Page 22 of Essence of his Soul

“Everything looks great,” she said, her voice soft but steady.

“Thanks.”

She moved toward the fridge, and even in those black yoga pants and that simple gray long-sleeve, she looked like a damn snack. The kind you’d savor slowly. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and there was something about how natural she looked—young, vibrant, real. Tyler was getting sleepy, his head resting comfortably on her shoulder.

Essence prepared Tyler’s bottle, and the tenderness in her movements hit me in a way I wasn’t prepared for. There was pride in seeing her as a mother and handling things, but I also regret knowing I hadn’t been there like I should have.

“You hungry?” I asked, watching as she handed Tyler his bottle, his little hands gripping it tight.

She nodded. “Yeah, but I’ll feed him first.”

“Nah, let me take him,” I said, holding out my arms.

She hesitated. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Later,” I replied, taking my son from her and feeling his weight in my arms. “Now, sit down before you insult the chef.”

Tyler nestled into me with a soft, contented sigh, and I couldn’t help but smile. We both sat down, and while I held our son, I nodded toward the food. “Go ahead and eat before it gets cold.”

Essence picked up her fork, twirling the pasta before taking a bite. “Oh, Mark,” she moaned, her eyes fluttering shut. “This is amazing.”

I shifted in my seat, clearing my throat. She had no idea what that sound did to me.

Tyler, meanwhile, lifted his head, staring up at me with those wide, innocent eyes. He studied me, trying to figure out who I was and why I was there. I grinned, pressing a kiss to his forehead. He let out a little yawn and settled back against my chest, and in that moment, I felt something deep. A primal need to protect this little boy, to be everything he needed.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Essence asked, pulling me back to the present. “I can fix you a plate. You can eat with one hand.”

“In a few minutes,” I said, my voice softer than usual. “Right now, I’m just enjoying being with my son.”

Essence’s grin widened, her eyes softening. “He’s growing on you, huh?”

I looked down at Tyler, feeling a lump in my throat. “I never imagined I could fall in love so fast.”

Our eyes met across the table, and in that instant, everything shifted. This wasn’t just about making up for lost time or stepping into the role of a father. It was about something deeper, more real than I’d been willing to admit.

And it wasn’t just about Tyler. It was about Essence, too.

* * *

I brought another forkful of pasta to my lips, savoring the flavor while watching Mark shift Tyler comfortably in the crook of his arm. Tyler opened his eyes briefly, then, feeling safe, closed them again. The bond between father and son had already been forged—a bond I knew I could never come between. I swallowed, feeling the weight of my thoughts. Maybe I was making a huge mistake by turning down Mark’s proposal. I wanted love, but did I really want to risk depriving my son of being raised by his father full-time?

“Tell me about your students, Ms. Monroe,” Mark said, pulling me out of my head. I was grateful for the distraction.

When I looked up, I saw genuine interest in his gaze.

Propping my elbow on the table, I rested my chin in my hand and smiled. “Well... I’m still teaching third grade, even though I’m with a different school district now. This year, I have a unique bunch.”

“How so?”

“I have two sets of identical twins.”

“Two?” Mark’s eyebrows shot up.

I nodded and giggled. “Yep, Donnell and Ronnell, and Gretchen and Gertrude. The boys are easier to tell apart because Donnell is shorter than his brother. But the girls? They’re almost impossible to distinguish unless they’re standing right next to each other,” I explained between bites. “Both are blonde with blue eyes and speak with a slight lisp. Thank goodness Gretchen has a small gap between her front teeth; it’s the only way I can tell them apart.”

Mark’s lips twisted in amusement. “I thought schools usually separate twins.”

“They do, but their mother insisted on keeping them together. Apparently, they were separated after birth due to a bitter divorce. The judge gave each parent custody of one child.”

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