Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
POLLY
The sharp incisors, the wicked smile, the sensual pull. It should scare me, but it only made me want him more. Damn it.
Lady and the Vamp by Lena Benjamin
J ace, the kids, and I fell into an easy rhythm for the rest of the week.
He’d see me off in the morning before the kids were awake, usually crowding me into the counter, stealing kisses until I had to force myself to leave the house. It’d been ridiculously hard to focus on work this entire week as half of my brain was concentrating on truly important things. Like how much I liked Jace’s smile. And his kisses. And the way he said darlin’ all low and sexy.
After work, Jace and I would make dinner, and we’d all eat together. On Wednesday, Jace took us bowling. Max had been invited to Belle’s birthday party next week, which was going to be at a bowling alley. So Jace and his friend Sam taught us how to bowl. They were hilarious together, constantly one upping each other, then pretending to fall in new ways on the slippery bowling lane, seeing who could make the kids laugh the hardest. At night, Jace joined me for the kid’s bedtime routines, reading to Ryla and learning Max’s relaxation exercises. Then, once the kids were asleep, well . . . let’s just say today’s chair dancing class was going to be painful. I really hoped there’d be a lot of stretching before the class. I was in desperate need of some stretching.
“What are you listening to?”
Gasping, I turned from the mirror over my dresser to see Jace leaning casually against the doorframe. My heart took off like a hummingbird.
I wondered if that would ever stop.
I removed my earbuds. “Good morning.”
Jace let his eyes trail lazily down my body. It was just before nine on Saturday morning, and I was getting ready to go to my first chair dancing lesson. I was in compression leggings, a tight purple cropped tank, and a hoodie. Uncrossing his legs, Jace prowled toward me.
“I don’t know if I can let you go to this class,” he purred, reaching out and lightly grasping my hips. “You look good enough to eat.”
“Don’t start, Romeo.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I should have never told you that.”
“Too late. Besides, the kids are awake and downstairs, they could come up here any minute. And if I don’t leave in five minutes, I’ll be late. I should be back in a few hours at most.”
I turned back to the mirror, slipping my ear buds in my pocket.
“So what were you listening to?” Jace moved to sit on my bed behind me. I glanced at him in the mirror, then went back to gathering my hair into a ponytail. I still hadn’t told Jace that I read romance, even though I’d seen him eyeing my e-reader on my nightstand a few times. I didn’t know what was holding me back. I felt comfortable with Jace. I knew logically, from past experience, that Jace wouldn’t judge me—or at least I didn’t think he would. But there was still this part of me, maybe it was my pesky, bruised heart, that made it hard to trust anyone. So, I’d kept this last little secret hidden away, safeguarding it deep within myself.
“More medical journals?” he drawled as I looped the hair tie around my hair.
“Just a memoir that Leah recommended,” I lied.
“Oh yeah? What’s it about?”
Shit. I didn’t think this through. I was currently reading Lady and the Vamp which was a vampire marriage of convenience rom com. “Umm, it’s about a scientist . . . who’s working on a cure for, um, an incurable disease.”
Technically not a lie. Vampirism was traditionally thought to be incurable.
Jace smiled sweetly. “I like a good book. Maybe we could read one together sometime?”
“Umm, yeah. Maybe,” I said noncommittally and looked at my watch. “Geez, is that the time? I still need to get my water so I can meet the girls on time.” I grabbed my workout bag and turned toward the door.
Jace walked after me. “I made your water for you, it’s on the island.”
I hoisted my bag over my shoulder. “What?”
“You don’t drink coffee,” Jace said simply, shrugging his shoulders. “At least not in the morning, only in the afternoon and even then, it’s on ice.”
I shifted my weight. “Hot coffee makes me feel nauseated.”
“Best to avoid it then. I noticed you hadn’t made one yet today, so I filled your thermos and put in one of those collagen packets you like.”
The simplicity of this gesture threatened this fragile new life I was building. I was feeling feelings for Jace that were way too fast and way too soon. And if Jace kept doing and saying these things, I was liable to do something truly ridiculous, like tackle him to the bed and make him promise to never leave me, ever. I took a slightly different approach.
“Thank you,” I whispered, stepping up and cupping his cheeks. I searched his face, wishing I could read his mind, wondering if he was feeling the same unfathomable feelings as me. That in this short period of time, I was falling for this man, but I didn’t know if he was falling with me.
“You’re welcome.” Jace’s smile reached his eyes, but then I jumped back as I saw them darken and turn hungry. I giggled as I dodged his playful lunge, fast walking my way to the door with my bag slung over my shoulder.
Later, after saying goodbye to the kids and getting on the road, I took a sip of my water and smiled. I recalled a time early in my marriage to David, when we were at a restaurant for breakfast and the server asked if I wanted coffee.
“Yes,” David had said, turning both of our mugs over, implying we’d both wanted coffee. And what’s worse, I didn’t dispute it. I didn’t drink it, but still—I didn’t say anything . We’d been married for a few years at that point and David didn’t even know that hot coffee made me feel sick. What did that say about David? More importantly, what did that say about me? Cleary, I didn’t feel comfortable telling him anything about me.
