Page 90 of Already Callin’ You Mine

“Socks and I catch fish.”

Pointing out the pile of blankets mixed together in the middle of the room, miscellaneous toys weaved into the folds, Otis continues to rattle on, not making much sense.

“You’re fishing in the living room?” Jace asks playfully. “Does your mama know?”

Otis giggles, the sound making my heart squeeze again. He nods emphatically, words starting to tumble out of him again. Jace listens intently, as if Otis were the world’s foremost scholar on his favorite subject, giving him a personal lecture.

Everything in me wants to squeal, jumping up and down, doing a little happy dance. These are the moments I’ve always wanted for him. The ones that I curse Cody for giving up. Because being a dad isn’t about the DNA—it’s about being there for your kid and giving him the love and attention he deserves. Otis deserves it all.

I need to bow out…

Tears prick the corners of my eyes. I know what I need to do, and my heart is already breaking.

“Wow, you’re so good at this,” Jace continues to play along. “Think you’ll be this good when we get out on Silver Lake?”

“Yup!”

My insides clench, simultaneously loving the idea of the two of them going fishing and worrying that it won’t come to pass. That Jace won’t still be in our lives this spring to take Otis to “catch fish.”

Because he won’t. I need to cut this off. Paps can take Otis out on Silver Lake.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

My tone is sharper than I intended, each word slicing through the air like a knife. It betrays my own hurt, but maybe that’s a good thing. Help build the wall.

Pushing back up to his full height, Jace ambles over to me. “I came to pick you up for Drafts and Dig In.”

I blink, trying to process his statement. Is he insane? I told him I couldn’t go.

“No.” My voice squeaks. So much for not betraying my feelings…

Jace rocks backward, as if I physically pushed him. “What do you mean no?”

“I told you yesterday I couldn’t go.”

“You told me you didn’t have a babysitter. I fixed that. Miss Belle said that Otis is welcome to hang out with her and Auggie at Magnolia Manor. So, go get changed and we can drop Little Man off and then head over⁠—”

“No.”

Jace’s face falls, expression morphing from confusion to hurt and then back again.

“I don’t…”

“Jace,” I huff out, exasperated. Flexing my hands, I count to ten, trying to hold back the tears that are threatening me with everything they have. Turning to my son, I inhale deeply, counting to ten again. “Otis, time for bed. Please go change and start to get ready. I’ll be there in a minute to read you a story.”

“But—”

“No buts. It’s bedtime.”

“O-tay,” he resigns. “Jace read me a story?”

“No,” I answer, right as Jace starts to say “Sure.”

He stops short, looking at Otis and shrugging while he shakes his head. “Next time, Little Man. Sweet dreams.”

Running over to us, Otis wraps his arms around Jace’s legs, giving him a hug. “Don’t let the bed rugs bite!”

The sight is almost too much to bear, and I can tell it gets to Jace too. He doesn’t bother to hide all his feelings as he hugs Otis back, before ruffling his hair. I force a smile, the hurt already filling me as I watch Otis let go, then run over to grab Socks and head down the hall. Waiting for the sound of the door closing, I try to find my words—calm, reasonable ones—but the only thing inside me is panic.