The Hotel Room: His Broken Vows

Chapter One - Kate

CHAPTER ONE

Kate

Kate tightened the belt of her robe as she moved between the counter and the kitchen island. The tile floor was cool against her bare feet. The smell of coffee filled the kitchen, rich and comforting.

Noah sat in a teenage slouch at the breakfast bar, his long limbs sprawled out as though even sitting required too much effort. He shoveled cereal into his mouth without much enthusiasm.

His eyes flicked between the bowl and his phone, propped precariously against the napkin holder. A faint smirk played at the corner of his lips, a sure sign he was texting Emily again.

Kate resisted the urge to comment. She smiled to herself at Noah’s casual posture—the sharp line of his jaw that still had a hint of baby softness, the way his hair fell into his eyes.

The scene made her ache with a motherly mix of pride and nostalgia. He was growing up so fast, caught somewhere between the boy she raised and the man he was becoming.

“Noah, remember to grab your history project. It’s due today, right?”

He grunted in the way only a teenage boy could, more acknowledgment than answer, most of his attention on his phone.

Kate sighed, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear as Lily bounded down the stairs with all the energy of a whirlwind, clutching a pink folder tightly to her chest. Her words came out in a breathless rush before her feet even hit the last step.

“Mom, do you know where my purple hoodie is? I can’t find it anywhere, and I need it for P.E.!”

Kate raised an eyebrow, already sensing the urgency in Lily’s voice that would leave no room for calm reasoning. “Check the laundry basket,” she said evenly. “If it’s not there, I’ll help you look after breakfast.”

Lily groaned dramatically, shifting from one foot to the other as though time itself were slipping away. “I don’t have time! I need it now!”

Kate held back a laugh, reminded once again of Lily’s uncanny ability to turn minor inconveniences into full-blown crises. She crossed her arms, leaning against the counter. “Well, if you don’t have time to check the basket, then you don’t have time to argue about it either.”

Lily let out a huff of exasperation, her curls bouncing as she spun on her heel to storm toward the laundry room. “Fine, but if I’m late, it’s not my fault!” she called over her shoulder.

Kate cut her eyes to Noah, who didn’t lift his eyes from his phone but smirked knowingly around another bite of cereal. The morning rush, as chaotic as it was, felt strangely comforting in its familiarity.

“Hey, beautiful.”

James was freshly showered and doing up the last buttons on his shirt. His tie hung loose around his neck, and his damp hair was mussed in a way that made him look younger—almost like the boy she married all those years ago. He caught her eye, smiling.

He pressed a kiss to her temple, lingering just enough to make her exhale a little softer. She handed him the mug she’d already prepared for him—strong, splash of cream, no sugar. Just how he liked it.

“Morning,” she murmured, feeling the warmth of his hand brush the small of her back.

“Here,” she said softly, sliding the mug from his hand and placing it on the counter. “Let me.”

James lowered his arms, watching her as she deftly took the tie in her hands. The movement was quick but tender, her fingers brushing against his collarbone as she looped the fabric with practiced ease.

“You’d think I’d have this down by now,” he said, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips.

“You’d think,” she teased lightly, tilting her head to study her handiwork before tightening the knot and smoothing it against his chest. Her hands lingered for a moment, resting on his shirt.

“There,” she said, stepping back.

James’s eyes softened as he looked at her, his smile warmer now, carrying a weight of gratitude he didn’t put into words. “Thanks.”

He glanced at Noah. “Hey, bud. Put the phone down, finish your cereal. You need to leave in ten.”

Noah rolled his eyes but obeyed, shoveling cereal faster now.

Lily reappeared, victorious, purple hoodie in hand. “Found it!”

The clock inched closer to 7:30. James checked his watch, sighing under his breath. He drained his coffee, sliding into his suit jacket.

“I gotta run.” He kissed her again, this time slower, his hand brushing her waist. The kind of kiss that lingered. Then, without another word, he grabbed his keys from the counter and strode out of the kitchen.

The front door shut behind him with a quiet click, and the house seemed to exhale with his absence. For a moment, there was peace.

Noah shoved back his stool, shouldering his backpack with a loud clunk. “Can I get a ride? My bike got a flat yesterday.”

Kate blinked. “When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Last night. I thought you saw it. Sorry. Please?”

Lily piped up. “Can I get a ride too?”

Kate stared at the clock. No time to shower. No time to change. She tugged her coat off the hook, swapping it for her robe and shrugging it over her pajamas. She hoped the neighbors wouldn’t notice.

“Everyone, grab your stuff. Out the door in two minutes.”

The drive was a familiar routine. Noah had earbuds in, music leaking faintly as he scrolled his phone, while Lily launched into a breathless recap of who got picked last in dodgeball yesterday and how unfair it was. Kate nodded in the right places, glancing toward the rearview mirror.

Noah was out first with a mumbled, “Thanks, Mom,” the car door shutting with a loud thud behind him.

Lily lingered longer at the middle school drop off, adjusting the strap of her lunchbox.

“Are you picking me up after choir today?”

Kate nodded, offering a smile she hoped felt as steady as it should. “Of course. Text me if you get out early.”