Wasn’t I falling into old patterns, then, keeping things from Jace?
* * *
Stripped was not what I’d had in mind for a fitness studio that taught chair and pole dancing classes; though, to be fair, I hadn’t really known what to expect. I’m sure, as the name implied, that people thought this was a strip club. Yes, there were poles. Yes, women were dancing on them. But that is where the comparison to a strip club started and ended. The studio was bright with hardwood flooring, a ballet barre, and splashes of color throughout. Hands down, it beat any of the industrial style gyms I’d belonged to in the past that housed rows of treadmills and ellipticals, everyone staring ahead monotonously like sweaty, workout robots.
“Alright ladies! Now for the cross-knee hold!” yelled the instructor, a beautiful woman with shiny black hair pulled into a sleek ponytail. A dozen women of all shapes and sizes did an impressive move where they crossed their legs around their pole and dipped backward, arms stretched back and down over their heads, reaching for the floor.
“And slide!”
Fascinated and ten shades of impressed, I watched as the women slid down the pole. Some did a sit-up-like maneuver, grabbing the bar with their hands before sliding down. The instructor and a few others, however, slid down the pole upside down, landed with their hands on the floor, then did a back walkover off the pole.
I almost clapped.
“I strained something just watching them. What kind of class did you bring us to, Eliza?” I heard Tiffany murmur.
Eliza, Tiffany, Margo, Rose, Leah and I all were standing in a single-file line in the back of the studio wearing matching expressions of shock and awe, except for Eliza, who looked delighted.
“That’s an intermediate class. Come on y’all, we can drop our bags and stretch here.” Eliza waved us over to a small area with cubbies and—please and thank you—bright yoga mats so we could stretch.
I groaned as I sat down on a mat, which had Leah quirking her eyebrow. “You alright there?”
“Just a little sore.” Pasting an innocent expression on my face did nothing to quell the suspicion that had narrowed my bloodhound best friend’s eyes.
Eliza plunked herself down on my other side, settling into a butterfly stretch. “I always wanted to take a class here. The hubs turns forty-five next month. I hope to use some of the moves I learn from class today for his birthday present.” Eliza waggled her eyebrows as she spoke.
“Has he had his check-up recently? You might wanna check on his heart. Y’all wouldn’t believe how many heart attacks came in that started during sex back when I worked in the ER,” a worried Rose piped up from behind us.
“His heart’s in fine working order.” Eliza gave a sly grin. “Plus, we started American Tail last week and that strip scene halfway through the book? Let me tell you, he was up for it.”
Tiffany high fived Eliza as Margo groaned. “There are some things you can feel free to keep private, Eliza.”
“So, do you all, like, talk about what books you read with your significant others?” I asked the circle of women.
Tiffany replied, “I tell everyone what I’m reading, what the hell do I care?”
“Kyle doesn’t care what I read. Sure he may tease me about reading smut sometimes, but I just caught him watching The Holiday on his tablet the other night, so it’s not like he has a leg to stand on,” Leah said flatly.
“I think I’m the minority here, but my husband and I read books together. Most romance books only have a few chapters with sex on the page anyway.” Eliza winked. “And those few chapters benefit my husband as much as they benefit me.”
I nodded absently, leaning forward to stretch out my hamstrings. It’d been incredibly hot when I actually acted a few things out from books I’d read. The thought of actually acting them out with him, of him being an active participant was never something I’d seriously considered as a possibility. I had yet to jump the hurdle of even telling him I read romance novels regularly . . . but what if he met me with curiosity rather than judgment? Instead of embarrassing maybe it would be, sort of, thrilling.
A blush crept up my cheeks, and I forced myself to think about something else. As I switched to a different stretch, I caught Leah’s suspicious gaze.
“Yoohoo! Charlotte!” Rose called out. “I thought I spotted you out there. Y’all were doing moves that’d make me sore for ages!”
A tall, pretty blonde standing next to the cubbies smiled. “Rose! What brings you in?” she asked, then looked around to all of us. “I see y’all brought the whole gang. What’s the occasion?”
“It’s Eliza’s birthday and she signed us up to try chair dancin’, if you can believe it.” Rose said as both she and Leah stood.
“Suzie’s the best! These are the best workout classes I’ve ever done,” Charlotte said, dabbing her face with a towel.
“Anything that lets me stay in my jeans without doing lunges for five minutes straight will be a win for me,” Leah said, gesturing for me to stand. “Charlotte, I’d like you to meet my best friend, Polly Alberton. She moved back to town last month. She’s a pediatrician and has two kids close to Kimmy and Josh in age. Polly, this is Charlotte Mitchell. She’s worked as a teacher’s aide for the school district.”
Charlotte’s eyes widened when Leah introduced me. I extended my hand so I could introduce myself properly, when Rose spoke up from my other side.
“Polly is also the brand-new medical director of the school district and has been helpin’ me with the grant proposal, you know, the one you told me about last school year. She’s a gift. I couldn’t have handpicked anyone better!”
