She froze, her hand on the doorknob, torn betweenleaving and—what? Staying? Letting herself believe they could be something more?
“You’re not the boyfriend kind,” she whispered, but it was enough for him to catch it. “You said it yourself when we met,” her voice grew steadier. “And me? I’m definitely not ready to be in a relationship. So let’s stop trying to make this into something it’s not.”
They didn’t say anything. Then, slowly, he stepped closer, his hands moved back to her waist, and he turned her around.
“Stop…” He whispered.
Her heart was pounding against her ribs. “I’m not…”
“Okay. Okay,” he interrupted. “Iwill stop with the madness. With the pretending. With the games.” He then took a step back, letting her go. Her stomach twisted. Was he giving up? Was he about to let her walk out the door?
“Jules,” he said before taking a deep breath like he was about to jump off a cliff. “Being with you has been the closest I’ve ever gotten to who I truly am. I don’t care about the words boyfriend, fiancé, husband. I don’t. At the end of the day, I’m simply… yours.”
Silence.
She could see it in his eyes. There was no mask, no charm. Just him. His arms twitched as if he wanted to reach for her, but he stayed put, waiting. The ball was in her court. Letting her metal-grade walls come down wasn’t wise, she knew that. But as messy and complicated as this all was, he was the only person she wanted to be around. The only person who made her feel safe enough to be her truest, most unfiltered self.
“Chris…” Her voice cracked, barely there. He panicked for a split second. He had laid his heart bare, and she had the power to crush him completely. Not a feeling he was used to. He definitely didn’t like it.
Jules stepped forward and crashed into him, her lips finding his in a kiss so intense that it felt like she was never letting go.
And she didn’t.
Because from that day on, they were inseparable.
15
JULES
It was honestly ridiculous when I thought about it. All those years ago, when I was about to get married, I let imaginary scenarios with a fictional version of a guy live rent-free in my head, like a love-struck teenager. George was real. Someone I could’ve spent my life with.
If I hadn’t been so lost in that daydream, maybe I would’ve seen the signs. How George and I drifted, slowly forgetting to be a couple. Not for others, but for ourselves. Maybe I could’ve done more before it was too late. Before we were so far gone, so quietly unhappy, that we’d become more like roommates. Raising kids, sharing a bed, but no longerseeingeach other.
Instead, I’d let Dream Chris waltz around my brain for years.
So. Many. Years. If I wasn’t mad at Chris before, I was fuming now.
The drive home was a blur, but as soon as I stepped into the house, the sound of Nova and Liam arguing yanked me back to reality. Their voices echoed through the living room and hallway.
“You’re too young for this game.” Liam declared.
“I’m six! I’m not a baby!” Nova shot back.
“I’m not letting you play, and that’s final.”
I was halfway to stepping in when Nova’s voice rose again.
“You don’t have tolet medo anything,” she said, ice-cold. “Give me the remote before I go upstairs andaccidentallystep all over your monstrous LEGO tower thing.”
Oh. Okay. Nova didn’t need my help. She had this covered.
I walked into the room in time to see her snatch the remote out of Liam’s reluctant hands. In the kitchen, Carol was sitting at the counter, holding her coffee and a magazine, completely unfazed.
I went straight to the coffee-pot, grabbed a mug, and poured some coffee, a quiet exhale slipping past my lips. My body was still recovering from the roller coaster of the last hours.
“Good morning.” Carol greeted me, barely containing her excitement.
“Morning,” I said, keeping my tone neutral as I sipped my coffee. Her eyes were boring holes into the side of my face, silently demanding answers without ever asking the questions. I gestured toward the living room, where Nova was now deep into her game while Liam sat next to her, arms crossed, still sulking. “I see the day is off to a good start.”
