Chapter 39
JIYA
Two weeks later, I returned home after checking on the cafés and the restaurant, the long day still weighing on my shoulders.
The children were asleep, and the house was quiet.
I went upstairs and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water wash away the tension. My gaze dropped to my chest, and instinctively, my fingers moved to the faint scar just above my heart—the scar from my surgery.
I traced it slowly, the familiar line beneath my fingertips bringing back memories I rarely allowed myself to remember. Two years ago, on my birthday of all days, I was rushed to the hospital for the surgery that had saved my life. At the time, it had felt as though a shadow had loomed over me.
Now it was just a scar—a reminder of something I had survived, a mark that told a story only I truly understood.
I let out a soft breath, feeling grateful that the surgery had been successful. It had hovered over my life for so long, something that once made the future feel uncertain. But it had been fixed, and that chapter had finally closed.
My gaze shifted slightly downward, and I noticed the chain resting against my skin. The thin chain circled my neck, and at its center hung Caleb’s ring, the small metal band lying against my chest directly above my heart.
I stared at it as the water continued to run down my body, the emotions attached to that ring still lingered—memories, promises, and pain.
At one point in my life, that ring had meant everything to me. I had worn it as a vow I had made to myself—that I would never allow my heart to fall in love again.
But standing there in the shower, I knew something had changed. I had fallen in love, and the future no longer felt like something I needed to fear.
I could see it now—a bright future, one that held the possibility of happiness, peace, and a second chance at life.
But that future was not with Caleb.
It was with Cole.
I had been terrified to tell him my story. I wondered whether he would be able to handle it, whether he would accept it, and more importantly, whether he would still want me afterward.
The nightmare I had that night—Jeremy’s hands tightening around my throat—had only fed the doubts circling in my mind, especially since I was supposed to tell Cole the truth the next day.
Now, the thought of Cole brought a gentle sense of peace to my heart, something that felt completely different from the fear and pain I had once associated with love.
When I finished my shower, I stepped out and wrapped a towel around myself. The bathroom mirror fogged lightly as the steam filled the air, and I stood there for a moment before reaching behind my neck.
My fingers unclasped the chain. The metal felt cool in my palm as I removed it and looked down at the ring one last time.
Then I walked quietly into my bedroom. From the top drawer of my dresser, I pulled out a small box and placed the chain carefully inside it, closing a door that had remained open for far too long.
I then reached beneath my pillow, and my fingers found Caleb’s photograph that had rested there for so long.
For years, that picture had been something I kept close without fully realizing why.
Maybe it had been comfort. Maybe it had been habit.
Or maybe it had simply been my way of holding onto something that had once meant everything to me.
But now, as I looked at it, the ache that had once accompanied his memory had softened.
I placed the picture inside the same box beside the chain, and as I closed the lid, I felt it—freedom and closure settling quietly inside my chest, like a breath I had been holding for years finally released.
I walked to my closet and placed the box carefully at the very back, tucking it away where it would remain out of sight. I hoped I would never need to open that box again.
Because what Caleb and I had once shared had been beautiful. It had been real, and it had been important.
But now it belonged to another time in my life—a wonderful memory while it lasted, and nothing more than that.
A memory.
“What’s the first thing you noticed about me?” I asked Cole during one of our date nights.
We had created a small tradition for ourselves over the past few months. Every second Friday of the month was our night. No work, no responsibilities, no interruptions. Just the two of us.
That evening, we had walked down to the wooden dock near the marina.
The rhythm of the water lapping against the pilings echoed softly beneath our feet as we strolled along the planks.
The air carried the faint scent of salt and seaweed, and the distant glow of lights from the boats shimmered across the dark water.
We sat down at the edge of the dock, our feet dangling over the side.
Cole leaned closer to me.
“Your dimples,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to the side of my neck.
“My dimples?” I frowned slightly, turning toward him. “Why?”
He chuckled under his breath, his eyes soft as he studied my face.
“I noticed them the first time you came to the restaurant,” he said. “You were staring out the window, and you looked so sad. Then you smiled at Lucas, and I saw them. I wasn’t quite ready for it, but they caused pleasurable blindness temporarily.”
