64. Chapter 63
J enna
Jenna stood in the kitchen, a faint smile tugging at her lips as she set the table for lunch.
The aroma of roasted chicken and buttery mashed potatoes filled the space, wrapping around her like a warm embrace.
This wasn't just a meal-it felt like a step forward, a quiet but significant moment where the past didn't press so heavily on her shoulders.
She hadn't expected Troy to stay after their conversation, but the fact that he had was.
.. nice. She was starting to believe that maybe things could be different.
Troy leaned against the counter, watching her with an unreadable expression, but there was something in his gaze, something that made her heart beat just a little faster. She caught herself smoothing the edges of the napkins with more care than necessary, a small but telling detail.
Dylan and Dani came downstairs, their footsteps breaking the silence with a welcome energy. Dani offered a small, hopeful smile, while Dylan remained moody, but even his usual scowl seemed to be losing steam. Jenna met Dani's glance, a silent exchange passing between them-maybe this could work.
"How's the algebra going?" she asked Dylan as she placed a plate in front of him.
Dylan grunted. "It's impossible. "
Jenna raised an eyebrow, undeterred. "Maybe you just need a different approach. Maybe Troy can help with that. He used to be a whiz at math"
Surprise flickered in Dylan's expression, quickly masked. He hesitated, then, in a tone that was almost reluctant, said, "Okay."
Jenna nearly dropped her fork, realizing belatedly that she should have asked Troy first before volunteering him. But before she could backtrack, Troy nodded. "No problem. We'll go through it after lunch."
The rest of the meal was filled with light conversation, easy laughter, and an unexpected sense of warmth. When the plates were cleared, Dylan lingered, shifting awkwardly before finally mumbling, "Sorry for being a prick."
Jenna sighed. "Dylan, language."
Dylan blinked. "What? I apologized."
Dani snorted, and Jenna shook her head, but a smile tugged at her lips. It wasn't perfect, but it was something.
The next few days were unexpected. Troy found himself at Jenna's more often than his own home.
He worked early mornings, then went for a run before returning with breakfast. One morning, as Jenna and Grace stood outside talking, Troy jogged past, giving them an awkward nod.
Grace, ever irreverent, smirked and nudged Jenna as Troy jogged past. "I always said men mature like fine wine, and look at that-aged to perfection," she teased, her gaze unapologetically fixed on Troy's retreating form.
"That tight butt should be illegal. Seriously, Jenna, how do you get anything done with that in your vicinity? "
Jenna gasped, slapping Grace's arm in mock horror. "Grace! That is my ex-husband you're objectifying! "
Grace grinned. "Not quite an ex, is he? And you have eyes? Honey, I know you've noticed. If you say otherwise, you're a liar."
Dylan and Troy, meanwhile, had found common ground in the unlikeliest of places-Assassin's Creed.
What had started as casual gaming turned into a full-fledged rivalry, each determined to outdo the other.
If Jenna hadn't been so surprised by their growing bond, she might have been exasperated by how often they were glued to the PS4.
And then, there was the casual touches. Troy kept finding reasons to touch Jenna-a hand on her waist as he reached past her, a casual arm over her shoulder, the occasional stolen kiss.
It started innocently enough, a lingering touch here, a brief press of lips there, gone before Jenna could protest. And then Troy decided to up his game.
The first time it happened, Troy was about to leave for the night. He lingered in the doorway, his hand gripping the handle, but he didn't turn it. Instead, he looked at her, and something in his gaze shifted. Jenna felt it, the weight of everything unsaid thick in the air between them.
She opened her mouth to say something-anything-but before she could, he closed the distance, his hand sliding around the back of her neck. And then he kissed her.
Not a hesitant, fleeting kiss like before.
No, this one was full, open-mouthed and deliberate.
His mouth moved against hers, his tongue sweeping in to taste her, and before she could think better of it, she responded.
Her fingers found the fabric of his shirt, gripping, holding, as though he might disappear if she let go.
When he finally pulled back, Jenna's breath hitched, and she followed him involuntarily as if unwilling to let the moment go. They were both breathing heavily, eyes locked .
Troy's lips curled into the sweetest smile as he whispered, "I needed that. See you tomorrow."
Jenna was frozen, her mind spinning. What just happened?
A loud whistle broke through the silence. "Damn, Troy!" Dani crowed from the couch. "Way to go."
Dylan, unimpressed, made a face. "Get a room. There are kids living here!"
Jenna groaned, covering her face with both hands, while Troy, smug, simply chuckled and walked out the door.
But all was not smooth sailing
There was Adam.
Jenna often met him for coffee, a meeting that had Troy seething long before he had even laid eyes on the man.
It had settled into a friendship, their conversations easy, their carpooling for Dani and Rhiann's football matches routine.
But Troy, despite his attempts at indifference, was visibly unhappy about it.
The morning air was crisp with the buzz of victory as Dani and Rhiann laughed with their teammates, the elation of winning against Chester nomads still fresh.
The sunlight cast a golden glow over the field as the girls huddled together, replaying the best moments of the match, their voices a mix of excitement and exhausted relief.
Jenna sat on the side-lines, her hands curled around a steaming cup of tea. Adam walked over, placing his coffee next to her with a quiet familiarity before settling into the seat next to her. For a while, they sat in silence, watching the girls bask in their win.
"He's been confusing lately," Jenna finally admitted, her fingers tracing the rim of the cup.
"One moment, he's this-this man I barely recognize, and the next, he's the Troy I used to love.
It's like he's finally seeing me again, like I'm the centre of his world for the first time in years.
" She exhaled sharply, shaking her head.
"But it took me leaving to make him realize that. And that just makes me so damn angry."
Adam was quiet for a long moment, watching her carefully. Then, with a sigh, he leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "I think you're an attractive woman, Jenna," he said, voice measured. "And this is probably going to ruin my chances with you."
Jenna blinked, startled. "Adam-"
"Let me finish." He gave a humourless smile, his gaze distant.
"I wasn't a good man or a good husband. I cheated on Rhiann's mother with a colleague.
I thought I was in love, thought what we had wasn't enough anymore.
But it wasn't love, just a stupid, fleeting crush.
And by the time I realized it, it was too late. She filed for divorce."
Jenna's fingers tightened around her cup as she processed his words. She had never imagined Adam as the type to betray someone like that.
"I spent years trying to fix it, trying to prove to her that I regretted everything.
But then she got sick. Breast cancer." His voice wavered slightly, his expression tight with agony as he looked away.
"Three years ago, she was gone. And all I have left were regrets.
You think you have infinite time with someone, infinite chances to make things right.
But you don't. One day, you look up, and the chance is gone. "
Jenna swallowed, unable to find the right words. The ride back home was quiet, her mind turning over everything he had just told her.
When Adam pulled up in front of her house, he hesitated before turning to her. "Are we still friends? "
Jenna met his gaze, searching for any insincerity, but there was none. Despite everything, Adam had been honest with her in a way few people ever were.
She nodded. "Yes. We're still friends."
He exhaled, relief flickering across his features before giving her a small smile. "Good."
Jenna stepped out of the car, her thoughts still tangled in knots, unsure of what to make of the weight of the morning's revelations.
Troy was outside, sweating after his morning run.
As Adam stepped out, the air was suddenly thick with the kind of tension that made even pleasantries feel like a battlefield.
"Adam, this is Troy," Jenna said carefully.
Adam extended a hand. "Nice to finally meet you. Jenna speaks highly of you."
Troy clasped Adam's hand, his grip just a fraction too firm. "Does she?"
Adam didn't flinch, meeting Troy's gaze with an easy confidence. "Yeah. Said you were good with computers."
Jenna cleared her throat. "And other things."
Troy arched a brow, his expression unreadable. "Right."
Adam, seemingly unfazed, gave a nod. "Well, I should get going. Jenna, Dani-see you at the next match. And are we still on for coffee next Thursday?"
"Yeah" replied Jenna, uncomfortably aware of Troy's glare drilling holes into the back of her head.
As Adam walked to his car, Troy's hands curled into fists before he unclenched them with deliberate control .
Dani, never one to miss a moment, smirked and leaned in with a mischievous glint in her eye. "You know, Jenna, wolves mark their territory by peeing on things. Just saying. You might want to keep an eye on Troy."
Jenna sighed and was about to follow Dani in when Troy said, "I don't trust him."
Jenna huffed, pushing her hair back. "For God's sake, Troy, he's just a friend. We have coffee and talk about football matches. That's it."
Troy scoffed, crossing his arms. "Oh sure, just a friend who happens to conveniently drop you off, who happens to be at every match, and who happens to think he can just slide into your new life."
Jenna folded her arms tightly, her stance stiffening as she glared at him. "I don't need your approval for who I spend time with."
"Oh really?" Troy shot back, stepping closer. "Then why does he need to see you for coffee next Thursday? Why is he always around?"
"Because he's a decent person, Troy!" Jenna snapped, her frustration boiling over. "Unlike some people, he actually listens when I talk, doesn't dismiss me like an afterthought, and doesn't assume I need someone hovering over my shoulder every time I make a damn decision."
Troy's jaw tightened. "So that's what this is about? Sins that I can never overcome. I thought we were moving forward"
Jenna threw up her hands. "I thought so too. But this is about you thinking you still have a say in my life when you don't!"
Troy exhaled sharply, his hands curling into fists before unclenching with deliberate control. "You think I don't see what's happening here? The cosy little tête-à-tête, the lingering conversations? You can't seriously expect me to just ignore it. "
Jenna took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "And you can't seriously expect me to run every aspect of my life by you. We are not together yet, Troy."
She didn't notice the sleek car pulling up outside, nor did she see Margaret stepping out, her expression like she had been sucking on a lemon as she caught the last of the argument. Only when she spoke did the tension in the air shift. "You really have no shame, do you?"
Lila was stepping out from the other side. Grant exited the driver's seat with a sigh, looking thoroughly exasperated. Jenna took one look at the unfolding scene and thought, 'My cup runneth over. As if this day could get any worse.'
Troy's frustration was immediate. "Mom, I told you not to come here. Why is she here?"
Jenna was already turning to leave, unwilling to subject herself to another round of Margaret's passive-aggressive comments. But Margaret, having overheard the last bit of her argument with Troy, seized the moment.
"First, you embarrass this family, and now you're flaunting another man while still legally married?"
Jenna, the new Jenna, didn't shrink back. She turned on her heel, already stepping toward the house, muttering under her breath, "Not today, Satan." But before she could escape, Troy's hand caught her wrist, his grip firm but pleading. She turned back, eyes blazing.
"Jenna, please," he said, voice low, steady. "This involves you. Don't walk away."
Jenna exhaled sharply, looking between him and Margaret, who was watching with a triumphant smirk. Her instincts screamed at her to leave, but the earnestness in Troy's eyes held her in place, anchoring her to the moment.
She sighed, tilting her head in mock consideration. "Fine. But if anyone starts preaching, I reserve the right to start drinking."