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Jackcouldn’t argue with them about wanting kids.Eventhough his marriage had ultimately failed,Chloewas the best thing he’d ever done, hands down.Sometimes, he let himself daydream about having another baby.Heknew it was unlikely, given his lifestyle, but the idea, the hope that maybe he’d be a father again someday was still there.Feelinga bit emotional, he slung his arm overChloe’sshoulders and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head.
“Ew.Why?”Shepulled away and stuck her tongue out at him.
“Ew?Ew?I’llshow you ew,” he said, and tickled her ribs in exactly the right spot.
Shesquealed and squirmed until she finally gasped out, “Okay, okay, not ew.Notew!Itake it back!”
Laterthat night,Jackscrubbed a hand over his face and stifled a yawn.Chloehad gone to bed a couple of hours ago, and he was currently half asleep on the couch pretending to watch a talk show while he thought aboutRosalie.
Itwas…nice.Tohave someone to think of.Andhe couldn’t help but wonder if she thought about him, too.
Heyawned again, turned off theTV, started the dishwasher, and headed up to bed.He’dbought the small two-bedroom house onWillowabout a year after the divorce.Itwas close to the police station, close to the park, close to the water, close to the school…then again, inGossamerFalls, just about everything was ten minutes away, at most.Butstill, it was the perfect place for him andChloe, when she was here.HeandNorahshared custody fifty-fifty, withChloealternating weeks between their houses.Granted, there was some flexibility with work schedules and things that came up, butChloe’stime was divided pretty evenly between the two homes.
Hewondered ifNorahandIanwould move, now that they were engaged.Shewas still in the house onHickorythey’d bought after he’d returned from the military.MaybeIanwouldn’t want to live in the house where his soon-to-be wife had lived with her first husband.
Hepushed the thoughts aside with a sigh and turned off the light in the hall.Hebrushed his teeth and changed into pajamas, sleep pulling at him.Butthe second his head hit the pillow, his eyes popped open, sleep slipping away.Sighingagain, he turned on the light and grabbed his phone from the bedside table, scrolling.
Afterhe’d exhaustedInstagramandReddit, he found himself opening his texting app, re-reading the few messages between him andRosalie.
Andhe realized, despite spending the night with his family, that he felt very alone.
Jack:
Iknow you’re probably sleeping, butIjust wanted to let you know thatI’vebeen thinking about you andI’mlooking forward to seeing you again.
Hesent the message before he could talk himself out of it.Itwasn’t flirty or funny, but it was real.
Hisheart picked up speed when his phone buzzed in his hand.Hehadn’t expected her to write back at all tonight, never mind so quickly.
Rosalie:
I’mnot sleeping, andI’vebeen thinking about you, too.I’mgladI’llget to see you again.You’reup late.Working?
Jack:
No, not tonight.Justup late.You?
Rosalie:
Iwas working up until a little while ago.Idon’t know if you heard, butCarrieand her boyfriend broke up, soI’vehad lots to do with keeping the press fed while protectingCarrie’sprivacy.
Jack:
Oh, shit.Thatsucks.Sheok?
Rosalie:
Notreally, but she will be.She’sa survivor, and eventually the news cycle will move on to the next story.Justhave to ride it out.
Jack:
Breakups are never easy.
Rosalie:
Iwouldn’t really know.
Jack:
