Chapter 17
Jake
I woke up in Everly’s bed. She was still sound asleep beside me, her long hair fanned out over her pillow and the soft curve of her shoulders. I tried to let her sleep, but everything in me wanted her back in my arms. I gently pulled her into my chest, her sweet little ass pushed up against my already excited to see her again cock. A soft little sigh escaped her lips when my dick twitched to life, but I knew she probably needed to rest. I was surprised I could even get it up after what we did last night.
We both couldn’t get enough, waking up in the middle of the night for another round, then doing it again after that. It turns out that with Everly, I’m totally and fucking completely insatiable.
I still can’t believe I’m in her bed. This was not what I was expecting when I showed up at her door, but I have absolutely no complaints about how our night went. But as happy as I am, I’m also a little nervous. Will she wake up and have second thoughts? Will she wake up and tell me that it can never happen again, that I’m too young for her, that she doesn’t have the same feelings for me that I have for her?
I swallow the lump in my throat at the thought, breathing in the scent of her. I softly stroke her hair, which is a wild mess from having my hands tangled in it all night and press a soft kiss to her shoulder. We’re both awake now, but neither one of us has made a move to get out of bed.
She will eventually have to pick up Birdie from her mom’s and I promised the guys I’d go for a bike ride. But I don’t want to think about any of that right now. All I want to do is stay in this bedroom, in this warm, little bubble with Everly in my arms for as long as I can.
Turning in my arms to face me, she looks up at me with sleepy eyes, her lips still swollen from my kisses. She’s beautiful. Moving her hand to my chest, her fingertips run an outline of the clock tattoo on my pec.
“I think this one is my favorite,” she says in a raspy morning voice. “It’s sexy. But so are all of your tattoos.”
She props herself up on an elbow, the bedsheets pulled up right below her shoulder blades. She traces the large hand on the clock before gazing back up at me. “What does it mean?”
There are a few reasons I got the tattoo on my 21st birthday. The nightmares I’d had for years, the ones I told nobody about, were not going away. I needed a way to channel that energy. It’s hard to explain, but I think the tattoos were my way of taking control, a coping mechanism. In a strange way, it was oddly soothing. It was my first one, and after that I was hooked.
I draw a circle with my finger on the top of her shoulder and she shudders. “Have you ever felt like time passes, but you realize you haven’t made any progress? Like you’re stuck, or frozen?” Everly nods. “I got it to remind myself to keep going.”
“I love that.” She smiles softly before shifting her gaze to the staircase that winds around my bicep, outlining a spindle with her index finger. “And this one?”
The last thing I want to do is ruin this moment. Having Everly’s naked body pressed up against mine is a special kind of bliss and I’m not ready for that to end. Her smooth, silky skin, the scent of her hair, the curve of her hip under the weight of my palm; I could stay cuddled into her forever.
“Why a staircase,” Everly asks, dragging the tip of her finger over the ink.
“That one’s a little more complicated,” I tell her. “I got it for my parents.”
She gives me a curious look. “Tell me about your family, Jake. Who do you look like? Your mom or your dad?” My stomach torpedoes to my feet, but when I look down at Everly, I realize I feel safe. She makes me want to let my guard down. But the wounds from my parents’ death run so deep it’s not easy.
“I look like my mom, but my personality is more similar to my dad’s.” I say, not ready to say more just yet.
“How? What’s he like?” she asks, resting her chin on her forearm, which is draped across my chest.
“I can be quiet like my dad sometimes,” I say, watching the row of goosebumps that pops up over her skin as I brush my fingers down her arm. “Some people think I’m moody, but I’m not. I just like time to think, to be by myself.”
I can’t explain it, but there’s an ease I feel when I talk to Everly. I lift her hand to my lips and kiss each one of her fingertips. “I get that,” she says, nodding. “It’s smart. We all need time to relax and reflect. Time to re-center ourselves,” she murmurs. “So, are you close with them? I mean, with your parents?”
The question makes my heart stop. It’s been a long time since I’ve told anyone about my parents. Not many know the entire story. Everly shifts beside me, and when I look at her, she’s frowning.
“Jake, I’m sorry. I’m being nosy. I didn’t mean—”
“It’s okay,” I say, hating that she feels bad, but knowing we need to have this conversation. “It was going to come up sooner or later.”
