“Just let her out.”
“What if she runs off?”Or worse—leaves me for Brian’s.
I don’t know if I’d recover if she did that. I know she missed me. That much was clear when she slept on my face all night. But not more than she’s missing being outside.
“You’re right. You should do what you feel comfortable with.”
“Thank you,” I say, ignoring Millie’s desperate attempt toflee this house. “Speaking of comfortable… what’s up with you and Jake?”
I haven’t had a chance to ask her about that heated kitchen conversation the other morning and I’m dying for details.
Julia groans. “Nothing. Same as it’s always been.”
I take a sip of my coffee and drizzle it back into the mug. “Needs more creamer.”
Julia pours in a splash, and I give her hand a heavy nudge. I take another sip.Better.
“It didn’t look like nothing when he was touching your hand and begging you to answer his question.”
“Fine. We shared a moment.”
Duhis written all over my face followed byGet to the good part.
“The day we got back from Everett’s concert, Jake kept thanking me for all I do with Henry. How much I’ve taken on by myself. He apologized for not being there. It was like he finally saw me. And so, when he leaned in, I didn’t pull away.”
Her eyes cast to the floor. A mixture of bashfulness and shame outweighing the giddiness I saw in that second to last sentence.
He finally saw me. It’s plain as day that’s what she’s wanted from him all this time: not having to explain every decision she’s making for herself and for Henry. It’s what I’ve wanted for them too.
“So, what was his question?”
“He wants me to go on a date with him.”
“And that’s a bad thing because…”
I try putting together a puzzle I don’t even have the pieces for. If she didn’t pull away when he tried to kiss her, there’s clearly still sparks there. And if anyone would make the most sense in Julia’s life, it’s a guy she’s already had a kid with.
“Because I can’t trust him.” She groans and sinks her headinto her folded arms. “He’s always said one thing and done another. His actions have rarely lined up with my expectations, and I’m typically the one who has to pay the consequences. He’s still in the same place he was five years ago when Henry was born. Still afraid to spend the night alone with him. Still calls me when he does, wanting a play-by-play of how to take care of his own son. I want more for us. More forme. Is that so bad?”
“No,” I’m quick to reply. I grab her hand. Julia deserves everything. Henry’s diagnosis came with its challenges, but she’s never let it hold her back from being the best mom, the best nurse, the best friend she could be. She does more than show up for the people she loves, she takes care of them. Which is more than Jake’s done. “Of course not. You deserve it all.”
She lifts her head, showing off a sheepish look. “It felt… nice. When he kissed me, ya know? Just because I’m not sure if I want to be doing that with Jake doesn’t mean I don’t want to be doing that at all. I miss being taken care of.”
I gather she doesn’t mean taken care of in the financial sense.
“Speaking of dates…”
“Everett asked you out, didn’t he?!”
“What? No! Everett’s my boss. I think he made that pretty clear last night when he said the kiss meant nothing and he appreciates me helping with Quinn.” It’s obvious he’s not keen on blurring the lines from professional to personal. “Joe the banana guy asked me out.”
I study her reaction. She’s rightfully shocked. I mentioned nothing to her about him, since Everett was already here by the time I got home from the store.
“Joe the banana guy,” she repeats at the slowest speed. I hear how ridiculous it sounds coming out of her mouth, but he was hot. Sometimes you don’t need any other explanation than that.
“I was into his act. It worked for him.” I shrug.
“I’m going to need the whole thing.” She spins her finger in a circle and slides off the barstool next to me, taking a seat again.