By the time she returned home, the house was silent, save for the ticking clock. The coffee had gone lukewarm. The cereal bowls sat abandoned in the sink. The echoes of the morning chaos lingered like a presence—empty, but not quite lonely.

She rinsed the bowls, wiping the counter out of habit more than necessity. The laundry basket waited upstairs, half-folded. James’s shirts still needed pressing. Groceries for the week hadn’t been planned yet.

Her gaze drifted toward the corner of the kitchen, where one of Lily’s in-progress school projects sat—a shoebox diorama, painted in wild streaks of purple and green. Kate had helped with the tiny paper trees, the glitter glue trails that Lily insisted were magical vines.

Her fingers brushed the edge of the box, the dried paint rough beneath her fingertips. It stirred something—faint but familiar. Once, before the kids, before James’s long hours and the routines that felt so automatic now, painting had been her thing too.

The house was warm, the kids were safe, James kissed her goodbye like he always had. And yet—there was an ache beneath it. A quiet hum she couldn’t name, somewhere between contentment and…what? But she felt it anyway. That hollow note.

Kate shook it off. Life didn’t slow down. There were things to do.

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Kate stood in front of the stove, reheating the creamy risotto while the scent of garlic and rosemary drifted through the kitchen. The kids had eaten hours ago and were now settled—Noah in his room with music leaking under the door, Lily tucked in with a book after their usual back-and-forth negotiation about bedtime. James’s hours were long, but he’d be home soon.

She heard the familiar sound of James’s car pulling into the driveway, the low rumble of the engine cutting off as headlights flashed against the window.

Kate turned the burner to low, wiping her hands on the kitchen towel as the front door opened. James stepped inside, his tie loosened just enough to look undone but not disheveled. His eyes met hers across the room, weary but warm.

“Hey, babe.” His voice was low, a little rough around the edges.

“Hey.” She closed the distance between them, pressing her palm to his chest as he leaned down to kiss her. His lips were warm, lingering, the kind of kiss that made her head tip back slightly and her fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt.

“Missed you today,” he murmured against her mouth.

Kate smiled, her body already softening under his touch. “Missed you too. Dinner’s almost ready. How was work?”

James let out a breath, his forehead resting briefly against hers. “Long. So many meetings, I lost track of the point halfway through. But…I’m here now.” His hand drifted to her waist, fingers curling in a way that made her heart stutter.

She brushed her thumb over his cheek, feeling the roughness of his stubble. “You want to talk about it?”

He shook his head. “No. I want this.” His lips brushed hers again, slower this time, more deliberate.

Kate exhaled against his mouth, pressing her body closer for a heartbeat before reality nudged its way back in.

“The risotto,” she whispered, reluctantly breaking the kiss.

James groaned playfully, his hand sliding down her hip before releasing her. “Fine. But I’m holding you to tonight.”

Heat curled through her, but she bit back a smile, turning back to the stove. “You better.”

James moved around the kitchen, rolling his sleeves up as he grabbed plates from the cabinet. This—the ease of it—felt good. Felt right. The quiet rhythm they’d built over years.

“Noah leave his history project at home?” James asked, loading the plates next to her.

“No, surprisingly. Though he was glued to his phone the whole morning.”

James chuckled, leaning against the counter. “Pretty sure Emily owns his brain now.”

Kate rolled her eyes with a fond smile. “Remember when we were like that? Couldn’t go a second without thinking about each other?”

His grin turned lazy, head tilting as he studied her. “We’re still like that.”

Her smile softened, warmth blooming in her chest. “Yeah…we are, aren’t we?”

They ate together at the small kitchen table, talking about the kids, plans for the weekend, and the latest from Lily’s dodgeball drama. The weight in James’s expression lightened gradually, the tension in his shoulders easing as the meal went on.

Afterward, as she loaded the dishwasher, Kate felt his presence behind her before he touched her. His hands slid to her hips, warm and certain.

“Come upstairs with me,” he whispered, his breath warm against her neck.

Kate closed her eyes, leaning back into his chest. The ache from the morning—that strange, hollow feeling—wasn’t there anymore. She loved her family and her role in it. Real and steady and still so good.

“Let me finish this,” she whispered, pressing back against him with a teasing sway.

James made a low sound, his grip tightening just enough. “You’re killing me.”

She laughed softly. “You’ll survive. Five minutes.”

“Three.” His lips brushed the spot just below her ear, and heat coiled low in her stomach.

He pulled back with a groan, leaving her flustered as she finished the dishes.

By the time she shut off the lights and padded upstairs, the bedroom door was already half-closed, the room dimly lit by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. James was waiting, leaning back against the headboard, his dress shirt gone, the top button of his slacks undone.

Kate paused in the doorway, heart thudding a little harder. Eighteen years. Two kids. And still, the way he looked at her, the heat in his eyes, stole her breath.

She slipped the robe from her shoulders, letting it pool on the floor. Underneath, her tank top clung to her in all the right ways, and the soft cotton shorts bared just enough to make his gaze darken.

“Come here,” James said, voice rough with want.

And she did.