Page 121 of Forgive You

JASON: No problem. Have fun with Charls.

Disappointment creeps into my chest when I click off my phone and slide it into my gray sweatpants.

I don’t want to come across as a possessive asshole. She should have her own things, spend time with her best friend now that we’re home. But I miss her.

I sound like a love-struck idiot because I just saw her yesterday, but I haven’t had her alone in four days and, deep down, it’s killing me.

I’m dying to kiss her without anyone watching. To touch her until she comes on my hands. To trace her soft skin with my fingers. To smell her.

Flutters fly through my insides.

Man, I got it bad.

I get that she wants to see Charlotte and the kids, but I’m gonna need a little Julie dose tomorrow. Maybe I can call Hunter, see if we can all go do something fun with the kids. Maybe make it a zoo day or a day at the park, have a little picnic.

Yeah, that’s a good idea.

I amble down the stairs, a mix of spices entering my nose before I walk into the kitchen. My sweet mother stands in front of the stove, stirring in a big pan, her baby blue apron in front of her yellow sundress.

“Smells good, Mom.” I kiss the top of her head, right beside the beginning of her gray ponytail.

“I made gumbo.” She beams up at me, and I glance at the orange stew.

My stomach roars, my mouth watering, and I let out a moan.

“Really? I haven’t had gumbo in so long.” There’s nothing better than my mother’s fresh gumbo after a long day.

“Which is why I make it every time you come home. It also means you don’t come home enough, Jason Eli Spencer.”

I open the cabinet above her head, taking out plates to set the table. “You’re right. I’ll try to do better. I bet Julie will want to come back home more often too.”

My side-eye catches her full gaze as she whips around. She’s tiny compared to me and my brothers, but I have the woman on a pedestal. After the divorce, I thought she would crumble, suddenly alone with three teenage boys. But she flourished and showed a strength I guess I recognize in Julie.

She cocks an eyebrow. “Are we talking about the same Julie? Julie from high school?”

“Is that okay?” My lips curve a little bit, taking the cutlery out of the drawer.

“I always liked her. She might have been dating your brother, but I loved that she was still friends with you.” She turns back around to stir the gumbo. “I haven’t seen her in so long. I heard she moved to LA, but I didn’t dare to ask if that was for a certain reason.”

Her questioning gaze briefly flies over her shoulder, and I laugh.

“It wasn’t.” Or at least, I don’t think so? “Though I’m happy she did. She got a job at North Viking Sports.”

“I never expected her to leave her dad’s business. She was always so passionate about it, sharing all the plans she had for the future.”

“I know.”

“Why did she?” My mother adds a little more chili flakes to the pan.

“I haven’t really figured that out.” I’ve been so wrapped around in bliss in the last couple of weeks that I let that nagging question slide.

I didn’t want to ruin what we have and what we’re trying to rebuild. But it is still sitting in the back of my mind that it doesn’t make sense. Julie adores her parents, especially her dad. For her to just walk out of the family business is odd.

“Did she have a falling out with her folks?” I don’t miss the tone in my mother’s voice that piques my curiosity.

“Do you know something?” I finish setting up the table, then take a seat on one of the squeaking chairs.

“Ran into him at church a couple of weeks ago. Asked him how Julie was,” she says carefully.

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