Page 28 of Essence of his Soul

“You’re setting limitations. Besides... Liz isn’t coming.” He gently pushed on the door, and I stepped back, letting him in.

“Isn’t coming?” I repeated, my voice rising in disbelief. “Whynot?”

He shrugged off his jacket, hanging it on the rack like he lived here. “Because I gave her the holiday off.”

The audacity. “How could you do that?”

“I told you I planned to spend time with my son, and I meant it.”

I shook my head, trying to process his boldness. “You had no right.”

“Yes, I do. I paid Liz and gave her a nice Christmas bonus,” he said, all calm, as if he hadn’t just flipped my morning upside down.

“I can’t believe you.”

Mark just shrugged, unfazed. “Liz wanted to spend the holiday with her daughter, and since I have nothing else to do for the next couple of weeks, I told her to go.”

“She never mentioned wanting to visit her daughter.” Liz’s daughter lived in Denver—hardly a short trip.

“She didn’t want to leave you hanging with Tyler. But I’m here now so she can enjoy her holiday.”

I frowned. Liz and Mark were clearly in cahoots, and I didn’t like it one bit. But it was too late to argue now. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice.”

“Nope. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I hear someone waking up.” With that, he quickly kissed my cheek and strolled down the hall like he was at home.

I stood there, torn between wanting to yell at him and feeling a slight twinge of gratitude.What am I going to do with him?Mark definitely had a mind of his own. Shaking off the thought, I put on a pot of coffee. I yawned and headed to my bedroom. Might as well get my shower out of the way.

As I lathered my body, my thoughts drifted to how well-behaved Mark had been these past few days.Surprisingly well-behaved, I mused.

A week had passed since Mark appeared in my classroom. I would come home after work to find him at my house, cooking dinner while Liz attended to Tyler. Then Liz would leave, and I’d have dinner while Mark got Tyler bathed and ready for bed.

Yesterday had been no different. After dessert, Mark insisted on loading the dishwasher while I kicked back and watchedBest Man Holiday. Once he was done, he joined me on the sofa. I thought I’d be anxious for him to leave, but instead, I found myself enjoying his company. Really enjoying it.

We talked about Tyler’s future and starting a savings account for him. Mark even mentioned contributing to the college plan I’d set up when Tyler was just a few days old. And not once did he bring up marriage or try to kiss me.

That was the surprising part. Here was a man who’d been adamant about wanting to marry me, yet he was no longer pushing the issue. Not even a hint. It was almost as if he understood what I needed more than anything right now was just… him. Not as a husband, but as a partner, a co-parent, someone I could lean on without feeling pressured.

And that, right there, was what had me so conflicted. The more time we spent around each other, the more I realized how good we were together. How natural it felt to have him in my space, sharing in the everyday moments of our lives.

I closed my eyes and let the hot water cascade over me, trying to wash away the confusion settling in my chest. One thing was clear: Mark was making it harder and harder to keep my guard up.

Last night, after the movie ended, I’d pulled down some old photo albums from the top shelf of my closet. We flipped through the pages, reminiscing about the last sixteen months of Tyler’s life. Mark hung onto every word I said—from the joy of carrying Tyler for nine months to the bittersweet memories that led up to the day he walked into his son’s life. I could see thepain in his face, knowing how much he had missed. He was so invested in every little detail, so genuinely interested in our son’s life, that it brought tears to my eyes. If I hadn’t already known how amazing Mark was, I knew it now. Tyler was lucky to have him as a father. And in that moment, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of gratitude that he was here now.

Turning off the water, I slid open the door and reached for a towel. As I wrapped myself in it and stepped into my bedroom, I heard Mark’s laughter from across the hall. The deep, genuine sound sent a shiver through me, making me acutely aware of his presence in a way I couldn’t ignore. Hearing Tyler laugh along with him made me smile.

The men in my life.That’s what they were—Mark and Tyler. Whether I wanted to admit it or not.

I moved to my closet, finally settling on simple brown slacks and a cream turtleneck sweater. I reached for a bottle of scented lotion, spreading it generously over my skin. As the fragrance wrapped around me, I smiled, realizing this was the first time I had the luxury of getting ready for work in months. Usually, I’d balance Tyler on one hip while applying makeup on the other. Having Mark around was proving to be an unexpected blessing.

What if you agree to marry him?Nope, it's not happening.

* * *

I fastened Tyler’s footed pajamas and set him down on the floor. In a flash, he was off, giggling and racing down the hallway like he had somewhere important to be. I chuckled, shaking my head at how quick he was, then grabbed the dirty diaper to toss it before following after him. Moments like these were everything to me.

As we reached the kitchen, I scooped Tyler into my arms, blowing bubbles on his belly to hear that sweet, infectious laughter. Once we were both laughing, I sat him in his highchair.

"Alright, Champ, let’s see what’s on the menu this morning," I said, grabbing the instant oatmeal from the cabinet. But before I started, I handed Tyler a slice of banana to keep him occupied.

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