Page 70 of Forgettable in Every Way

“Jules.” He didn’t listen and took my hand. “Talk to me.”

I tugged my hand out of his grip. “Not now. I’m leaving.” I guess eventually we would have to do the whole breakup scene, but it would have to wait.

“You can’t leave,” Jack cried.

My heart ached. I loved Jack and, unfortunately, his dad. I wanted to comfort Jack and hold him to me, but I knew not being in Simon’s life meant I couldn’t be in Jack’s, as much as it killed me. I couldn’t be with a liar.

Simon stood dumbfounded for a moment until a light went off. “What the hell did Penelope say?”

“Just the truth,” I said through shudders.

“And what is that?”

“About the photo album, and what a joke it was to you. What a joke I am to you.”

Simon’s face turned the deepest shade of red. He picked up Jack again and took my hand. “We are sorting this out right now. She has no bloody idea what she’s talking about. How could you believe her?” he scolded.

Well, that was a good question. It’s not like I wanted to, but she was pretty darn convincing. “She said you laughed at the photo album and threw it away,” I blubbered. “You lied to me.”

Simon let out a heavy breath. “Jules, I admit to being an arse back then, but I never lied to you, and I can prove it.”

“How?” I begged to know. More than anything, I didn’t want him to be a liar. I didn’t want to give him up again.

“I have the photo album,” he confessed.

I blinked and blinked, comprehending what that meant. Two things—I was an idiot for believing Penelope, and he was still a liar. “You said you didn’t know how I felt about you. I spelled it out very clearly in that album.”

He hung his head. “I never looked through the album until I saw you again last month.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I promise you will. Just give me a chance to explain. Please, Jules. I love you.”

“Oh” was all I could say. I didn’t see that coming. At. All.

Simon

SIMON HELD ON TO JULES and Jack like his life depended on it, and he felt as if it did. Jack and Jules were his life, and he damn well wasn’t going to let Penelope steal this from him. He was in search of his ex-wife, and this time he wasn’t going to hold back.

Jules kept pace and stared at him in disbelief as they tore across the backyard. His declaration of love had stunned her into silence.

It wasn’t how Simon had planned on professing his love for her, but he couldn’t let her walk away. She meant the world to him. He only hoped she would forgive him for being so daft, and that she would somehow come to see how much the photo album meant to him, even though it had taken him so long to realize what a treasure she’d given him. What a treasure she was.

“Daddy, can we go home now?” Jack asked as they marched up the deck stairs. It was a bit of a workout for Simon. Jack was getting too big to hold for long periods of time.

“In just a minute, mate. I have something to say to your mum. Then Princess Jewel is going to remember who the Daft Prince is.”

“Yes!” Jack pumped his fist into the air.

“What? I am?” Jules came out of her stupor.

Simon flashed her a grin. “Yes, love. And we are going to live happily ever after and go on many adventures together.”

“I’m so confused.”

“I know, Jules. But I promise you won’t be soon.”

“Okay,” she said, not sure at all.

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