She sits up to lean against the headboard, dragging the bedspread with her and I join her, feeling even more naked than I already am.
“When I was 12, there was a fire at my house. It started in the middle of the night… it started in the laundry room,” I say, a familiar anxiety creeping in. “A dryer vent was obstructed, and the machine overheated and caught on fire.”
Fuck.I hate telling this story. But I need to suck it up. I need to tell her.
“Oh my God. What happened?” she asks, but I can tell from the look in her eyes that she already knows the answer.
“My parents died.” There, I said it. The secret I keep locked up so tight.
“Jake…” Everly reaches for my hand, placing her palm over my knuckles. Her eyes are filled with compassion. She doesn’t push. She gives me the space I need to tell my story at a pace that feels right. “I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.”
My chest aches remembering that night. I haven’t forgotten a second of it: coming home to the flashing lights of the fire engines, the smell of fire and burning wood, my sister wrapped in a heavy wool blanket in the back of an ambulance. Because I wasn’t there. I wasn’t fucking there. And if I was… my parents would probably still be alive. They went back inside after getting Sierra out and wouldn’t leave until they found me. But I wasn’t fucking inside, and they had no idea.
The soft touch of Everly’s hand on my knee brings me back to the present. I exhale the breath I’ve been holding. Things are about to get heavy. The memory of that night, the nightmares, my parent’s funeral. Part of me wishes I had never brought it up, that we could just go back to talking about my tattoos. But I want to let her in. I scratch my jaw and meet her gaze again.
“My sister and I were devastated. I was a mess for years. We went to live with my grandparents after the fire and man, did I make their life hell.” I shake my head remembering all the nights I came home late, all of the times I screamed and slammed doors. I went off the rails, but my grandparents never gave up on me. They were always there to comfort me when I was eventually able to calm down.
“It was my fault, Ev. I snuck out of the house that night. They couldn’t find me inside… that’s why they never made it out. They were looking for me.”
She shakes her head, like she doesn’t want to hear it. “Jake, don’t you dare. Don’t you blame yourself—”
“Ev.” I stop her before she can go any further, sitting up in bed. I feel a sudden need to get up, to put some space between us so I can collect my thoughts. But she doesn’t let me go. Everly grabs my wrist, tugging gently.
“Please stay.” Her grasp on my arm is weak, but enough for me to know she’s serious. “Please let me be there for you like you were there for me, Jake. I understand why you feel that way, but it just isn’t true.”
Then she’s crawling into my lap, sliding her hands over my jaw to frame my face. And she kisses me. The faintest brush of her lips, the softest sweep of her tongue. And I can breathe again.
My hands grip her waist, holding her in my lap, needing to keep her there. My fingers eventually skim down to her hips, tracing the curve of her ass. I savor the feeling of her warm, soft skin, and I soak her in, my entire body melting into hers. I’m reminded of what it feels like to fall in love with someone and I want to chase that feeling again.
She breaks the kiss after a beat, tilting her chin to my bicep, brushing the back of her knuckles over my staircase ink. “And the tattoo. It’s to remind you to take one step at a time?”
I nod because saying anything right now feels impossible.
She sighs, then nestles into me, and I pull her into my chest. I feel her breath ghost over my collarbone, then her lips follow.
“I’m sorry, Jake. I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”
I still miss my parents so much it physically hurts sometimes. My dad coached my baseball team when I was younger, he was the dad-joke guy, and all of my teammates loved him. He lived and breathed for my mom, my sister and me. I wanted to be just like him. I still do. My mom taught my sister how to bake, she’d watch movies with me in forts we’d make out of every blanket and pillow we could find in the house. There’s no question there was a lot of love in the house I grew up in. My parents were the hopelessly-in-love type, always sneaking kisses or holding hands. They always looked at each other like they were the only ones in the room. It kills me that their lives were taken away from them. I fucking hate that reality.
It’s not fair.
I’m not sure how many people find a love like theirs. Sometimes I wonder if that will ever be in the cards for me.
I’m knocked back to the present when Everly’s phone chimes on the nightstand. She doesn’t move, she stays right where she is, with her legs straddling my hips, her head on my chest.
Not even five minutes later, her phone chimes again, and she sighs. “It’s probably my mom. I should make sure everything is okay with Birdie.” Everly climbs off me, picks up my T-shirt from the floor where I left it last night and slips it over her head. Then she picks up her phone, checks the screen and drops it back on the nightstand.
