“I think you should make that request yourself. I’m sure myvisitorswill be all too happy to oblige.” I paused as I glanced at her spineless wet blanket of a husband before continuing, “In fact, let Gary do it. He shouldn’t send his wife out to talk to strange men when he’s perfectly capable.”
My comment had her expression morphing into rage as I turned and stepped into my house, shutting the door promptly in her face. It entertained me immensely to imagine Gary confronting Jace about where he parked his car in the mornings. While I’d always shied away from confrontation, my ex-husband did not. Like his father, he was quick witted and a pro at verbal sparring. Jace also detested bullies. At school, he and Elias often had to stand up for Roan, who was so shy and artistic that it made him a target for arseholes.
It took a few minutes for me to wind down from the confrontation with Viola as I fired up my computer to start on the few work-related tasks I had to complete. I managed to file away the fury she drew out of me and concentrate for a little while, but then my thoughts kept wandering back to Jace and what was happening with the catfish. My fingers itched to pick up my phone and call him for an update, but I managed to resist. It was his predicament, and he had more than enough people to support him.
But still, my worry persisted, and I found myself doing something I hadn’t done in years.
I looked up his social media.
There was an Astro account where they shared tour photos, new music, and such, but each individual member also had their own solo account, and that was how I ended up scrolling through all the recent posts and videos Jace had put up. I kept the volume on my computer on mute because my heart still wasn’t ready to hear his music.
Even a couple of notes could bring about an intense sadness, and I wished to avoid that at all costs. My emotional armour wasn’t yet strong enough to withstand hearing him sing or the soulful way he played the guitar.
Still, even with the mute button on, seeing photos of him and the band, not to mention videos of him performing on stage, had goosebumps tingling across the back of my neck. I’d blocked it all out for such a long time, and now it was like a tidal wave of feeling crashing over me. Jace had such effortless star power, and sometimes I wondered if he even knew the effect he had on people. I mean, the woman from last night had fallen in love with him merely from sending messages back and forth with an imposter. She’d obviously gotten swept up in the romance and overlooked all the red flags because the idea of being special to someone as talented and charismatic as Jace Fields was a headyfeeling. I knew because I’d had the real thing, and I feared I’d never feel for anyone what Jace could make me feel.
That I’d never be loved like he’d once loved me.
I paused on a recent video in a recording studio. Jace was singing alongside a gorgeous blonde woman who I vaguely recognised. She must’ve been some singer he was collaborating with or perhaps a member of another band. Even though it was on mute, the effect was all-consuming. They sang together, and the blonde looked at Jace like he hung the moon and stars, her pretty face beaming up at him with a smile so full of affection it almost pained me to watch. His eyes were closed while he sang, but then he opened them and smiled back at her. I swear something sliced a tiny piece out of my heart. They’d probably slept together. Jace had said he wasn’t seeing anyone, and I believed him, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t been with her or that he didn’t want to. They certainly had plenty of chemistry.
None of your business, Shannon.
Swallowing the heavy lump in my throat, I shut down the page and went to make some tea. I had a million tasks to complete, clients to email, and code to write, but instead I was wasting my time getting lost down the rabbit hole of Jace’s exciting life that I was no longer a part of. But I had to accept it. He was going to find someone new eventually, and he deserved to. Just because our marriage ended didn’t mean he should be alone forever. And I deserved happiness, too.
I just had to put myself out there. If only doing so wasn’t so incredibly petrifying.
Remembering Rufus had sent a message early this morning that I still hadn’t replied to, I grabbed my phone and considered responding. Why did the thought of engaging with an online suitor have my palms going all sweaty, my gut churning with indecision? Then again, it was a logical response. Like, was it even safe to date someone off the internet who I knew nothingabout? Look at the Jace’s catfish. Everything Rufus had told me about himself so far could be a complete fabrication. But I couldn’t live my life that way. Never taking a risk today meant never gaining anything in the future, right?
With this in mind, I shot off a quick question, my heart racing all the while.
Me: Want to grab coffee this weekend?
Nerves thrummed through me because I hadn’t had to make the first move on a man in, well, ever. When I didn’t receive a reply right away, I set my phone aside and got back to work. It was almost time for Zara to arrive home when my phone vibrated. Thinking it might be Rufus, I checked the screen but instead found a message from Jace.
Jace: Is it okay if I take Zara back to my parents’ house for a couple hours after school? Dad’s cooking dinner.
Me: Sure. What time should I collect her?
Jace: Around 7pm?
Me: All right. See you then.
I finished up with work, then threw together a few random bits for my own dinner. Whenever Zara wasn’t home, I typically ate whatever was in the fridge. In this case, some leftover chicken salad, two slices of garlic bread, and the end of a tub of hummus.
It was a pleasant evening when I donned my coat and headed over to my in-laws’ house to collect Zara. The neighbourhood I’d grown up in from the age of twelve onwards was well to do, with lots of large, expensive homes and landscaped front lawns.
Previous to moving next door to Jace’s family, I’d lived in several different countries. My parents had worked as lawyers for various international wealthy families, even a few royals and political dynasties. I’d been born in Hong Kong, and we’d stayed there until I was two before settling in Geneva for the next fouryears. After that, we’d lived briefly in Copenhagen, followed by short stints in Capetown, Oslo, and London. Then my parents had finally decided they would settle back in Dublin where they’d both grown up.
I’d like to say I was thankful at long last to not have to start over again in new schools, learn a new language, and make new friends, but Honor and Ivan Guerin had not been the reason Dublin had become home to me. It was Jace’s family that had made me feel like I finally had a place to belong. The only thing I could thank my parents for was buying a house next door to the most wonderful neighbours I could have asked for. It still warmed my heart to know that Zara had grandparents like Jay and Matilda, despite everything that went wrong between her dad and me.
I noticed Isla sitting in the same dark sedan from this morning. She and Dixon must’ve been sharing street watch duties, though if the catfish knew where Jace’s parents lived, then we really did have problems. Like his addiction struggles and Roan’s identity, it was yet another piece of private information that pointed towards the culprit being known to Jace.
He opened the front door a few moments after I knocked. I noticed he seemed tired, but he still smiled when he saw me.
“Come in. Zara’s just finishing her dessert.”
I stepped past him and inside the house, the faint hint of that new cologne his parents had bought him tickling my nose. Why did he not only have to look amazing but also smell incredible, too? How was that fair?
“Has there been any more information on the catfish?” I asked and immediately saw his tension return. I felt bad for bringing it up, but I needed to be kept in the loop for my daughter’s safety.
