13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Allie
Nora and her outright, overly personal questions are going to get us in trouble one of these days.
If someone I hardly knew asked why my last relationship ended—in the middle of a drinking game ? Honestly, I probably would have shriveled right back into my turtle shell and called it a night.
I know she’s never been one to have a filter, but I figured today she’d at least try to bite her tongue.
Clearly, that was wishful thinking.
Jax and I finally make it to the kitchen just in time for a sudden flash to dance across the wall. The zigzag shapes stop me in my tracks, and when I look around, it suddenly clicks that we’re alone. Completely and utterly alone. In a dark kitchen.
I flip on the light and brace myself against the island, palms pressing into the cool surface. I run through every possible way to apologize, but everything just sounds ridiculous. Where do I even start? Sorry, my friend doesn’t have a filter—please just ignore her.
If I were him, I would’ve been out the door already.
“I am so sorry about Nora,” I say quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear. “She had a few shots before you guys arrived, so she was already pretty tipsy beforehand.”
He gives me a small smile, but I can tell it’s only to be polite. When he truly smiles, it shows in his eyes, at least that’s what I’ve noticed the last few days. Right now they’re practically empty, hard to read, like he’s already halfway done building walls around himself.
“It’s okay,” he says, shrugging. “It just caught me off guard is all.”
I press my lips into a tight line while I scan over his face, trying to find any sign that he’s lying and that it’s really not okay. It might not have been me who said it, but I feel every bit of the mortification like it might as well have been.
I turn toward the fridge and pull out the pink Moscato, then grab the merlot from the counter that he swore by. I gently place them on the island and gesture toward them the same way I did when we met.
“Pick your poison.”
Although there’s really no reason to even say that since I can already guess which one he’s going for.
His lips pucker in thought before he grins, wider than before.
Now I just have to get his eyes to match.
He takes a step closer, eyeing each bottle carefully before lifting his finger and points to the pink Moscato. For some reason, that makes my stomach flip. Butterflies burst through my chest while I watch him eyeing over the wine, and finally , that sparkle returns to his eyes.
I pour him a generous glass of Moscato, and reluctantly, myself merlot, handing him his carefully.
He extends the glass forward, meeting my eyes with a warm smile. And not just any smile. It’s a real one this time. One where I can see his dimple cut into the corner of his lip.
I’m so busy staring at his mouth that when he clinks our glasses together, it makes my pulse jump. I blink quickly while heat spreads across my neck like a wildfire.
“Cheers,” he murmurs. And that heat that was on my neck? It’s already on its way through my entire body.
A low rumble of thunder hits, loud enough that I can feel it shaking through my bones as I jerk my arm, and wine splashes over the rim and onto the floor.
And then the lights go out.
Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
Everything is pitch black, and I’m suddenly hyperaware to the point that all I can think about is the feeling of his hot breath fanning across my cheek. It smells like a delicious mix of cinnamon whiskey, and spearmint.
“I’m so sorry,” I blurt. “Did I spill any on you?” I place my glass on the counter and start fumbling around for anything I can use as a towel.
“It’s no worries,” he says with a light chuckle.
Fireball and spearmint.
I grab the closest thing I can find that feels like cloth and immediately start running it down his arms.
“It’s really okay,” he reassures calmly.
I stop wiping, physically feeling his eyes on me as I slowly drag mine to his. A bolt of lightning strikes, a beautiful blue hue illuminating across his handsome face.
His eyes shift to my lips, and my stomach tightens violently, but I welcome it.
“You, uh”—he lifts his hand slowly—“have some here.” He reaches for my jaw and gently runs the pad of his thumb across my chin.
And I swear I’m starting to see stars while my breath is caught in my throat.
He pauses, his hand still under my jaw as our eyes lock. My body freezes, but my mind is still running an entire marathon.
Is he going to kiss me? Do I want him to kiss me?
He starts to lean in, but before he gets too close, something knocks over in the living room, making us both jump.
He quickly retracts his hand and clears his throat before taking a full step back, and my stomach deflates.
He’s still barely a few inches away, but somehow it feels like an entire mile is stretching between us now.
Ana and Nora stumble into the kitchen, knocking into each other while their laughs echo across the walls. James slinks in behind them, looking like a fed-up father watching two toddlers—which is pretty fair.
“What arrre you two d-doin’?” Nora slurs, tripping over her own feet. Ana thankfully catches her before she faceplants onto the floor.
I raise my wine glass quickly, sloshing it yet again. “We came to get wine, remember?”
“In the d-darrk?” she asks, her stance wavering. Just watching her makes me feel seasick.
My eyes shoot to Ana, and I raise an accusing brow.
“She and I had a race on who could take more shots,” she says with a nonchalant shrug.
My mouth drops. “That’s not even fair. We both know you have a stomach made of steel.”
“I know.” She giggles. “That’s the fun part.”
I shake my head. Nora’s definitely going to feel sorry in the morning. I learned my lesson about trying to race Ana with alcohol and ended up swearing off drinking for an entire year. I was seeing double while she was completely fine after five shots of tequila.
“We came up for blankets,” James says from behind them. “Before you two forget.”
