Page 82 of One Last Thing Before You Go

I laugh when he pulls me closer to him, nipping at my neck and whispering all the things he wants to do to me as soon as we get a second alone.

There’s no denying I want him just as bad, heat building between my legs. And just as I come up with the perfect excuse to feed to Jenn so Knox and I can take the day off, a voice breaks through my fantasies.

“Carlota?”

And as I open my eyes and slowly push away from Knox, it’s like a record scratch to my heart, my body—everything.

“Jason.” His name comes out on a whisper, mouth dry. I try once to swallow while I take in his appearance: tall, runner’s build, blond hair with light brown eyes—kind ones. He was always so kind. Standing before me, he looks just the same as the night I got up suddenly from our last date, cutting our dinner short.

Except this time around, he has a baby strapped to his chest.

His smile is warm and welcoming, like he’s genuinely happy to run into me even after the way I treated him. “It’s so good to see you.”

“I…” I can’t say the same. “It’s so good to see you too.” Like an idiot, I go in for a hug, stopping short when I realize he has a fucking baby strapped to his chest. “Oops, sorry.” I laugh awkwardly. “And who’s this little guy?”

“Girl.” Jason looks down, beaming at the baby who beams right on back at him. “This is Katie.” He makes a face at her, and she giggles. “Say hi, Katie.” He grabs her little hand and waves it before kissing it.

“Hey, I’m Knox.” I jump at his voice as he stretches out his hand to Jason, who happily takes it.

Jason grins at him. “You’re Walter’s son! It’s so good to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“I’m not surprised,” Knox says with a laugh. “Seems like this town is good about keeping everyone up to date.”

Jason laughs easily and nods.

“I thought you moved away,” I say, voice detached. And I wish I could take the words back as soon as they leave my mouth because what the hell.

The vibe shifts, the air grows a bit tense. Jason’s face falls when he turns to me. “Yeah, I did. But Saskia, my wife, and I are here visiting my parents. Katie and I are here buying a couple of things to help my dad with a project at his house.”

“Got it.” I nod, forcing a smile.

After a painfully awkward silence, he nods once with a tight smile. “Well, it was good seeing you again, Carlota. And it was good meeting you, Knox.”

“Good to meet you, man.”

Knox has the decency to wait until Jason is out of earshot before prying: “So how long did you date for?” I can tell from the sound of his voice that he’s trying so hard not to sound jealous. Or eager for information. Or both.

I take a deep breath and look him straight in the eye, trying my best not to look devastated. Not because I’m not with Jason anymore. Not because he’s moved on. But because of what he represents. And there’s no way I can be that honest with Knox, is there?

“Not long. About three dates.”

His brow furrow, and I’m certain it’s due to the short length of our non-relationship. “He end it?”

“No. I did.”

He sighs, frustrated. “You gotta give me more than that, Lottie. Not to sound like a jealous boyfriend or whatever, but you looked like you saw a ghost. You’re fucking white as a sheet. I’m trying really hard to respect your boundaries, but…”

“I just… We didn’t fit.” I close my eyes, remembering that last dinner. Feeling the hope at the beginning of our date, realizing I was really starting to like him, that I was ready to move on and start another relationship. Only to have it all come crashing down after one little conversation.

“I really like you,” he’d told me, my hand in his. The candlelight hit him in a way that turned his light brown eyes into a warm gold hue. “And I want to be clear about what I want. From us. For us.”

I remember the way my stomach dropped, knowing exactly what was coming.

“I can see this long-term, Carlota. House, kids—the whole nine yards. What about you?”

“I—” I remember trying to speak, trying to say something. He wanted it all. “Kids?”

“Three,” he had said with a warm smile.