Meredith grabbed the ingredients from the pantry as I measured out flour and sugar. The kids chattered excitedly, debating which shapes to use for the cookies. Bebe wanted stars and hearts, while James insisted on dinosaurs. The kitchen filled with the sound of laughter and the warm smell of butter and vanilla.
I soaked it all in, trying to commit the moment to memory. This was what I was trying to protect. The life I had built and the stability my kids deserved.
The second batch of cookies was in the oven when Jason walked in.
“Hey! Sorry I’m late!” he called out.
“Typical,” Meredith muttered under her breath.
I shot her a look.
Jason strode into the kitchen. His grin was wide. “Wow, it smells amazing in here,” he said, leaning down to kiss Bebe on the top of her head. “What’s this?”
“We made cookies!” James said proudly, holding up a star-shaped one covered in sprinkles.
“Looks incredible, buddy,” Jason said, ruffling his hair. Then he turned to me. “Ready to go?”
I nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah. Let me just grab my bag.”
As I stood, I turned to Meredith. “Thanks for staying, Mer. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
She waved me off. “Go. I’ve got this.”
I nodded, exhaling slowly as I picked up my suitcase and walked toward the door. The moment I stepped outside, an ache bloomed low inside me. Maybe it was just nerves. Maybe it was the weight of everything Jason and I were trying to rebuild. I squared my shoulders, taking a steady breath.
I had to believe this was the right thing. I had to.
CHAPTER 47
TRUTH POURING OUT ON PCH
NATALIE
As Jason and I drove away from our home, a sudden wave of panic crashed over me. A slow suffocating tension spread through my chest and suddenly I couldn’t breathe. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might break free from my ribs, and the air around me felt thick, paralyzing. My skin flushed, my hands trembled, and a chill ran down my spine.
“Jason,” I choked out, struggling to catch my breath. “I need you to pull over. I think I might be sick.”
Jason’s face shifted from mild concern to alarm. Without hesitation, he swerved to the shoulder of the Pacific Coast Highway and brought the car to a halt. As soon as the car stopped, I threw open the door and stumbled out onto the pavement, my stomach turning violently.
Before I could stop myself, I was vomiting, with waves of nausea overtaking me.
Jason was right behind me, his presence calm and steady. He didn’t say a word. He just reached out and gently held myhair back. His hand rested warm and firm behind my neck. He rubbed my back in slow circles, soothing me, as if that one gesture could fix everything.
When the nausea finally subsided, I leaned against the car. My body still trembled. Tears streamed down my face, and I felt completely unraveled. I wasn’t sick from the panic alone. I was sick from the weight of the lie I’d been carrying. I’d done everything to avoid this moment. I didn’t mean to drag Jason into my spiral, but here we were, and there was no turning back.
“I’m so sorry to ruin our weekend away,” I whispered through my tears, barely able to meet his eyes. “But I need to tell you the whole truth.”
Jason’s face softened. He didn’t speak right away. He simply guided me gently back to the car. We both got in, the silence pulsed between us like a warning. The hum of the engine was the only sound, and it felt deafening. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but my hands wouldn’t stop shaking. I owed him the truth. Not the carefully edited version I gave him before, the whole truth.
“I didn’t have a one-night stand,” I started, my voice shaky. “I had an affair. It was with Bebe’s friend’s dad.”
Jason’s jaw tightened. His grip on the steering wheel was firm. His silence was worse than yelling.
“The guy from the birthday party?” he asked finally. His voice was low but even.
I nodded, the words catching in my throat. “I should’ve told you the truth from the start. I don’t know why I didn’t… Maybe I thought I could brush it off, make it seem like less than it was. It wasn’t just a one-time mistake. It was…more.” The words hung between us like a live wire.
“I had feelings for him,” I admitted with my voice barely above a whisper. “And I’m willing to push those feelings aside if you really think we have a shot. But, Jason, I’m scared. I’mscared I’m not what you want anymore. That maybe this…all of this…isn’t enough.”