Ana snickers. “Oh, yeah. See, that’s why we made you come with us. Well, that and the power’s out and we needed a guide. Although you’re not a very good one, since we definitely broke something in the living room.”
My eyes widen, panic bubbling in my throat. “What did you—”
She raises her hand, immediately silencing me. “It didn’t sound like glass,” she defends.
When I look to Nora, her eyes are zeroed in on the wine bottles resting on the counter. Before I can say anything, she suddenly barrels toward us like a bull, but Ana thankfully links her arm with hers, forcing her to stop in her tracks.
“You’ve had enough there, ma’am.”
“Oh, one glass wonn’ do no harrrrm,” she slurs.
“You’re right.” Ana unlinks her arm, causing Nora to stagger. “Go get ’em tiger.”
I turn around and swipe the bottle of merlot from the counter while Jax grabs the Moscato. “Nuh uh, you’re cut off,” I say sternly, cradling the wine to my chest.
“You’re no fuun,” she mumbles, her eyes practically closing while she sways back and forth.
I glance at James, who looks like he’s also had plenty to drink since he’s constantly shifting from leg to leg. I can’t see his eyes, but I’m willing to bet they’re bloodshot.
“I’ll bring the blankets downstairs,” I announce. “Ana, take these two back downstairs, and don’t break anything else, please.”
Ana gives me a mock salute with a sly smirk. “You got it, boss.”
She links her arms with theirs and drags them out of the doorway. When it’s just Jax and me again, I look to him, and embarrassment fills me from… whatever that moment was before we were interrupted.
How stupid is it for me to think he’d even be interested in someone like me?
I’m a single mom for crying out loud. Single moms don’t get happy endings with the dreamy rock stars.
Every romance book I’ve ever read, they’ve never focused on single moms. Single dads?
Sure. But single moms have always been shunned from having their happily ever after.
But there’s nothing against being friends , right?
Between fumbling for blankets in the dark, and me practically falling on Jax in the dark stairwell, it takes way too long just to drop a few things off downstairs.
Nora begged me to stay and drink some more with them, but I really don’t feel like drinking anymore tonight.
Someone needs to be sober just in case there’s an emergency with the storm, and honestly?
I’m not in the mood to babysit drunk adults.
Jax also decided he didn’t feel like drinking anymore, which is understandable since when he tried, his past was thrown in his face. So instead of surrounding ourselves with alcohol, we decided to just stay upstairs and listen to the storm.
Turns out he’s a big storm lover too.
My body sinks into the cushion just as Jax plops down beside me, his knee lightly brushing against mine. We sit in silence, listening for the last rumbles of thunder, but it seems the storm has already mostly passed.
“When I got pulled away earlier, you were about to tell me what you decided to pursue for a career,” he says, breaking the quiet.
I turn to him, and even though he can’t see me, I smile. “I’m a registered nurse,” I answer proudly.
“Wow,” he breathes out. “I’ve heard studying that is pretty intense.”
I nod. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Going to school full-time while raising two daughters practically alone—”
I clamp my lips shut as soon as the words leave my mouth.
And I thought Nora overshared? Look at me go. Dropping personal things about my life that he never asked for.
Although his expression doesn’t shift. He’s still wearing that same calm, curious look. And he’ll never know how much that means to me. How much I appreciate him not flinching, pulling away, and not running away like others have.
Every guy I’ve ever gone on a date with bolted the second they found out I have two kids. I never even had time to set my purse down before they were flagging the waiter for the check.
We’re always afraid people will see us as used up, like we’ve already given away the parts of ourselves that matter most. That’s the common misconception about single moms—that all we bring to the table is extra baggage and nothing else to offer.
But if you ask me? We bring extra love . The kind of love that shows you matter to more than just one person in this world.
“See? I knew there had to be dedication in there,” he says gently. “That sort of thing is something your daughters will really look up to when they’re older.”
My breath is trapped somewhere in my throat while my eyes sting with tears. I blink them back rapidly, taking in a deep breath and blowing it out silently.
As silly as it sounds, that might be the kindest thing anyone’s ever said to me. It feels… grounding . Like someone might actually see the sacrifices I’ve made for my girls and not take them and run.
“Thank you,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “Most people don’t understand how hard it is unless they’ve been through it.”
He nods slowly. “Do you mind me asking… where their father was? I mean, if you were going to school full-time and raising two daughters, that must’ve been a lot.”
“He and I split up two years ago,” I admit with a shrug. “We just weren’t communicating anymore. We slowly became disconnected in every way that mattered. My mom and Ana stepped in to help and made sure I could graduate on time.”
He smiles warmly, making my belly do somersaults. “I’m glad you had people to lean on.”
“Me too,” I say, then rest my head back against the cushion.
Jax mirrors from beside me, and we sit there in silence, listening while the rain pats softly against the large bay window. When I close my eyes, all I see are my girls, and my heart aches, but it’s a little softer this time.
I miss them so much, I couldn’t even begin to put it into words. But I know they’re safe. And I finally realize that maybe Trevor might have been right about needing to let them adjust to being with him.
Even if it sucks for me.