“Everything okay?” I ask, puling the bedsheet up past my waist.
She stands up, wrapping her messy hair into a ponytail with an elastic she finds on her bedside table. My dick stirs. Why is it so hot watching her tie up her hair? “Everything is fine. It wasn’t my mom.”
She tenses when her phone chimes for the third time. This time she silences the ringer and places the iPhone face down on the table.
“Everly, who is that?” I ask cautiously. “Is it him?”
She looks mortified. A little angry, too. “Yes, it’s Grant.” She sighs, sitting back on the bed. “I’ll call him later. Unfortunately, I cannot avoid my ex-husband forever.”
My blood begins to boil. “Does he always blow up your phone like that?”
She drops her head in her hand and nods. “Grant grew up getting everything he wants. He’s still the same, nothing has changed. Especially when it comes to me.”
I hate that she has to deal with this guy. He clearly enjoys getting under her skin. I grab her by her hips and pull her in between my legs, her back to my chest. “He’s a dick,” I say, lacing our fingers together. “And for what it’s worth, I think you are amazing. You are an incredible mom to Birdie; you work your ass off to give her what she needs.” I pause to kiss the top of her head. “But he shouldn’t be allowed to treat you the way he does. You don’t deserve that.”
I feel her lungs expand in her chest. “I wish it were that easy. I’m stuck with the guy for the next 10 years.”
“I know he’s Birdie’s dad, so I’m not going to be an asshole about it, but if you ever need me to put the guy in his place, I’d be happy to. In fact, nothing would make me happier.” I would love to put my fist to his face.
A small laugh escapes her, then she lets out a long sigh. “I’ll remember that. You’re a caveman, Jake.” She wiggles her back against my chest.
“Oh, believe me. I’m a caveman. I am very protective of what is mine. Your ex does not want to make me mad.”
Everly stills in my arms. “Jake, is that what I am? Am I yours?”
My chest bursts. Dammit, this girl kills me. She’s absolutely fucking mine. Every night and every morning and that isn’t going to change.
“You are mine,” I say, confidently.
“You seem pretty sure of yourself.” Everly turns and I see the heat in her eyes. My skin prickles under her gaze.
“I think I proved that last night… and I think you liked it.”
Her eyes sparkle under dark lashes, her lips forming a shy smile. “I did like it… a lot.”
I might have gotten carried away with the dirty talk too soon. I might have been too demanding. But I’ve always liked sex a little rougher, more adventurous, and even though I did tame it down from what I really like, I have no idea about Everly’s level of comfort in the bedroom. I’m hoping she says she’d like to amp it up. “It wasn’t too much?”
Her cheeks turn a rosy shade of pink as she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. “Not at all. Maybe even not enough...” Everly looks down at the bedsheet, her ponytail falling over one side of her face, and inside I’m fucking giddy because it seems like our sexual preferences do match up.
“Ev, you don’t have to be embarrassed with me. I want to make you happy in bed, that’s what turns me on… turning you on, and for the record,” I say, brushing her ponytail from her face. “I like it rough. I like it hard. I like turning you on with my dirty mouth. I like toys and trying new things. But I also like it slow and passionate too.”
She smirks. “Me too. I like all of that. I especially liked it when you called me a good girl last night.”
“You like to be praised. I love that. It’s so fucking hot.”
She draws her thumb across my bottom lip, eyes tracking the motion. “Are we going to stay in bed all day or should I make us breakfast?”
I lean forward so she’s forced to turn in my lap to face me. “I wanna take you somewhere. Do you have a couple of hours before you need to pick up Birdie?”
“I do… where do you want to take me?”
My God, I can’t get enough of her. It’s been this way ever since that night I ran into her in the hallway at Catch 21. One look at her and I was gone.
I kiss her nose and scoop her up into my arms. I look around the room at the mess we made—clothes and pillows scattered across the floor, bedsheets and the comforter a pile in the center of the bed. Everything is out of place, yet everything feels so right.
“A shower, and then I’m taking you out.”
Parking is notmy friend today in Reed Point. But after driving along First Street three times, I finally snag a spot big enough to parallel park my F-150. It’s a bit of a walk to where I want to take her, but it’s gorgeous, sunny and 75 out today, so a walk-through downtown past the shops and trendy restaurants isn’t so bad. I shift the car into park then round the cab of my truck to get her. I hold out my hand to her after opening the door. She looks at me with a quirk in her brow. “So sweet, Jake, but I can hop out of your truck on my own.”
