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We were about to part when he stopped me. "Um, Natasha wants to see Hailey tonight after school. I asked Hailey and she said she wanted to. I just wanted to let you know."
“Ok, thanks.” The update about Natasha appreciated, but anticlimactic after what had felt like, at least for me, a special moment. “I better get back. Sal’s probably losing his mind.”
He leaned in and brushed his lips against my forehead. "Wait, go camping with me and Hails this weekend? Just the three of us?"
I grinned. "I'd love that." The idea warmed my heart as I imagined the three of us roasting marshmallows and telling cheesy ghost stories. As I strolled back to my classroom, a goofy grin cemented on my face. I opened the door to my room, pleasantly surprised to find my class quiet and focused. Sal sat at my desk reading a newspaper. Perhaps the drama for the day had peaked.
Over lunch I filled the girls in about the drama of the morning, most of which they already knew thanks to the gossip mill, but at least they got the full story from me.
That night, as I lay in bed, my thoughts drifted to Jake. He was next door with his ex-wife and their daughter, and I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in my gut. I wanted everyone to be happy, but something about the situation made me uneasy. Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, I heard the kitchen door slide open and an enraged Jake burst into the room moments later.
His eyes were stormy, lips pressed into a thin line, and his hands clenched at his sides. I sat up, heart pounding in my chest, as he paced back and forth like a caged animal. “What’s wrong?” I asked cautiously, the tension between us palpable.
Jake stopped abruptly, fixing his intense gaze on me. “Hailey wants to go to her mother’s wedding in Hawaii,” he growled out, frustration evident in his voice. “Her mother just sprung it on her, and now she won’t stop talking about it. She’s been driving me crazy all evening.”
I could see the conflict warring within him—the desire to make his daughter happy conflicting with his own reluctance to let her go so far away. “It’s just for a few days, right? She’ll be back before you know it,” I offered tentatively, hoping to ease some of his stress.
He ran a hand through his hair, the muscles in his jaw working as he clenched and unclenched it. “I know, but...” Jake’s voice trailed off as he seemed to struggle for words. “I just don’t want her to get hurt again. She was so young when her mother left. She’s practically a stranger. I can’t bring myself to leave them alone together let alone let her take her that far away.”
My heart ached for him, understanding the fear of history repeating itself. “She’ll be okay,” I reassured him softly, moving closer to him and placing a hand on his arm. Jake turned to look at me then, his eyes searching mine as if seeking reassurance.
“I just... I don’t want her to feel abandoned if this all falls apart,” he confessed quietly, vulnerability shining through the cracks in his armor.
In that moment, all the pieces of Jake’s guarded persona seemed to fall away, leaving behind a man who was simply scared of losing the most important person in his life. Without thinking, I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around him, offering him the comfort he rarely allowed himself to seek.
For a heartbeat, he stiffened in surprise before relaxing into my embrace. "You want me to break up the wedding? I could set another fire. I mean I did it once. I could do it again. All good shows deserve a comeback."
He pulled back, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "I think after all the allegations against me lately, conspiracy to commit arson should be avoided. But thank you."
"Any time." We laughed and his anger seemed to fizzle out.
"I think part of me just hates that she's here. Like never would be better. And I understand that's not fair, but she missed out on so much. It's not right that she swoops in now. Why not when Hailey was a threenager or during the nightmare of potty training? Now, after I put in all the work, she just shows up to play mommy? She spent the whole night talking about all the places she traveled to and adventures she went on. Hailey's attention was rapt and all I could think about was she chose that over Hailey. But I can't say that, I just have to sit there and be lame old-dad, while Natasha gets to seem cool and cultured."
"Hailey loves you," I reminded him. "I think you're plenty cool. You're a single dad and you manage. You don't need things to make you special because you're special. Natasha knows she has a lot to make up for so she's trying to impress Hailey. Try not to let it get to you."
Jake sighed and leaned against me. "I know, but I wish she wouldn't. It's just not fair to Hailey. She's going to get attached and then if Natasha decides she's had enough again, it'll break her heart."
"Then, I'll break her kneecaps." I said as innocently as I could muster, batting my eyes like a doe-eyed baby bird.
Jake smiled, shaking his head. "I didn't realize the mob was recruiting English teachers."
"Organized crime takes all kinds, Jake, all kinds."
He laughed. "I guess you're right. Anyway, I better get home. You know I'm going to miss having you over here when you go back to your house."
"Well, you can come visit me."
"I'd like that. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yes, tomorrow. Good night, Jake."
He kissed me gently and I felt that familiar flutter in my stomach. "Good night, Molly."
As he walked out the door, I couldn't help but wonder what the future looked like for us when I wasn't next door.
20
JAKE