“You’re ridiculous,” I said, giggling despite myself and lightly smacking his leg.
He laughed along with me, his shoulder brushing against mine.
“You know,” he added with mock seriousness, “it should come with its own warning—proceed with caution because it knocks your world off its axis.”
Our laughter faded into a comfortable silence as we both turned to watch the water.
Boats rocked gently in the distance while a few men sat quietly with fishing rods extended over the dark surface. Above us, the night sky stretched wide and endless, the stars scattered across it like sugar spilled over a slab of black marble.
Cole shifted slightly beside me and lifted his hand, pointing toward the ring still resting on his finger.
“Does this bother you?” he asked quietly. “Do you want me to take it off?”
I followed his gaze to the wedding ring. “Not at all,” I said softly, smiling at him.
His brow furrowed slightly, as if he had not seen that answer coming.
“The fact that you’re still wearing it… actually touched my heart,” I continued.
“It is your choice if you want to continue to wear it or take it off. I think it is a wonderful and sweet tribute to your late wife.” I lifted his hand and gently stroked my cheek.
“She is a part of you,” I said. “She always will be. I can never take her place, nor do I ever want to.”
His eyes softened even more as he looked at me.
“I love you so much,” he said quietly, cupping my face before leaning in to kiss me. “Thank you for being you.”
Our relationship grew deeper as the months passed.
What had started as a friendship had slowly blossomed into something richer and more meaningful. The attraction between us had deepened into a strong emotional and physical connection, and our conversations began to touch every corner of our lives.
One morning, as I stood in the kitchen preparing breakfast, I glanced over my shoulder at Cole sitting at the table.
“How are the shots coming along with the current project?” I asked, cracking eggs into the pan. “What did Liam say about it?”
Cole had stayed over the night before again. He had admitted more than once that he hated going back to his empty apartment now that we were together. Slowly, almost without either of us noticing when it happened, half of his clothes had found their way into my closet.
“Liam loved the shots I took,” he said, chewing on a piece of bacon. “The project is coming along well.”
I smiled slightly as I slid the eggs onto a plate. “Lucas’ game is this Saturday. I hope you haven’t forgotten.”
He wiped his hands and leaned back in his chair. “I haven’t, babe. I marked it down on my calendar.”
“And Emma’s—”
“Vaccination is tomorrow,” he finished with a grin. “I remember.” His eyes sparkled as he added, “What about dinner and a movie tonight with the kids?”
I smiled as I slid the eggs onto a plate before carrying over a mug of coffee for him. “Sure,” I said. “I’ll check and text you.”
Cole’s fingers brushed against mine as he took it.
My breath caught for the briefest second.
Then Oreo shoved his giant head between us with absolutely no shame.
“Seriously?” Cole laughed.
Oreo barked once before planting himself against Cole’s legs like he had personally prevented a national disaster.
“I think he’s jealous,” I muttered.
“No,” Cole said, scratching behind Oreo’s ears. “I think he’s chaperoning.”
I laughed softly while Oreo leaned harder against him, looking entirely too proud of himself.
After breakfast, Cole kissed me goodbye, then bent down to kiss Lucas and Emma before heading out the door for work.
Sharing the responsibilities of raising the children with him had brought a kind of relief I had not known I needed.
With Harper, even though he adored Lucas deeply, his job had kept him away most of the time.
With Caleb, everything had once felt beautiful but short-lived.
But with Cole… everything felt natural.
I could not remember a single time when he had not been there when the children or I needed him. Sometimes I found myself simply watching him with the kids and wondering how I had been lucky enough to find someone like him.
We respected each other deeply, and that respect strengthened the bond between us every day. We supported each other’s goals, encouraged each other’s interests, and when disagreements did arise, we always made it a rule to talk everything through before going to bed.
Lucas’s bond with Cole had developed into a connection between a father and a son.
They cooked breakfast together on some mornings, laughing over spilled pancake batter or burnt toast. On weekends, they played with Oreo in the backyard or sat at the kitchen table while Cole patiently helped Lucas with his homework.