“Happy Valentine’s Day, Jesse.” He steps away then, moving to his bedside table and grabbing a small box before handing it to me. It’s light, one of those pre-wrapped boxes, but it’s the same: a gift.
A Valentine’s Day gift from Jesse Peter King to me, it seems.
“Jesse…” I say, hesitating.
“It’s nothing crazy, trust me. Just something I saw and thought you needed.”
“It’s—”
“Let me have this, Hallie,” he murmurs, pressing his lips to mine and pushing the small box into my hands. When I look at him, his face is soft, and I can see it means something to him that I'm accepting this, so I sigh and nod, then open the small box.
Inside are a pair of dainty hoop earrings, silver and gold twisted together in hoops just bigger than huggie earrings. They’re simple and beautiful and so veryme. Because, as he shows me every single day, this man knows me more than anyone ever has in my life.
“I know you switch your earrings often, and you don’t stick to just gold or silver, so I thought these would be a good addition—something you could rotate in.”
I stare at them, touching the delicate metal gently and wondering why on earth he would think I would berotatingthese into my earring sets.
These are going to be worn every fucking day of my life.
When I look back up at him, he is looking at me with anticipation, nerves clear. I let him out of his misery. “They’re gorgeous, Jesse. Perfect.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I say with a laugh, setting the box aside and taking out the small gold hoops from my first hole. I have four oneach side, and I’ve never missed the way Jesse always looks at them, touches them, or, like that one night, tugs them between his teeth. A shiver runs through me before his hand reaches up, replacing mine.
“Can I?”
I nod, then he delicately and tenderly removes the other earring before sliding in the new hoops, clasping them, and reverently rubbing his fingers over the new set. It sends a wave of adoration mixed with need, and even though I know I’ll be touching and staring at them all day, I don’t need to look at them in the mirror. Not when Jesse is already looking at them like they’re the most perfect thing he’s ever seen.
“Gorgeous,” he says, and then he leans forward and presses his lips to mine in a hot, sweet kiss. Minutes later, I’m gasping, and I know we’re running out of time, since Emma will be up soon, and regrettably, I step away.
“Well, this makes my news for you even more awkward.”
He lifts his eyebrow at me.
“Are you breaking up with me on Valentine’s Day, Hallie?”
“We have to be together to break up.” His eyes narrow, thoroughly unentertained by me, and I bite back a smirk. “No, I’m not breaking up with you. But I don’t have a gift for you.”
“I told you?—”
I interrupt him and finish giving him the news.
“But I did plan a daddy-daughter date night tonight with Emma yesterday.” He tilts his head, clearly not seeing that coming. “At home. But it means we’re kicking you out today. And when you come back, you’ll spend the night with Emma.” I read him, but he’s a blank slate as he stands with his eyes locked on mine. Long moments stretch between us, as does my patience before I finally crack. “Are you…okay with that?” I ask nervously.
“Okay with what?”
“Your day with Emma. I mean, it’s Valentine’s Day. You got me these.” My fingers reach up to touch my new earrings reverently. “And in turn, I set up a whole date for you with someone else.” I let out a laugh, and he shakes his head, confusion and awe on his face.
“There are only two people I would want to spend this day with. This year, Emma gets it. This is a gift, Hallie, even if you don’t see it. I don’t think I have much longer that she’ll be willing to have a daddy-daughter date on Valentine’s Day.”
I understand what he’s saying, but I still want to clarify.
“I just…this isn’t…” I bite my lip and wait for him to fill in for me, but he doesn’t, the infuriating man. “I want you to know this isn’t me avoiding you. Or…us.”
His eyes light up, and he pulls me in closer.
“That’s the real gift, Hallie.” I tip my head, not understanding, but before I can ask, he fills in for me. “I think that’s the first time you’ve agreed there’s an us,” he whispers, breath ghosting over my lips. “That’s the best gift I could have gotten today.”
