5. Jessica
Chapter five
Jessica
The days passed quickly. Nick and Grant made rapid progress on the house. They’d all gotten lucky—the home had needed less work than they’d feared.
Today had been another good day for Jessica. She had gone back to story time at Breeze Into Books. This time, she’d talked to a few other moms. It would be great to have friends with kids Jack's age. She was the youngest mom at the bookstore, but so far, everyone had accepted her.
Jessica tucked Jack into bed for his nap, then gave him a kiss on the forehead. “We’ll have more fun after you sleep,” she promised. “It might be warm enough for the playground. But you need to rest first.”
He nodded, snuggling closer to his stuffed teddy bear. “Can we stay home? I want to help Nick and Grant fix our house.”
“Not today, buddy.” Jessica smiled. Jack was eager to join the construction team—even if the hammers and supplies were too heavy for him. “They aren’t working, remember? Grant’s taking his mom to the doctor, and Nick’s got the day off.”
“I’ll take care of you when I get big,” he promised. “Like Grant does.”
“That’s my sweet boy. Get some rest first.” Jessica pulled the blanket up around Jack’s chin, then hesitated at the door. Naptime was her favorite time of day. Sure, she needed the break. She also loved watching Jack sleep. Already, the little boy’s shoulders moved more slowly as he fell into slumber.
How had she gotten so lucky? Jessica had thought her life was over when she became a teen mom. She’d been overwhelmed and exhausted. But the hard work and sleepless night were worth it. Jack was a great kid.
She spent the next hour moving quietly around the house, putting laundry into the washer and cleaning the dishes from lunch. She was grateful to have a functional cooking space again. Jack loved having “picnics” in the living room, but Jessica was tired of takeout.
Fortunately, there hadn’t been as much water damage as they’d feared. Grant and Nick had replaced the rest of the main floor’s windows and cracked plaster in a few short days. Next week they’d move upstairs to replace the last windows in the aging farmhouse.
Their renovations would be complete soon. Jessica was grateful the men had worked so quickly—but she’d miss seeing Nick every day. Jack would miss him, too.
Jessica glanced at the book sitting on her kitchen table. It would be fun to escape into a story for a few minutes, but did she have time for reading? I should wait until Jack is asleep tonight , Jessica thought . He could wake up soon.
Instead of relaxing until Jack was awake, she decided to check for mail. She tiptoed to Jack’s door to check on him. He was still sound asleep, snoring softly. The sight made her smile. Jack seemed so innocent in sleep.
Jessica stepped outside, laughing as she walked over to the mailbox. She wasn’t the only person in her driveway—she’d had caught Nick red-handed this time. Jessica’s mailbox was open, and he was sneaking another note inside.
“You don’t have to hide the cards,” she called, jogging out to meet him. “I know they’re from you.”
Nick gave her a lopsided grin and shrugged. “It’s more fun this way. I had some spare time since we’re not working today. Besides, you still haven’t accepted my invitation for ice cream.”
He pulled the card out of the mailbox and handed it to her, making her heart flutter. She shouldn’t find simple gestures like this attractive, but Jessica couldn’t help herself. No one had tried to make her feel special in a long time.
Jessica opened the envelope. She had promised herself to take things slow with Nick, but couldn’t stop the smile that grew on her face. Nick hadn’t just dropped off a cute note this time—he’d delivered an invitation to join him for ice cream after dinner tonight.
Tears threatened to fall from Jessica’s eyes as she re-read the message. His sweet letters made her feel like Sunset Cove was really her home again—not just a soft landing place to live with Jack, but a place to build a real future.
Would that future include Nick? She hoped so.
Jessica looked at the card again, then waved it thoughtfully in the air. It was time to figure out how serious Nick was about his commitment. Was he looking for one date, or committing to both her and Jack?
She said a silent prayer that Nick wanted something more long-term. “You’re persistent. But maybe I don’t want ice cream. Maybe I want dinner, and dessert, and a family game night afterward.” She raised her chin, daring him to argue with her. “Are you looking for two scoops of ice cream, or something more? I’ve got a little boy upstairs to think about.”
Nick stepped forward and reached for her hand, sending a thrill of excitement through Jessica. “The ice cream’s only a start,” he promised. “I would never hurt Jack by walking away. I don’t want to push you too hard, but I’m all in.”
Jessica squeezed his hand, closing her eyes for a moment as she pictured the two of them together. Days spent by the tidepools, and nights in the home they’d built together.
There was plenty of time to make plans for the future, though. No reason to rush so far ahead. “You know, this old house still needs work after the windows are done. I’m thinking of remodeling Jack’s room. Fresh paint, maybe re-finish his floors. If you’re willing to help.”
Nick looked at the house thoughtfully and nodded. “I think he’d like light blue walls. A wide windowsill to put shells on. That’s the kind of room I had when I was a little boy.”
Jessica wrapped her arms around herself, chewing on her lower lip. “I loved growing up here. I’m glad we came back, even though it was a big change.”
“Where did you go in high school?” Nick asked, then backtracked. “If you don’t mind talking about it. It’s none of my business.”
But Jessica smiled and shook her head. “It’s not a secret. I lived with my aunt for a few years, on a Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania. My parents were supportive, but they couldn’t help as much as they wanted to. My aunt showed me how to take care of Jack and got me back on my feet. I worked on the farm. Over the years, I saved enough money for a small down payment on a house.”
Nick’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “What was it like, living on a farm?”
“It was fun. The mountains are beautiful. And Jack could always find a new adventure on the farm.” Jessica’s smile stretched from ear to ear. “It was a great place to find myself. But as I got more comfortable as a parent and had some financial independence, I knew it was time to leave.”
“To come home,” Nick said.
“Home,” she echoed softly. “My home is wherever Jack is. But I think this will be a good place for Jack.”
Nick nodded and squeezed her hand again. “It’s a great place for Jack. I hope you’ll stay. And I hope you’ll give me a chance. Like I said, I’m not leaving. Not unless you tell me to go away.”
Jessica waved the card in her free hand and smiled. “Let’s start with ice cream tonight. I'm glad you’re ready for more, though. I’m sorry I took so long to trust you.”
Nick let out a shaky laugh. “You’ve only been home a few weeks, but it feels like we’ve spent a lifetime together. You can set the pace. I’ll be waiting for you.”
“It feels like forever, doesn’t it? Hold that thought, though.” Jessica took a step backward, toward the house. “I’ve got to check on Jack. He might wake up soon, and I don’t like leaving him alone while your tools are here.” She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Nick’s cheek. “You can give him the invitation for ice cream.”