on his lips, nodding toward the clock.

“You should get to your meeting with Zoe.”

“Yeah, I should.” But he doesn’t move. Instead, he leans in again with more determination. This time I let him kiss me, his mouth slowly dragging over mine deliberately. When he pulls back, his eyes are blazing. “Don’t ever call me just your friend again, Charlie.”

Before I can respond with anything more than a snort, he’s out the door, leaving me standing there, mind racing from the intensity of his words. I take a deep breath, steadying myself as I prepare to face the rest of the day.

Sinking back into my chair, his voice echoes. Jake protects the people he loves without hesitation, like it’s instinct.

And now, he’s asking to do the same for me.