The Space Between Us (Infidelity #7)

Chapter One

Jess

Moaning, I slam my head against the pillow and try to stifle the sound. Logan grunts against the back of my neck, finding his own release. When he drops beside me, he runs a lazy hand over my back while I struggle to catch my breath.

I turn my head toward him and smile. “Welcome home.”

He chuckles. “I should leave more often.”

“Please don’t,” I say, leaning up to kiss him before heading into the bathroom to clean up.

My reflection stares back at me as I turn on the tap. My blonde hair looks almost black in the dim light, and my body looks closer to how it did before two kids.

Maybe I should never turn the bathroom light on.

Meh.

I flip the switch anyway. I’m not ashamed. Turning food and air into humans takes a toll on the body, and fuck whoever says otherwise.

Once I’m cleaned up, I head back into the bedroom.

“So listen…” I start to say, only to stop short.

My husband of seven years is already asleep.

I can’t really blame him. Running a security company isn’t easy, especially when his employees’ entire job is to put themselves at risk to protect their clients. Which, of course, happened in Florida of all places. He’s probably tired from dealing with the police and the endless red tape.

A buzz breaks the quiet.

I rush to his pants on the floor near the door and pull out his phone.

Mackie.

Her name glows on the screen.

The display goes dark, then lights up again.

Hey.

I make a face.

Mackie. The bane of my marriage.

She’s supposed to be managing the business, but all she seems to be doing is inserting herself between us. Client dinners have been scheduled practically every weekend since she came on board. I get the need to woo clients, but I miss the time when Logan took me instead of the redhead.

I mean, yeah, I complained sometimes.

But then he’d kiss me silly between red lights and stops signs on the way back.

I swallow.

Logan doesn’t exactly like her, he complains more about those dinners than I do, always emphasizing that he’d rather be with me and the kids.

We have two kids under five. There isn’t exactly a lot of room left for romance when we’re wrangling toddlers in restaurants. Bringing up date night when he practically passes out from exhaustion every night would only make me sound ungrateful.

I stare at his sleeping face.

I wonder if my decision to leave the company and stay home with the kids was the right one.

When I got pregnant, we both agreed we wanted someone home full time. It made sense. But it also meant Logan had to work harder than ever, managing my responsibilities on top of his own while learning how to be a new dad.

That’s why he hired Mackie in the first place.

The last thing either of us wanted was a repeat of 2024. The worst year for the business and our marriage.

God even thinking about that time makes me shudder.

Buzzing from my watch brings me out of the dark place my thoughts went, time to pick up the kids.

With one last glance at Logan, I turn and walk out of the room.

Our house is a modest three-bedroom, single floor place. It’s not fancy like the others around us. Most of the homes here have guest houses or detached studios. We have a yard instead.

It’s perfect for the four of us.

The grass is worn thin in spots from little feet and plastic toys. There’s a swing set Logan installed himself, crooked but sturdy, and a garden I keep meaning to take better care of. It’s nothing impressive, but it’s ours.

We’re in a gated community, which matters to Logan more than he’ll ever admit. Knowing the gates lock at night helps him breathe easier when he’s away. It lets him leave for long trips without worrying quite so much.

And I feel safe too.

Safe letting the kids play outside. Safe watching them chase the dogs barefoot across the lawn.

I hold on to that feeling as I step outside, because lately it feels like something I might need to remember how to protect.

At school pickup, I wait with a group of women I’ve come to think of as more friends than strangers. We’re all in the same boat. Former careers traded in for sippy cups and snack schedules, raising babies with men who barely see us anymore.

It all feels very 1950s.

We stand around complaining about our husbands, even though we know they’re doing the best they can. Long hours. The quiet pressure of being the provider. None of us truly resent them, but sometimes understanding doesn’t make the loneliness hurt any less.

I’d hoped to help mine.

The day Logan told me he’d poached his competitor’s manager was the same day I planned to suggest going back to work. Maybe that’s why I was so stiff when I met her.

There’s just something about her.

Or maybe it’s me projecting my own feelings onto her. I’ve been holding in this secret for so long, that even an innocent dinner makes me suspicious.

Behind us, a bell rings and little feet rush out all at once. No matter how many lines they form or how much order the teachers try to bring, the end of the school day is always the same.

A miniature rave.

Tired kids running on sugar and the promise of freedom.

Myles, my five-year-old, is the first to reach me, followed closely by his little brother, River. They both throw themselves into my arms, and I can’t help but hold them tight, already dreading the day I’m told to wait in the car instead.

“Hi, Mommy,” they say together, before immediately launching into separate stories.

I nod along, doing my best to keep up, but the plots get tangled in their rush to be the first one to finish. I smile anyway, because their excitement is contagious even when it makes no sense.

I finally go with the safest response I know.

