Chapter 29
Jake
The house empties of teenage girls and most of my friends around 8 p.m., and I’m in the kitchen with Mom and Lucy, scrubbing dishes and wiping down counters. Nora and Kelly are on the deck, chatting over mugs of tea, while Adele is opening presents with her mom, step-dad, and brothers in the living room.
“So, my boy, what’s going on with you and Kelly?” Mom doesn’t even look up from the pot she’s elbow-deep in.
I pause, sweeping the last of the crumbs into my palm before dropping them into the bin. “Nothing much,” I say, trying to sound casual.
Mom doesn’t bite right away. She dries her hands on a dish towel, glancing over at Lucy who’s sitting at the kitchen table, eyebrows raised.
“Come on, spill,” Lucy says. “We haven’t seen you this happy since—”
“Since the last time you were dating Kelly,” Mom finishes for her, finally looking at me with that half-smile she always wears when she knows more than she’s letting on.
I shift on my feet, avoiding her gaze. “Look, it’s new, okay? We’re taking it slow.”
“Slow is good,” Mom says, nodding approvingly. “But make sure she knows how you feel, and you support her. It can’t be easy stepping back into this. You’re not a kid anymore. You come with baggage.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Don’t be grumpy. Kelly and you are perfect together, and it’s not often you get a second chance at love.”
“I know, but ease up.” I hesitate, glancing at Lucy, who’s leaning forward now. “We’re just figuring things out.”
Mom wipes her hands and comes over to stand next to me, leaning on the counter. “She’s not going to stay around forever. Women need to know they matter, that they’re seen. You can’t just go through the motions this time.”
I tense up, defensive. “I’m not going through the motions.”
Lucy snorts from her seat. “Yeah, because you’re so good at opening up and being emotionally available. So good at having an adult relationship. And you’ve had so much success with women.”
I throw her a look. “I always show up for the people I care about.”
“Showing up isn’t the same as being open,” Mom says, her voice gentle. “You’ve got a big heart, but you’ve got to let her see it. It’s not just about being there and doing things for her.”
I swallow hard, that familiar itch under my skin. I hate going deep on this stuff—feelings, emotions—we’re not having some kind of therapy session. Dad never wasted time with things like this; he just worked hard and provided.
Lately, Mom’s been on this mission to get me to open up, as though she’s had some kind of awakening or epiphany. She keeps telling me I don’t want to end up like Dad—closed off and distant, missing out on real connections. It’s weird, her pushing me to talk about how I feel, when she used to be just as reserved. But maybe she knows something I don’t.
I shake out my hands, trying not to get frustrated. “Look, I’m doing the best I can. You think I don’t want to make this work?”
“Of course you do,” Mom says, placing clean tupperware containers into a fabric tote bag.
“We’re fine. Kelly’s fine. Trust me. I know how lucky I am that she’s even considering something with me.”
“Just don’t keep making the same mistakes.” Lucy pushes herself off the table. “Because from where I’m sitting, you look no different. You look like Dad. Just sayin’.”
“Lucy,” I say, my voice sharp.
“Hey, don’t get mad at her for telling you the truth.” Mom looks me dead in the eye. “It’s okay to take things slowly. It’s a good idea given you’ve got Adele to think about. But if you hold back too much, you might miss the chance to really make this work with her. You get that, don’t you?”
“Yeah, sure.” I look away, wishing they’d just mind their own business. They’ve got no idea how good things are with Kelly this time. And the best thing I can do is keep doing what I do. Fixing things. Providing. Letting her know she’s not alone. I’m not built for too much emotional stuff, but I try. Besides, I’ve always been this way, and Kelly knows that.
Thankfully, Adele appears in the kitchen doorway. She’s got her overnight bag slung over one shoulder, ready to spend the weekend at Jenny’s.
“Hey, Adele,” I say, catching her in a hug that lifts her a few inches off the ground. “Did you have a good time today?”
“Yeah, Dad,” she says, and there’s something solid and real between us—today things have felt better than they have in weeks.
I knew I was right: a steady foundation is what kids need. We’ll get through whatever’s been going on with her, including any food issues that Kelly might have noticed, the same way we always have: by making sure she knows she has a safe, stable home, and parents she can rely on to provide everything she needs.
She looks up at me. “Thanks for the party.”
“Anytime, kiddo. I’ll pick you up from school on Monday.” I give her arm a last squeeze, waving to Jenny and her family as they head out the front door.
“Drive safe!” I call out, before the door closes.
Mom, Lucy, and I keep cleaning in silence, the two of them exchanging glances they think I don’t catch. I’m busy thinking about how they should really mind their own business when Kelly and Nora walk in, arms full of paper plates and cups.
“Where should we put all this?” Kelly asks, flashing me that adorable grin of hers. I smile back, holding out a garbage bag for them.
“Right in here. Thanks.”
Nora dumps her plates first, and Kelly steps closer, the air between us shifting. My eyes automatically flick to her mouth—soft and tempting.