I smirk. “I’m sure you can, but you won’t be when I’m around,” I say tipping my forehead to my hand that I’m holding out to her.
Everly smiles, shaking her head, and hops down from my truck. I watch her, the way her plain white T-shirt clings to her breasts, short sleeves revealing smooth bronze skin. Her perfectly broken-in jean shorts emphasize her toned legs, and her hair is pulled up in a ponytail. She looks take-your-breath-away beautiful.
I meet her on the sidewalk for a chaste kiss because I can’t help myself. I lace my hand in hers, hoping she’s okay with it and she seems to be, so I hold her hand a little tighter, tugging her in the direction we need to go. It feels good to be out together in public, unabashedly. It was only a few days ago she was barely talking to me.
A minute into our walk, Everly slows down, veering towards the window of a book shop. She eyes the window display, a banner with a new release announcement. “Are you a fan of Emily Silver’s?” The book has a couple on the cover in an embrace. It isn’t overly steamy but it’s clear from the title and the description that it’s one of those spicy romance novels that girls like. I remember the stack of romance novels I saw on Everly’s coffee table.
“I am. I’ve been waiting for her to release this one,” she says as I stand behind her and wrap my arm around her waist. “Do you think it’s weird that I read romance?” she asks, looking at me over her shoulder.
“Are you blushing? You are, aren’t you?” I smile, holding her closer. “Why would I think that? It’s hot as fuck. I’m pretty sure most girls read those books. All the hot ones anyways.”
Everly tosses her head back against my chest and laughs before she turns in my arms to face me. “Can I ask you a question?” I nod. She has a thoughtful expression on her face. “Did you ever think about me after we ran into each other that night at Catch 21?”
“Every fucking day,” I admit. It’s the truth and there’s no point in hiding it. She blinks, swallows thickly, her focus fixed on me.
“Me too.”
My heart sweeps up into a loop in my chest. I’ve wondered the same thing. I’ve wondered if I made as much of an impression on her as she did on me. I love knowing that she’s had me on her mind. “My turn for a question.”
“Okay.”
“Are you okay with the way things are between us? I’m not moving too fast for you, am I?”
I’m nervous waiting for her answer. I need to know if she’s okay with the pace I’m moving at. When I showed up at her door last night, I never expected to be where we are today— a marathon of sex, a sleepover, and a morning-after breakfast— so I want to hear it from her that I’m not rushing things.
“No, Jake. I like the way things are.” She searches my gaze, the flecks of gold in her irises sparkling under the sun. “I’m good. I will tell you if I’m not. Promise.” My eyes dip down to her lips. Now that I know how good they feel and how perfect they taste, I’m an addict. So, I kiss her in front of everyone on First Street. Every reason I’ve ever had for hating PDA falls to the wayside as I grab her by the waist and pull her into me. She kisses me back, opening for me, our tongues softly gliding together. Neither of us move, my hands wrapped around her back, her chest pressed up against mine. A girl giggles as she walks by with her mom, dragging us back to reality. We break the kiss, remembering where we are, wrapping it up before we’re putting on a show. It’s for the best… my dick was starting to get ideas and the busiest street in the city is not the place for a hard-on.
Everly hides her pink cheeks into the curve of my neck, and I can feel her smiling. A few minutes later, we fall into step, walking the sycamore-lined streets, the sun warm on our skin. Nodding my head towards the restaurant I want to take her to for breakfast, I open the large pink door, motioning for her to go first. She raises an eyebrow at me when she notices the lineup outside of people waiting to get in, but she ducks under my arm anyways when I tell her it’s fine. We inhale the delicious scent of waffles and coffee as we step inside.
“It’s so cute, Jake,” she says stopping in the entryway to admire the laid-back atmosphere with pink suede seating, wicker lamp shades, and rich green palm leaves in large ceramic pots. “I’ve heard of this place, but I haven’t been. I’ve heard it’s impossible to get in to.”
The place is packed, and with good reason. Not only does the food smell amazing, but the unobstructed view of the ocean is jaw-dropping. We wouldn’t usually be able to just walk right in, but my good buddy owns the place, and I called him before we left Ev’s house this morning asking if he could save me a table.