“No way.”

They beam.

Laughing, I usher them toward the car, their voices still overlapping as the afternoon sun warms our backs.

Logan

Groaning, I stretch. The room is dark. I don’t know what woke me, only that it feels like I barely slept at all.

My phone isn’t on my side of the bed.

A buzzing registers somewhere near Jess’s pillow. I army crawl across the mattress just before the call drops.

“Hello,” I mumble.

“Hey,” comes a chirpy voice.

I squint at the screen. Twelve past four.

“What is it?” I ask, still half asleep.

“Um, Mackie,” she says. “I was just wondering what happened in Florida.”

Immediately, my hackles rise.

“So you called me on my one day off to chat?”

There’s silence on the other end. I clench my jaw. I’ve given her a lot of leeway, but come on.

“I’m sorry,” she stammers. “I just need to file the report, and I can’t without-”

I rub my eyes. “Right. I’ll let you know tomorrow.”

Before she can respond, I hang up.

I should probably apologize. Just not while my head feels like it’s splitting in two.

Falling back onto the bed, I try to sleep, but the pounding only gets worse. With a sigh, I get up and walk naked to the bathroom, popping two Tylenol dry.

My stomach growls.

I squint at my reflection, trying to remember the last time I ate. Jess offered earlier, but I’d wanted dessert first.

I smirk at my own terrible joke, then get dressed and head to the kitchen.

There’s a foil covered dish waiting on the island.

Still warm.

Grabbing a plate, I load it up and finish in seconds before going back for more. Midway through my second helping, I notice the laughter drifting from the backyard.

I follow it.

The boys are trying to outrun Bell and Ty while Jess laughs, tossing a ball across the lawn. I drop into a chair by the door, watching her.

It’s the same laugh I fell in love with in college. The same one she passed down to our sons.

Bell notices me first. She abandons the ball and barrels toward me at full speed. I lift the plate just in time as she licks my face enthusiastically. Ty joins in, tail wagging like a propellor.

Whoever said pit bulls don’t shed has clearly never owned one. I’m covered in fine white and brown hair by the time they’re done.

Myles darts in next and wraps his arms around me.

“Daddy,” he says. “I missed you.”

I ruffle his hair. “I missed you too, bud.”

When I look up, I see Jess walking toward us with River. He’s practically hiding behind her leg, and it damn near guts me.

I know I’m not the friendliest looking guy. In my line of work, I can’t be. But I never wanted my kids to be afraid of me.

“Hey, buddy,” I say gently, setting my plate on the table.

Myles leans in and whispers, “He’s scared.”

I rub his back and reach a hand toward River. He hesitates, glancing up at his mom.

I’d take offense if I didn’t know better. River’s always been like this. If he doesn’t see someone for more than a couple of days, he doesn’t forget them exactly, he just resets. Like he has to relearn you all over again.

He does it with my dad, my mom, and apparently… me.

Eventually, River shuffles forward and leans against my knee.

“Where’d you go?” he asks hesitantly.

“I had to go away for work, buddy.”

Myles buries his face into my chest. “You’re always working.”

I look up at Jess. She’s watching me with a soft, sad expression. I look back at the boys, suddenly unsure of what the right answer is.

Jess crouches down in front of me and rests her hands on their backs. “Your dad protects people, you know.”

“Like Spider Man?” River asks, eyes lighting up.

I laugh. “Well, more like I’m in charge of a team that-”

“Like Iron Man,” River cuts in loudly.

Myles scoffs. “No, silly. Like Captain America. He’s the leader.”

“No way,” River argues, his little face scrunched up. “Iron Man’s the leader.”

Before they can start a full breakdown of the Avengers hierarchy, Jess cuts in.

“There’s a snowstorm coming,” she says. “I was thinking we should head to the store and stock up.”

I nod. “I need to fill the generators anyway.”

She looks at me. “Family shopping trip?”

“YES,” River and Myles shout together.

“And we can get candy,” Myles adds quickly.

I laugh. “We’ll see.”

Together, we head inside while Jess starts locking up. One great thing about winter is that you can throw a jacket on over whatever you’re wearing and call it presentable.

I help the kids into their coats and boots while Bell and Ty sit nearby, watching us with wounded expressions like they already know what’s coming.

I’d love to take them with us, but people have a weird hangup about pit bulls. Besides, it’s way too cold for them anyway.

I crouch down and give them both a good scratch behind the ears. “We’ll be back before you know it.”

Knowing a longer goodbye with lead to a tantrum, I get up and help Jess

“Why, thank you,” she says as I help her into her coat.

I steal a quick kiss while she wraps the scarf around her neck. Myles and River giggle like it’s the funniest thing they’ve ever seen.

I smile and usher everyone toward the door.

I can’t believe there was once a time I thought I’d never have this again.