“Hey,” I lower my voice. “You guys are probably heading home soon, but do you want to stay a little longer? I could use some help… with the leftover cake.” I glance over my shoulder and catch Lucy smirking at us from across the kitchen.
Kelly looks at me, her lips curving up slightly. “Sure. I’d love to.” She turns to Nora. “Are you okay taking my car? I’ll catch you at home later.”
Nora gives her a knowing look, one eyebrow raised. “Sounds good. See you later, lovebirds. Thanks for a great afternoon, Jake.”
“Any time.”
Kelly tosses Nora her keys, and Nora heads down the hallway where she grabs her coat. Mom, clearly amused, gathers the last of her containers and pats me on the arm before heading toward the front door with Lucy.
“Don’t forget what we talked about,” Lucy calls out, her voice teasing.
“Yeah, sure,” I say, already staring at Kelly. The front door closes with a click, and it’s hard to focus on anything now I’m alone with her, my heart thudding in my chest like I’m seventeen again.
“Alone at last,” Kelly says, leaning back against the counter.
“Finally,” I say, stepping closer, my hands finding their way to her waist, lifting her up onto the bench. She sits there, her legs instinctively parting as I step between them. My hands rest on her hips, and for a moment, we just look at each other—this thing between us, something old and new all at once.
“I’ve really enjoyed having you here,” I finally say, my voice low. “Mom and Lucy… they’re both glad we’re giving this a second shot. I am too.”
Her eyes soften as she tilts her head, one hand resting gently on my chest. “I’m impressed, you know. Watching you and Jenny co-parent Adele. It can’t be easy, but you guys are making it work. You’re a great dad.”
Those words hit me in a way I didn’t expect. I lean in a little closer. “Thanks, that means a lot coming from you.”
“I was honestly nervous about today. But it felt easy and comfortable. Even with Jenny.”
I pause, letting her words settle in. “I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about being here. I’m glad it felt comfortable for you. It was for me too. Like you were supposed to be here.”
There’s something else in her eyes—a flicker of concern she’s not voicing yet. “Did you get a chance to talk to Jenny about Adele? About… keeping an eye on her?”
I rub the back of my neck. “Not yet, but I will. The most important thing is that Adele knows she’s got a steady foundation. We’ve always made sure of that, you know? Whatever teenage stuff she’s going through, we’ll get through it.”
There’s so much I can’t control. But what I can control is making sure I’m there for my daughter.
Kelly bites her lip, clearly not entirely convinced. “What about your dad? It’s a shame he couldn’t make it.”
I stiffen for a second, my fingers squeezing just a little around her waist. “He was working, you know. Won’t retire, no matter how much I try to talk him into it. He’s always trying to make up for the past, for when we almost lost the house. But I don’t really want to talk about that.” My voice drops, and I close the space between us, leaning in to kiss her.
The second my lips meet hers, everything else fades—there are no Adele worries, no dad issues, just Kelly. I pull her closer, my hands sliding around her back as the kiss deepens. It’s slow at first, tender, but there’s an urgency beneath it, a need that’s been building all week, since that day we spent together at the cabin in the Pine Barrens.
She melts into me, her fingers curling in my shirt, and all I can think is that I don’t want to let her go ever again. I break the kiss, just enough to rest my forehead against hers. “You have no idea how much I’ve been thinking about you.”
She doesn’t respond with words, just kisses me again, and we’re picking up exactly where we left off all those years ago. I hold her, savoring it, the closeness. The truth is right there, rising to the surface, pressing against everything I’d promised myself about going slow, about giving her space. And right now, with her in my arms, it’s impossible to keep the words in any longer.
“Kelly,” I say, my hand sliding up to cup her cheek, my thumb brushing the soft skin just to the side of her mouth. “I know we’re taking this slow, and I don’t want to push you. But I need you to know… I love you. I always have. And if that’s too much right now, I understand. But it’s the truth, and I can’t keep it to myself any longer.”
She looks at me, her eyes widening, and for a heartbeat, I worry I might’ve gone too far. But then a soft smile spreads across her face, and her eyes shine just a little brighter, her hand slipping around to rest on the back of my neck.
“It’s not too much,” she says, her voice barely a whisper. “It’s exactly what I needed to hear.” Her fingers tighten slightly. “I love you too, Jake. I think I always have… and maybe I always will.”
The words hit me in a rush, filling every part of me with this fierce need to hold her close and make up for all the time we lost. I kiss her again, deeply, letting every emotion I’ve kept buried come to the surface. It’s not a question anymore—it’s a promise. We’ve come full circle, but this time, neither of us is going anywhere.
She pulls back just slightly, still close enough for our lips to brush. “So, what now?” she asks.
“Now?” My fingers trace along her jaw. “Now I’m going to give you the most intense orgasm of your life. Whatever else life throws at us, we face it together.”
She laughs. “All of that sounds pretty good.”