I woke up to the smell of bacon. Quickly dressing and going to wake Zara, I headed downstairs and found Jace in the kitchen. Zara’s breakfast was prepared and waiting for her, while he busied himself making eggs and bacon for the two of us.
He wore jeans and a clean T-shirt, his hair wet and falling over his forehead. Seriously, this wasn’t fair. How did a person look so incredible first thing in the morning? Was it the nepo baby genes? Pure luck? The bacon-y aroma adding a little something extra to his handsomeness?
His smile was wide when he saw me. “I made breakfast if you’re hungry. I hope you don’t mind that I used your shower.”
I tried not to flush at the way he took me in while butterflies wreaked havoc in my belly. “I don’t mind, so long as you didn’t waste my expensive Japanese shampoo by using it as shower gel again,” I teased, and he smirked back at me.
“That was one time,” he countered with a chuckle.
“And it was traumatising enough for me to remember.” I paused to study him. “How did you sleep?”
“Not too badly. I think those old episodes ofRed Dwarfhelped me drift off.”
“Rewatches are always relaxing,” I agreed.
Jace nodded before a shadow passed over his features. “I filled my dad in on everything that happened yesterday. He’s decided to go see an old friend of his today. A senior Garda. The law can be fairly useless when it comes to stalking and harassment claims that don’t involve actual bodily harm, and especially when it’s happening online, but he thinks it’s worth a shot to get some official advice on the matter.”
“It can’t hurt. Just out of curiosity, is there any type of person your father isn’t friends with?”
Jace shook his head. “He knows everyone, from criminals to law enforcement to fintech moguls. He’s always got an acquaintance he can ask for a favour.”
“I’d love to see his little black book. I bet there are some surprising people in there.”
He chuckled while pushing a plate with toast, scrambled eggs, and crispy bacon towards me. “No doubt. Eat up. This still your favourite?”
“Pretty basic, but yes.”
“It’s not basic to like what tastes good, Shannon.”
There was an intensity in his gaze that had me fidgeting with the sleeve of my jumper. I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I went with a simple, “If you say so.”
“Dad! You’re here!” Zara exclaimed joyfully as she came into the room with a giant grin on her face.
Jay’s answering grin made my heart melt as he pulled her in for a hug. “You look hungry. I made your favourite.”
Zara took in the plate with a sliced up banana next to almond butter and blackberry jam on toast. She sat down and shoved some toast in her mouth before declaring, “I love your toast the best.”
“Hey,” I complained with a smile, and Zara shook her head. “It’s okay, Mammy, your pancakes are better than Dad’s.”
“I feel like we’re being played against one another here,” Jace commented with a chuckle before shovelling a forkful of eggs into his mouth.
“Maybe,” Zara allowed cheekily and picked up a slice of banana. She folded it into the middle of the slice of toast she was eating before taking a big bite.
While the three of us ate together in companionable silence, my heart filled with longing for the simple act of sharingbreakfast as a family. When I glanced up, I found Jace staring at me, a soft look in his eyes like he was having the exact same thought.
By the time he had to take Zara to school he had almost everything tidied up and put away. I tried to remind myself not to get used to it. Jace was on his best behaviour because he wanted me back. If I let him into my affections, all the cooking, cleaning and helpfulness could fall by the wayside.
Jace had done this type of stuff for me early in our relationship, but then his music career had taken off, and he was gone all the time, so he didn’t really have many opportunities to be domestic. It was still nice to remember the old days before all the money and fame and personal loss came along to complicate things.
“I’ll be back later, but Dixon is right outside watching the street,” Jace said. “You notice anything suspicious, let him know, and then call me, okay?”
“Sure,” I agreed, and he stood there, his gaze wandering from my face, down my body, and back up again. He appeared to be having a thought, but in the end, he didn’t share it, only gave me a little secret smile before he headed out to drive Zara to school.
It was almost three-thirty when I realised Jace hadn’t returned to drop Zara home yet. Normally, they would have been back by now. Checking my phone, I found no messages or missed calls, so I went outside to ask Dixon. He sat in his car, eyes scanning the street, and what sounded like a podcast was playing through the speakers. I tapped on his window. He leaned forward to turn off the podcast then rolled it down.
“Shannon?”
“Jace still hasn’t dropped Zara home from school. Was there some kind of a hold up?”
