In her defense, she’d been a dumb kid, so afraid of the emotions this boy she barely knew had stirred in her. There was so much she would’ve done differently.
But they’d still somehow ended up here, and that alone was worth celebrating.
Once the hostess seated them at a cozy little booth tucked into a corner and their waiter appeared, Jack took it upon himself to order a bottle of red wine—the most expensive they had on the menu.
“Jack…” Jessica protested, but he waved her off.
“It may be my birthday, Jess, but it’s still Valentine’s Day. And if I want to spoil my girl with a bottle of wine, I’m going to.”
“I didn’t even know you liked wine,” she said.
“We’re a long way from Mexico,” he reminded her. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me. At least, this version of me.”
Jessica reached across the table and slid her hand into his. “I want to know it all.”
“And you will,” he promised with a smile.
The thought of leaving this man—of losing him again—sat in the back of Jessica’s mind like a low level hum she couldn’t ignore no matter how hard she tried. But tonight was about them, and she would do everything in her power to remind him how much she cherished him, and this relationship, and that they would figure the rest out together.
Dinner was delicious, and as Jack drained the final drops of the bottle of wine into her glass, Jessica stood abruptly.
“I’m sorry,” she said when his face crumpled with concern. “I just really need to go to the bathroom.”
She hurried off without waiting for a response from him, quickly taking care of business. As she stood at the sink washing her hands, she took a moment to study her reflection and was surprised by what she found—what Jack must see when he looked at her now.
Four years ago, she’d been cute, with her button nose, freckles, and long, blonde hair. Since then, almost without her realizing, she’d grown into a woman. Her freckles—though still present—had faded. There were faint laugh lines around her eyes, nothing to be concerned about but enough to make her realize that she’d lived in that time. Her cheekbones and jaw were sharper, those last vestiges of baby fat melting away to reveal the delicate bone structure beneath. And her eyes, though bright from the alcohol and the promise of what the night might bring, were wearier, though still the vibrant blue that every member of the Daniels family shared.
She loved this face and was proud of the story it told.
Finally, she dried her hands and stepped out of the bathroom…right into Jack’s waiting arms.
“What’re you doing?” she asked as he snaked his hands around her waist and pulled her close.
“Kissing my girlfriend,” he said, and did just that.
Jessica would never tire of the reality that she got to kiss Jack again. Every time, kissing him was like coming home, and Jessica could do nothing but melt into him completely, the world outside where their bodies fused blurring to a distant memory.
The best thing about Jack was how he had the innate ability to make Jessica feel as though she were the only person on the planet, even if they were standing in the middle of a crowded room—or in the bathroom hallway of a very crowded restaurant.
As the youngest in her family, she craved that kind of attention. For someone to look her in the eyes and really hear what she was saying as she spoke, to truly understand her deepest desires.
Her family was amazing, but compared to Logan and Berkley, Jessica was rather…plain and unimpressive. At least, that’s how she saw herself. No matter how frequently her family told her otherwise, Jessica’s deepest shame, her darkest secret, was that she was letting her family down.
But Jack? Jack made her feel like a diamond in a handful of rocks, like she outshined anyone and everything around her.
Jack made her feel special, treasured.
With his strong arms wrapped around her, she lost herself, and made a noise of protest when he pulled free from their kiss and rested his forehead against hers, breathing heavily.
“Do you…” Jack started.
“Do I what?”
“Do you want to get out of here?”
“Yes,” she breathed against his mouth, and a moment later, they were walking back to their table. They paused only long enough to grab their coats, and for Jack to throw down enough money to cover their meal, before they were speed walking for the door.
“So, I did a thing,” Jack said once they were strapped into his truck.
