70. Chapter 69
T roy and Jenna were returning from a long gander around Castell Cawr to Abergele, bundled up against the chilly weather.
The remnants of the Iron Age hillfort stood stark against the sky.
Hunter, their growing pup, trotted eagerly beside them, his nose buried in every scent along the path.
They had been training him to walk without a leash, and though he was still curious and excitable, he was learning.
He loved playing fetch, bounding after sticks with boundless energy, tail wagging furiously as he returned each one.
The path had been steep in parts, winding through ancient earthworks, but the view from the top had been worth it.
A panoramic spread of the Welsh countryside lay beneath them, rolling green hills stretching out to meet the distant sea.
The wind had whipped around them, crisp and bracing, but Jenna had found herself relishing the sense of space, the wild openness of the land.
After the walk, Jenna asked Troy to drive up to the house where she had lived with her parents.
It was in a council area, and as they pulled up, Jenna sat quietly, staring at the small, familiar building.
A young mother played in the front yard with a small girl, their laughter ringing through the air.
They seemed happy. Troy didn't break the silence, simply reached over and held her hand.
After a long while, Jenna let out a sigh and said, "Let's go home. "
As they made their way back toward Abergele, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows, there was a companionable silence. As Troy stepped into the house, he chuckled "And let's be honest, freezing our arses doing the walk of shame at night isn't exactly ideal."
The conversation had turned to the latest renovations.
Troy had finally managed to get the council's permission for some modifications to their semi-detached home.
He had ambitious plans, but Jenna had been firm in keeping the homey feel of Sasha's house.
In the end, they compromised. With the advice of an architect, they had installed large glass sliding doors through the common wall between the two houses, creating a more open space while still maintaining some sense of separation.
Troy had wanted to do more, but Jenna had resisted.
She didn't want to make any massive changes to Dani and Dylan's lives, especially as they were still recovering from Sasha's death.
She also enjoyed the freedom of having her own space, her sanctuary amidst the chaos of blending their lives.
One evening, as Jenna organized her art supplies in her studio, Troy leaned against the doorframe, watching her. "You know," he began casually, "you could move all this into my part of the house. There's plenty of space."
Jenna glanced at him. "Isn't it enough that I moved my clothes?"
Troy chuckled, stepping inside. "I just figured we might as well make things easier. Less back and forth."
Jenna shook her head, secretly knowing that Troy enjoyed his own space as much as she did.
It gave them both the ability to retreat, to reset, and though they spent their nights together, maintaining that little bit of independence wasn't a bad thing.
Jenna shook her head, secretly knowing that Troy enjoyed his own space as much as she did.
It gave them both the ability to retreat, to reset, and though they spent their nights together, maintaining that little bit of independence wasn't a bad thing.
Not long after Jenna had put her wedding rings back on, Troy had taken her out for a date night at a cosy Mexican restaurant. Over drinks and spicy dishes, he had slipped a box across the table to her.
"What's this?" Jenna asked, raising an eyebrow as she picked up the small box.
"Open it and see," Troy said, smirking as he took a sip of his drink.
She flipped open the box and gasped. Inside was a stunning trinity ring-yellow, white, and rose gold intertwined, encrusted with diamonds. It was bold, beautiful, and entirely too extravagant for daily wear, especially for someone like Jenna, who was constantly painting.
"Troy, this is too much. I'll ruin it with paint," she protested, shaking her head.
"You won't," he said firmly. "And even if you do, I'll get it cleaned. Just wear it, Jen."
She hesitated, but under his unwavering gaze, she slipped it onto her finger. "Fine. But if this gets paint on it, I'm not responsible."
He just smiled with a strangely calculating gleam in his eye.
The reason became clearer the next day when Adam showed up for Dani's final match with Wrexham's girls' team. Jenna had been amused when Troy had insisted on coming along, taking the seat on her other side.
"You sure you want to be here?" she asked, watching him as he adjusted his ear pods.
"I'm fine," he replied, but she could see the way he clenched his jaw at the crowd's noise. Still, he stayed right next to her, one hand resting possessively on hers. Hunter was curled up at Troy's feet, tired after a long run, his big tongue lolling. Troy went nowhere without Hunter.
Adam approached them with a friendly smile. "Hey, Jenna."
"Hey, Adam," she said, smiling back.
Troy, however, didn't move. His grip on her hand tightened, and he gave Adam a curt nod. "Hey."
Jenna bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Later, when they were back in the car, she turned to him with a teasing glint in her eyes.
"So, do you want me to tattoo 'Property of Troy' on my forehead while we're at it?"
Troy glanced at her, the corner of his mouth tilting up. "I don't mind if you tattoo it on other parts of your body." He slid his free hand under her butt, squeezing lightly, his smirk deepening.
She laughed, shaking her head.
Meanwhile, Hunter was growing fast and had become Troy's constant companion on his runs.
Toilet training was ... interesting and not without the occasional hiccup.
One morning, Troy walked into the bathroom and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Oh, come on, Hunter! Seriously?" he groaned, staring at the massive pile on the tile floor.
Hunter wagged his tail, looking completely unbothered by his crime.
Jenna peeked in and immediately burst into laughter. "Wow. That's... impressive. A"
Troy shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I spend hours walking you, Hunter. Hours. And you do this? Inside?"
Hunter let out a small whine, his ears drooping slightly, though the wagging tail betrayed his lack of remorse .
Jenna grinned, leaning against the doorway. "Guess you're not as alpha in this household as you think."
Troy shot her a deadpan look. "Ha ha. Very funny."
With a resigned sigh, he grabbed some paper towels. "You better not do this again, or you're sleeping outside."
Hunter merely thumped his tail and flopped onto his back, belly up, looking too adorable to stay mad at.
Jenna watched them, her laughter softening into something more reflective.
There was no doubt in her mind anymore-Troy had changed.
They had changed. Toilet training had been an interesting challenge, but Troy had persevered, spending hours walking with him.
The bond between them was undeniable. Hunter had even taken to sleeping at the foot of their bed but usually tried to crawl under the covers as the night went on.
This, however, was one boundary Troy had firmly set for his beloved dog.
Max and Lilly flitted in and out of their lives, their university studies consuming most of their time.
The workload was intense, and between assignments, exams, and social obligations, they barely had time for themselves.
Yet, despite the demands of university life, they made it a point to visit on weekends, craving the warmth and familiarity of home.
They had grown even closer to Jenna and Troy, their bond deepening with each visit, their conversations filled with laughter, shared frustrations about coursework, and moments of quiet understanding.
Jenna and Troy had been secretly discussing adopting Dylan and Dani legally. The thought had once felt impossible, but now, it felt like the next step in what they were building together.
That night, Dani was off at a sleepover at Rhiann's, leaving Jenna and Troy with a rare quiet evening together.
But as she lay in bed with Troy right next to her, his glasses perched on his nose, typing away on his laptop, she couldn't help but think about how things had changed.
The lines between their lives were blurring, shifting, settling into something new.
Something she hadn't entirely expected-a love and friendship like no other.