I leaped out of bed, my pulse racing, and grabbed the robe hanging on the back of the door. I threw it on and rushed out of the room, my mind spinning as I hurried downstairs.
22
CHRIS
Apancake flipped in the air, landing back in the pan with a satisfying sizzle. The kitchen was an absolute mess: flour-covered countertops, bowls, and utensils scattered, and a handful of blueberries dispersed here and there. I stood at the stove, flipping another pancake, taking in the comforting chaos that felt like home. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d cooked breakfast. It used to be one of my favorite things to do—helping my mom make pancakes or French toast before school. We didn’t have much back then, but mornings like those made it feel like we had everything we needed.
I glanced at Liam and Nova, sitting on the stools across from me, cracking up over something Carol had said. They looked so much alike, even though their personalities were so different. In my dreams, I couldn’t see their faces, but somehow, they still felt so familiar. I caught glimpses of Jules in them, especially in those deep, expressive hazel eyes. I wondered if they would have been blue if they were mine.
Mykids.
I had never considered being a dad before. I didn’t exactlyhave the best role model, so I figured I’d probably suck at it. But looking at them now, the way they laughed so easily, the way they looked at me like I belonged here… I let myself wonder, for a second—maybe I wouldn’t be so bad at it after all.
From the moment they found me passed out on their couch this morning, they were nothing but kind and welcoming. I didn’t deserve such a welcome, but they didn’t seem to care. And it made me wonder if, on some level, they recognized me too, not from my movies or the tabloids, but somewhere else.
I wished.
They were so damn impressive. Interesting. They had these layers to them that made them much more fascinating than most of the adults I met in the last decade. And they were their mom’s perfect mirror. Liam was the overthinker, the planner, and the introverted part of Jules. And Nova? Nova was fire. She waslittle Blaze, all quick wit, impulsiveness, and boldness.
I heard a noise behind me and turned to see Jules walking in, still in her robe. Her hair was slightly messy, her face soft from waking up. The giggles faded immediately, and the kids felt silent, looking up at her like they weren’t sure if they were supposed to be fraternizing with the enemy.
I guessed that’s what I was.
Judging by the look in Jules’ eyes, she wanted to murder me now even more than she did yesterday when I woke her up at three a.m. Fair enough. She’d beenveryclear that I needed to be gone before the kids woke up. But honestly? Every second I got to spend with them this morning made whatever wrath she was about to unleash totally worth it.
“Good morning,” I said softly, testing the waters.
“Good morning, Mama!” Liam and Nova chimed in together.
The kids didn’t pick up on the tension, but Carol sure did. She shot Jules a knowing look, then grabbed a plate stacked high with pancakes and stood up.
“I’ll be upstairs if you need help moving a body,” she joked, and grinned on her way to the other room.
Jules let out the faintest smile at that, but then her attention shifted to the chaos surrounding us.
“What are you guys doing?” she asked.
“Pancakes!” Nova exclaimed, holding up her fork like a trophy she had won.
“I’ll clean up. Don’t worry!” I said quickly, flipping a pancake with a flick of my wrist and turning off the stove. I noticed Jules’ gaze sweeping over the kitchen, taking in the batter spills, sticky surfaces, and scattered utensils. Yeah, she wasn’t happy. I knew she liked things tidy—at least the version of her I dreamed about did. And so far, the real Jules seemed to share almost every trait I’d seen in those dreams. Which meant I was in trouble.
Liam, still grinning with pride, added, “We did everything. Chris helped, but Nova and I mixed all the ingredients.”
Jules’ gaze sharpened as she scanned the countertop again.
“Clearly…” she muttered under her breath.
Oh, I wasdefinitelyin trouble.
“We can’t use the stove, so he’s taking care of that part,” Liam added, completely unfazed by the mess.
“They’re great cooks, indeed!” I kept the mood light as I added the last golden pancake to the stack. At this point, I was pretty sure the only reason she wasn’t calling Carol to help move my dead body was because of these two kids. The pride on their faces made it worth it, though.
Jules sighed quietly and grabbed a couple of plates from the cabinet. She set them down and carefully added threepancakes to each, then a handful of blueberries and an impressive swirl of whipped cream.
“Here you go! I’m sure these will taste extra delicious while watching YUG,” she said, handing the plates to the kids. At the mention of whatever the hellYUGwas, their faces lit up even brighter. They cheered and grabbed their plates. “You guys did an amazing job. I’m really proud,” Jules said, leaning down to kiss each of them on the head.
The way their smiles grew even wider melted me a little. There it was again. That shift in her. One second, she’d been glaring at me as her fiery eyes could cut straight through my soul. And the next? She was warm, heart-melting, gentle Mom Jules.
