Page 19 of Joining Little Jessica

CHAPTER 12

The cafeteria buzzed with the soft hum of conversation as Jessica made her way toward the table where the men were waiting for her. Her heart fluttered with excitement and nerves as she spotted them sitting together. Rowan’s easy grin greeted her first, followed by Forrest’s calm smile and Sebastian’s ever-watchful eyes. It still felt surreal, having them all so focused on her, especially after the intimacy they had shared the night before. But there was an undercurrent of something she couldn’t quite place, something that made her a little uneasy.

She approached the table and smiled as Rowan immediately pulled out her chair. “There she is, our little ray of sunshine,” he teased, his warm hand brushing her arm as she sat down.

“Hey, babygirl,” Forrest added softly, his gaze tender as he took her hand for a brief moment, offering his silent support.

Sebastian stayed quiet but gave her a small nod, his eyes never leaving hers, as if he were studying her every move.

The food was simple but comforting—fresh sandwiches, salads, and lemonade. Jessica focused on the mundane details, hoping it would calm the odd nervous energy that had settled in her stomach.

“So,” Rowan said, breaking the silence. He was trying to keep the conversation light, but there was a weight to his tone. “We wanted to talk to you about something important.”

Jessica’s chest tightened, a sinking feeling blooming in her gut. The word “important” always carried baggage. And when the three men exchanged glances, it only made her more anxious.

“We’ve been talking,” Forrest chimed in, his voice gentle but firm. “About what happens after our time here.”

Jessica shifted in her seat, feeling the familiar urge to retreat when things got too personal. She hadn’t let herself think much about the future with them—she didn’t dare. It was easier to enjoy the present, to savor the connection they had without worrying about what came next. But now, the conversation she had been avoiding was right in front of her, and there was no running from it.

Rowan leaned forward, his hand resting on hers. “We’re not going to beat around the bush, Jessie. We care about you. A lot. And we’ve been thinking about what comes after these weeks together... if there’s a way we could stay.”

Jessica’s heart skipped a beat, her pulse quickening. Stay? That word sent a flurry of emotions through her, but the loudest was disbelief. She bit her lip, her eyes flickering between the three of them. “Stay?” she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. “You can’t mean that.”

Sebastian sighed, his tone serious as he spoke up. “We do mean it. We’ve been talking about it all morning. This place, you, it’s feeling like more than just a vacation. It’s something else.”

Jessica shook her head slowly, the disbelief turning into a hard knot of anxiety in her chest. “No. You don’t understand. You’ve only been here a few days. Not even a full week. You’re all going back to your lives. You’ve got jobs, families, responsibilities. You can’t just... stay.”

Rowan’s brow furrowed as he leaned closer, his voice low but insistent. “Why can’t we? We’re serious, Jess. We’re not saying it would be easy, but we’re willing to make it work if you want us here.”

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. “Because it’s not possible. This is temporary. That’s it. I’m not someone you stay for.”

Forrest, ever the calm, reassuring one, reached for her hand again, his thumb brushing soothing circles over her knuckles. “Jessie, that’s not true. We wouldn’t be having this conversation if we didn’t believe in something more. We’re not just talking about a fling. Can’t we explore what this could be?”

But Jessica couldn’t hear their words without the crushing weight of doubt pressing down on her. The warmth and connection they offered felt like a dream, too good to be real, and dreams like that always faded. She was just starting to get comfortable with herself, with the Ranch, with them—she couldn’t risk hoping for more.

“You don’t get it,” she said, her voice cracking as she tried to hold back her tears. “I’m not the kind of person you settle down with. You all have your lives back home. This thing we have? It’s not forever.”

Sebastian’s jaw tightened as he exhaled, leaning back slightly, clearly frustrated but trying to stay calm. “Why are you so convinced of that?” he asked. “Why do you think we wouldn’t want to stay?”

“Because I’m not worth it,” she said bluntly, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. “I’m not the girl you leave your whole life for. I’m not the girl you fall in love with and build a future around.”

Rowan looked like he had been punched in the gut. “That’s not true,” he whispered. “You’re worth everything to us, Jessie. Why don’t you see that?”

Jessica bit her lip, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. She didn’t want to cry, didn’t want to admit how terrified she was of losing them—or worse, of getting her hopes up only to be crushed when they left. She had spent too long learning not to rely on anyone, not to trust that people would stay.

“I just can’t believe it,” she admitted, her voice breaking. “I can’t believe you’d give up your lives for me. I don’t want to hold on to something that’s going to hurt when it’s over.”

Forrest squeezed her hand gently, his eyes full of understanding. “We’re not asking you to hold on to something that’s going to hurt. We’re asking you to trust us enough to see if this could be real.”

Jessica’s gaze dropped to the table, her heart pounding in her chest. “I don’t know if I can.”

They fell into a heavy silence. The men exchanged looks, clearly trying to figure out how to approach her, but nothing seemed to get through. She could feel the weight of their emotions—concern, frustration, affection—but she couldn’t allow herself to believe in something she was convinced would end in heartbreak.

Finally, Rowan leaned back in his chair, sighing softly. “Okay,” he said, his voice gentle but resigned. “We won’t push you.”

Jessica blinked up at him, her eyes wide. “You won’t?”

“No,” Sebastian agreed, his tone firm, but not unkind. “If you’re not ready to talk about the future, then we won’t. We’ll enjoy our time together, however long it lasts. No pressure. No expectations.”

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