We are taken to the patio by a hostess where my friend Sam greets us with two champagne glasses and a twinkle in his eye.
“Mimosas on me,” he says smiling brightly, clapping my shoulder. “It’s good to see you, man. Thanks for coming in.”
Everly and I sit down, and I watch her eyes go wide at the view from our table on the edge of the patio: turquoise ocean sparkling like diamonds under the morning sun, sea birds perched on a rocky bluff 50 feet away. I’m thankful to Sam for hooking me up with the best table in the restaurant.
“It’s good to see you too,” I say. “I guess I have to come eat here if I want to see you these days. You need to start getting out on the trails riding with us again.”
“And show you guys up?” he laughs. “I wouldn’t want to make you boys look bad.”
I laugh, hand to my chest like he’s killing me. “Yeah, yeah. I guess I need to be nice to you since you hooked us up with this killer table.”
“Maybe you’ll pay me back by giving me a deal on my porch reno.” He smirks. “I’m going to be hitting you up in the spring.”
“We’ll see how good breakfast is, and then I’ll let you know.”
“Jake Matthews… you never change,” Sam chuckles, before his eyes drift over to Everly obviously hoping for an introduction.
I’m not sure how to introduce her. I mean, it’s pretty clear we’re on a date, and after last night we are definitely seeing each other. But is she my girlfriend? Can I use the label? We didn’t technically get that far last night. I was too eager to get my hands all over her. Without a lot of time to think on it, I stumble my way through an introduction.
“Sam, this is Everly. A good friend of mine,” I say. It sounds all fucking wrong and I hate it. “Everly, this is Sam, my buddy I met in college.”
The word friend tastes sour on my tongue. I want to take it back but it’s too late. Friends is what we were weeks ago, but after last night she’s so much more.
Sam offers a hand and Everly takes it. “It’s great to meet you, Everly. You two look like great friends.”
Everly laughs, blushes and then lets go of his hand. But there isn’t any awkwardness. She seems to be rolling with it, unlike me. “It’s nice to meet you too. Thank you for the mimosa.”
“My pleasure. Check out the menu and I’ll have Carrie take your order asap. I know you two have somewhere to be.” Sam taps the table with his palm before walking away.
After Sam leaves, Everly looks at me with eyebrows raised. “We have somewhere to be?” she asks with a grin. I sip my drink, meeting her eyes over the rim of the glass. “Maybe,” I tell her. “I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”
When I called Sam earlier, I told him I needed a table as soon as possible and that we would be eating and running because I have some plans. I want to treat Everly today. I know how tired she’s been, working so many late shifts at the restaurant and getting up early with Birdie in the mornings.
She’s sipping from her champagne glass, a light breeze blowing strands from her hair across her face. Her cheeks are tinted pink, her skin sun-kissed. “I talked to my mom earlier,” she says, setting her champagne glass on the table. “We’ve got all afternoon, so there’s no rush. My parents want to keep Birdie for the day, they’re taking her to the pool.”
“Perfect,” I say as the server arrives to take our order. I decide on eggs benny while Everly orders waffles and strawberries.
“You are spoiling me, Jake. This view makes me feel like I’m on vacation.”
“That was kinda the point,” I tell her. “I wanted to take you somewhere where there aren’t highchairs and crayons on the table. I thought you’d probably like it here.”
“I love it. So much.” Everly’s eyes twinkle. “I haven’t had a lot of time to get out and do things like this. I rotate between the grocery store, work, Birdie’s school, the park, or the beach. There’s so much I want to do.”
“We can do some of the stuff on your list together.”
“I like that,” she says, looking adorably excited. “Where are we going after this?”
I shrug, trying to fight off a smile. “Nice try. It’s a surprise, I’m not telling you.”
Her expression turns more serious. “Jake, you’re sweet, but you really don’t have to do all this for me.”
There’s no one I’d rather do this for. Besides, it’s not that big of a deal. It’s breakfast and a little pampering. If her ex wasn’t such a fuck-face she would be used to days like this. “I know I don’t have to, but I want to.”
Everly’s brows tug together, her eyes on her napkin. I can tell she has something on her mind.
“What’s up, Ev. What are you thinking about?”
She cocks her head, looking at me like she’s debating what to say. “Have you dated much?”
