Page 47 of Don't Think

I push the door open anyway, slipping inside before closing it behind me without a sound. When I turn and see her, something inside me crumbles.

She’s sitting on the floor, knees pulled to her chest, back resting against the bed. Her phone’s a few feet away as if she tossed it aside. Her cheeks are streaked with tears, and my heart breaks just looking at her.

I step closer, careful not to crowd her.

“Is this okay?” I ask, voice low. “Me being here?”

She nods, and that’s all I need. I walk over and sit beside her, not too close, but enough to let her know she’s not alone.

The silence between us feels heavy, but I stay quiet. I let her breathe, let her feel whatever she’s feeling. I’m not here to fix it or ask a bunch of questions. I just want to be here for her.

She finally takes a slow breath, her shoulders shaking as she wipes at her eyes with her sleeve. My hand moves instinctively, gently tracing soft, slow circles on her thigh right above her knee.

“I miss them,” she whispers.

She looks up at me, and all I can see are her crystal-blue eyes shining with tears, and itbreaksme.

“I tried calling, and he said they were sleeping,” she says, her voice cracking. “But he didn’t realize I could hear them laughing in the background.” She pauses, takes a shaky breath, then meets my eyes. “It’s like he’s trying to push me out.”

I don’t think anymore, I just act. Carefully reaching out, I gently wipe away the tear that tries to roll down her cheek.

“I’m sorry, Allie,” I murmur.

Her eyes squeeze shut, and then it’s like something inside her breaks. A sob breaks through her lips, and I lean forward, wrapping her in my arms. Pulling her close to my chest, my heart tightens while she trembles against me.

“I’m so scared they think I just up and left,” she says quietly. “That I forgot about them because I’m not there when Charlotte has a nightmare in the middle of the night. Or even Lydia. She still crawls into my bed every single morning, and now she can’t.”

Her tears soak through my shirt, but I don’t care. I hold her tighter, smoothing her hair down while I rock her slowly back and forth.

“Allie, I’ve never met your daughters, but I’ve met you,” I say gently. “The way you talk about them? There’s so much love in every word. That kind of love doesn’t disappear. I’m sure they feel it too.”

I press a kiss to the top of her head, and she clutches at my shirt like she’s afraid to let go. I cradle her until her breathing slows, and her sobs fade. Even through the zinging pain in myhip from the position we’re in, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now. Being here for her, holding her, is enough.

What kind of asshole doesn’t let a caring mum talk to her kids? Especially a mum thatcares.

I’ve never been in a situation like this, so obviously I can’t pretend to fully understand. But I know I couldn’t imagine going through this if it were my own kids. She doesn’t deserve this sort of pain—nobody does.

She slowly peels herself from my chest and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. Her glossy blue eyes are now red and puffy with mascara smudged beneath them. And even with that, she’s still the most beautiful person I’ve ever laid my eyes on.

“Thank you for sitting with me,” she says quietly before laying her head back down on my chest.

I squeeze her tighter and smooth her hair down again. “You don’t have to thank me, love,” I murmur.

I don’t know exactly what I’m getting myself into, or how deep her hurt runs. But something tells me this isn’t a time to be walking away. That she needs someone tolistento her, desperately.

And if there’s at least one thing I’m good at? It’s listening.

To important stuff anyway.

Chapter Fifteen

Jax

It’s only been three days now since I last saw Allie, and I don’t understand why I feel so…empty.

It’s wild how much I already want to be around her. We hardly know each other, but somehow it feels like I alreadyknow her. Like I have for my entire life.

Is that even normal? I’ve never really had acrush, so I wouldn’t really know anything about that. I’ve only ever really been with Emelia, and no one else since our divorce last year. Not a date. No friendly hangouts. Nothing.