Chapter 27
Jamie
SIX WEEKS LATER
We’ve been ships passing in the night, or I suppose the day.
Most evenings when we’re both in town, we’re together.
But with our alternating travel schedules to make sure one of us is here for Angel, I almost never see Aubrey.
We talk every day, but the past six weeks have been torture, worse than the month after Aubrey left Ottawa.
Is this going to be what it’s like for the rest of our lives?
I don’t know how much more of this I can stand, but I’m grateful for what time we do have together.
I wake to empty but warm sheets beside me. Aubrey wouldn’t have left without saying goodbye, and I’ve been a light sleeper lately; I would’ve heard her leave. It doesn’t stop me from worrying she’s gone since we still have a few hours before we need to get up.
I slip out of bed, and the closer I get to the kitchen, the louder her humming becomes.
My heart rests easy, spotting her making something, her hips swaying to music I can’t hear.
I approach with caution and spot her phone on the counter.
Angel paws at my leg and I reach to scratch behind her ear, then she happily prances back to Aubrey’s side.
Not wanting to interrupt her dance party of one—or I suppose two, since she’s sneaking treats to Angel—I peek at the screen.
She’s listening to a song I know well by one of my favorite Puerto Rican artists.
She’s been learning Spanish over the past year, and has been doing more online lessons recently, so there’s a good chance she understands most of the lyrics.
It’s just one more thing I love about her.
As I carefully slide up behind Aubrey, I take out one of her earbuds to put it in my own ear, then cage her in with my hands braced on the counter. She startles a little, but quickly relaxes as I press a soft kiss to her shoulder and begin whispering the lyrics to her.
“Sorry if I was too loud,” she sighs, continuing to sway.
“You weren’t.” Slipping a hand around her, I rest my palm on her growing belly. “Are you and the little one okay?”
“Yeah, I’ve had really bad insomnia lately. I figured I may as well make a snack since I couldn’t sleep.”
“You should’ve woke me up.”
“It’s okay.” She cranes her neck to look at me. “I need to be able to do this on my own.”
“What will it take for you to understand I’m not going anywhere?”
“It’s just… I miss you when I have to travel.
You’re not always going to be here and I’m used to doing everything myself.
” Aubrey looks away, but I refuse to let her shut down.
I tilt her chin until her eyes are back on mine.
They’re glassy, and all I want is to steal away all of the pain she’s been carrying for years.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I repeat softly.
She opens her mouth for a rebuttal, but I smother it with my lips on hers.
She melts into me, but as we break apart, I swear her eyes are searching for the words that have been on the tip of my tongue for months.
Lifting her onto the counter, I stand between her legs, holding her thighs to keep me grounded.
“I love you, Aubrey. I should’ve told you a thousand times before now, but I didn’t want to scare you away.
I just hoped you’d feel it even if I didn’t use words. ”
“Are you sure it’s not just the mind-blowing sex clouding your judgement?
” she teases, then cups my cheek and kisses me again, softly this time.
It’s usually a fight for the upper-hand, but she gives in as I pull her closer.
As I wrap her legs around my waist and lift her off the counter, she huffs, “Hey! I was making a snack.”
“I only have a few hours to make you scream before you need to get to work.”
“Jamie, stop.” I do, a few feet from the bedroom door.
“Put me down,” she demands, but with little malice behind it.
Aubrey slips down my body as I release her thighs, but I keep her pressed against me.
“I don’t need forty-five orgasms before work.
I need to tell you something… I’ve never been in love before, until I met you, so I’m afraid I’m going to screw it up. ”
I tuck her hair behind her ear and as my fingers slide along her jaw, she covers my hand with hers.
“That’s why I waited to tell you; I wanted you to be sure about us.
I’m all in—you, me, Angel, and this baby.
Which is why I’m going to ask for a demotion this week, so I can work from home most of the time. ”
“No.” She shakes her head, then kisses my palm.
Gripping my wrist, she points to my tattoo.
“This whole time, you planned on being here for me, even when I pushed you away. I know I still am, but I’m trying not to.
Also, Angel has been extra feisty on days you’re not here, so you may need to add a third little ant.
” The first real smile I’ve seen from her all week pierces straight to my heart.
“I love you, but that doesn’t mean that you need to do what Isaac did and give up your career. ”
“He works for UNICEF now, it’s not like he’s not working. I barely see you now and it’ll only get worse since Olivia’s speaking events have increased significantly this past month.”
“That’s because your team makes her look incredible, so everyone wants her,” she insists, narrowing her eyes at me. “I guess you’re right. If you weren’t so good at your job, maybe we’d be home more.”
Angel paws at my leg, whimpering, and I reach to pick her up, then tell Aubrey, “I would quit today if it wouldn’t fuck with my visa.”
“If you’re serious about the four of us being a family, maybe it’s time we look into a green card?”
“To fast-track it, I’d need to be sponsored by my immediate family.”
“Your father is a citizen,” she reminds, “but even if you never want to meet him, your immediate family also includes spouses.”
“Last time I checked, I’m not married.”
Aubrey takes my hand and leads me over to the couch, then grabs her phone from the kitchen.
When she returns, she sits beside me and laces our fingers together.
Angel rests her chin on top of our joined hands, and Aubrey snaps a photo.
Not letting go of me, she types something into her phone.
I peer over her shoulder and she’s on a social media app.
The caption reads: A soft-launch will have to do for now.
She adds the song to the post that she was listening to, then clicks the post button.
“We may not be married, Jamie, but you’re mine. It’s time the world knew. Olivia is getting married in two weeks. The media will be so focused on her wedding, it’ll be the perfect time to tuck in a relationship announcement.”
“Are you sure about this?”
She squeezes my hand, then releases it. “Yes, but only if you let me eat.”
“And what about my snack?”
“You can eat me later.”