“I haven’t.” I clear my throat. “I haven’t been interested. Too busy at work to. It’s been a big learning curve owning my own company.”
There are other reasons too, like the fact that I find it hard to let people in. Then there’s Jade, and the fact that I think I have been subconsciously waiting for her to come back from Italy. It’s probably stupid. She broke up with me, and everything after that was beyond my control, but I loved her— like, really loved her— and I wasn’t ready for things to end. But I can honestly say that for the first time in over two years, I haven’t really thought about Jade since meeting Ev.
“It’s impressive,” Everly says. “I mean, to own your own contracting company at your age.”
“Thanks,” I shrug. “It kinda just fell in my lap. I started off working there after college and eventually was given the opportunity to buy into the company. Last year, I bought my two partners out.”
“And are you happy?” her voice softens.
“I love what I do. I like building things. I like seeing a design come to life. So yeah, I’m happy.”
Everly smiles, her warm eyes searching mine. “Did you always want to work in home building?”
“If I told you what I wanted to do when I was a kid you would make fun of me.”
“Well, you have to tell me now.”
“I always thought it would be fun to be a weather man.”
Everly bursts out laughing. “Honestly, I think that’s cute. I think you’d make an awesome meteorologist.”
“Right,” I smirk. “That’s why you just busted a gut laughing.”
Our server arrives at our table with our meals, sliding the plates in front of us.
I try not to devour the plate of eggs in front of me like a wild animal, but my stomach is growling with how hungry I am. A sex all-nighter will do that to a guy.
“This is so good, Jake,” Everly says, taking a bite of her waffles and letting out a little moan. My eyes are fixed on her as she eats, the joy on her face. It’s official, I’ve lost my fucking mind.
“You are killing me,” I tell her. “You can’t moan like that.”
“Why? Is it giving you ideas?”
“Yes,” I admit, seeing how her eyes glimmer with amusement. “Ideas I can’t act on in a public restaurant.”
I shift in my seat. By the time I’m paying the bill, I’ve calmed down enough to thank Sam for everything.
“You ready for the next stop?” I ask her as we head out.
“Jake, you’ve already given me the best morning. You don’t need to do anything else. But, yes! I’m ready.”
EVERLY
The morningjust kept getting better. After the best breakfast, the VIP treatment continued with a mani/pedi appointment at the cutest salon. The nail tech tried to get Jake to stay, offering him the massage chair next to mine to get a pedicure too, but there was no way he was sticking around. Jake is definitely not a mani/pedi guy. He politely thanked her then left, opting to get some work done at the coffee shop next door. Before he left, I saw him sneak his credit card to the girl at the desk.
“Your boyfriend is sweet,” she said after he’d left. I didn’t argue the label. She’s right. I can’t remember the last time I treated myself like this. Luxuries like the spa have not been in the budget for a while.
But it did make me wonder, what exactly are Jake and I? Back at the restaurant, he introduced me as his friend. It didn’t bother me considering everything between us literally happened less than 24 hours ago, but still, this thing between us feels like… more. I mean, do friends whisper filthy things to each other or have the kind of sex that Jake and I had last night? Definitely not the friends that I know.
I felt a little guilty as I sat in the chair having my toes painted by one woman while another was painting my fingernails. But I could tell Jake really wanted to do this for me, so I decided to just relax and enjoy the experience. I would find a way to repay him in my own way another day.
I’m learning that Jake is a giver in more ways than one, and he enjoys making the people around him happy. It’s one of the many qualities that I like the most about him. I see it in how kind and gentle he is with Birdie. It makes me happy, but it also kind of scares me.
I could really fall for a guy like Jake. If I’m honest, I’m falling for him already.
My heart was full and happy when he dropped me off at my apartment later, and when he pulled his truck away from the curb, I felt like I was already missing him. But I also couldn’t wait to see Birdie.
I headed straight to my parents’ place to pick her up, and for the rest of the day, Birdie hasn’t left my side. We walked to the beach to throw the Frisbee around, and she danced all the way back home. She helped me cook dinner and then watched her favorite show while I painted her nails to match mine.
And now we’re snuggled up in her bed under her bedspread, my hand stroking her hair as she drifts off to sleep.
Today was the perfect day. The best of both worlds. Time with Jake followed by a perfect day with Birdie. And I find myself thinking that maybe I can have it all.
In this moment, it absolutely feels like I can.