I gave Rose a patient smile then opened my mouth to introduce myself when I was cut off again.
“She also has the best taste in books!” Eliza added as Tiffany yelled, “And she can open up a bottle of wine using only a hair straightener!”
Slightly embarrassed by everyone’s enthusiasm, I held out my hand again and was finally able to speak. “Hi. I’m Polly. I promise I don’t usually travel with a fan club.”
Charlotte’s handshake was eager and warm. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m Charlotte Mitchell. And this isn’t the first time I’ve heard people sing your praises. I’m friends with Rae and Sienna. A few of my kids are in Young Wills, too. Jace Vargas has babysat for my kids dozens of times. We adore him. He’s watching your kids, right?”
“Yes.” I confirmed, my voice a little stiff. My supposed fan club already knew Jace worked for me, so my unease wasn’t from that. It was definitely due to the woman in front of me, who was my height with honey-blonde hair and similar green eyes, whose kids loved Jace whom he’s watched dozens of times . My eyes, of their own volition, clocked her left ring finger. At the sight of a sizeable diamond, my chest relaxed, making me feel both lighter and pathetic simultaneously.
I felt more than saw the women of my fan club watching our exchange with rapt interest. I hope no one picked up on the fact that I checked out Charlotte’s ring finger to see if she was married.
“My husband picked up the kids from Young Wills these past few weeks.” Charlotte said, putting an emphasis on husband and twisting her diamond ring as she spoke. Well, that’s even worse. No one else perhaps saw it, but Charlotte definitely saw me eyeing her ring finger. I quickly debated explaining myself, but resolved the best-case scenario at this point was to stay silent and hope Charlotte thought I was gay and checking her marital status for my own interest.
Charlotte continued, “Are you going to be there with your kids next week? I’d love to talk about your work with the school a little more and your kids, seeing as they’re so close in age to mine.”
“Umm, maybe. I mean, I should be there. My schedule can be a little unpredictable.”
“Oh honey, don’t I know it.” Charlotte waved her hand at me. “Having kids is pure chaos. Here, give me your number. I’ll text you if I’m going to be at Young Wills.”
“It’s 555-1027.” Leah volunteered from beside me using her phone number superpower.
“Got it.” Charlotte nodded, looking down at her phone. “There. I just texted you, so you should have mine, too. It was so nice to meet you, Polly. You ladies have a great workout!” Charlotte waved as she walked out of the studio.
A text appeared on my phone from Charlotte, and I looked between Rose, Leah, and the ladies on the floor stretching. “What just happened here?”
Leah merely shrugged. “Charlotte’s good people. She’s a great friend to have in your corner.”
“You’re gonna love her.” Rose nodded vigorously before returning to the floor to stretch.
I surveyed the group of women in various stages of stretching around me. “Is this what having real friends is like?”
Leah smirked. “Welcome to the other side.”
Charlotte was right about one thing; the class was one of the best workouts I’d ever had. It took me out of my comfort zone, but once I got the hang of it, I felt empowered and strong. I was definitely going back. I’d also resolved to tell Jace about my reading hobby tonight, before I lost my nerve. If I wanted whatever this was between Jace and I to be different than my marriage, I had to start out with honesty.
As I drove down the road toward home, I decided to roll my window down to let the breeze in. After all, the sun was shining, my audiobook was blaring, and I was going home to two kids I adored and a man that had the stamina of a twenty-four-year-old. After one deep lungful of air, however, I realized it was humid AF and Tennessee had bugs close to the size of my eyeballs, so I shut the window and turned the AC back on.
Aaaahh, sixty-degree, max-cold bliss.
Walking into the house, I could instantly tell that something was wrong. The lights were off, there was a low din from the TV, a bucket and mop sat next to the sink, and the smell was off.
In the living room, Jace held up a finger to his mouth. Ryla was asleep under a fleece blanket on the couch, her head on Jace’s lap. There was a large bowl on the floor beside her.
“She threw up an hour ago.” Jace whispered. “She was able to take a small sip of water and keep it down. She fell asleep about ten minutes ago.” He saw me glance toward the stairs and added, “Max is fine. A sympathetic puker, so I’m told, so he’s been staying upstairs.”
I knelt down next to Ryla, holding the back of my hand to her warm forehead. “Poor thing. I’m glad to hear Max feels ok.” I pulled out my phone. “I didn’t get any texts.”
Jace shook his head. “I didn’t text you. I didn’t want to bother you. I knew you’d be home soon, and we had it under control. She’ll be happy you’re here when she wakes up. She’s been asking when you were coming home about every other minute until she fell asleep. ‘When’s Mom coming home? Mom makes everything feel better,’ she was saying.”
“Really?” I asked, tears unexpectantly pricking behind my eyes as I brushed her hair back from her pale forehead.
“Yep. Hasn’t mentioned Giselle once. Only you.”
I nodded, the lump in my throat making it hard to talk.
“Mom?” Our attention snapped to Max, who was behind us on the stairs, incredibly pale. “I think I might?—”
And then he threw up all over the stairs.