Page 22 of Claiming My Grumpy Ex

We dressed quietly, the air between us charged with a mixture of familiarity and the weight of years gone by. Once we stepped out onto the back porch, the cool night air washed over us, refreshing and grounding. I glanced at my watch—3:00 AM and saw that the world was silent, everything still under the glow of the moon.

We settled side by side on the porch swing, our arms brushing as we rocked gently. I let out a deep breath, staring out into the dark, and finally broke the silence. “It’s strange… being here with you like this. It feels like nothing’s changed, but at the same time, everything has.”

She leaned back, watching me with that thoughtful expression that always made me wonder what was running through her mind. “I know what you mean. But somehow, here we are, reconnecting?” She hesitated, “Aren’t we?”

I nodded, feeling the weight of those words settle over me. “I keep wondering… did you ever think this would happen?”

She paused, her gaze dropping as a hint of frustration flickered across her face. “I mean… you didn’t even send a postcard. Not one. I would have at least known you were okay, that you hadn’t forgotten me completely.” Her voice softened, mingling with the night’s quiet. “But now, with you here… I need to understand. Why didn’t you at least try to reach out, just once?”

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her question settle heavily over me. The truth wasn’t easy to face, but she deserved to hear it, all of it. “Elena,” I said, squeezing her hand, “I thought I’d moved on, too. I thought it was easier to let go completely than to keep holding on to what I didn’t think I’d ever get back.” I paused, looking into her eyes, feeling the years we’d lost wash over us both. “But seeing you and Jake… it’s like some things never really fade. Now I realize what a mistake I made.”

Her gaze softened at the mention of Jake, and she gave a slight nod. “He’s so much like you,” she said, voice thick with emotion. “Every time I look at him, I see pieces of you. It’s been both beautiful and hard raising him alone—avoiding telling him about his father.”

The depth of her words hit me, and I swallowed, feeling that ache of lost years. “I hate that I missed it,” I said quietly. “Everymoment, every milestone. I can’t get that time back, and it kills me. I knew something was missing and was miserable inside. But I want to be here now, Elena. For both of you, in whatever way you’ll let me.”

She squeezed my hand, her gaze dropping as she took a deep breath like she was organizing her thoughts. “I think we should take this slow,” she said gently. “You need time to get to know Jake, to build a relationship with him without… complicating things. I don’t want to overwhelm him—or you.” She paused, glancing up at me with a soft, grateful smile. “And… thank you. For tonight. For giving us a chance to reconnect. But Jake has to come first.”

Her words surprised me, striking a chord I hadn’t expected. I opened my mouth to respond, to promise her I’d be there, that I’d make this right, but something held me back. I thought of the guy I’d seen her with, wondering if I had any right to ask about him, to pry into her life. But the questions bubbled beneath the surface, tugging at my own sense of control. Instead, I held back, nodding slowly, grateful she was willing to let me in at all. “You’re right,” I said finally, swallowing my curiosity. “Jake should be our focus.”

The first light of dawn broke over the horizon as Elena and I sat on the porch swing, the weight of our conversation still hanging between us. The screen door creaked open just as I opened my mouth to suggest calling it a night.

“Mom? Cory?”

Jake’s voice cut through the quiet, pulling our gazes toward him. He stood in the doorway, hair sticking up, his face scrunched with sleep. “What are you guys doing out here? Did you stay up all night?”

Elena shifted beside me, her fingers brushing against mine, a silent reassurance that we were in this together. “Just catchingup,” she said softly, her voice carrying the sweet tone I hadn’t realized I’d missed so much.

Jake yawned, glancing between us with sleepy curiosity. “So… you staying for breakfast, Cory?”

Elena chuckled nervously, and I shrugged, trying to play it cool. “If that’s okay with you.”

“Fine by me,” he said with a grin, his eyes lighting up. “But I get the good bacon, not the curled-up pieces.”

Elena laughed, standing up and ruffling his already messy hair. “Come on, Cory. Let’s feed him before he starts negotiating for waffles, too.”

Inside, Jake animatedly chatted about his team while Elena moved effortlessly around the kitchen. Her energy was both calming and invigorating. I leaned against the counter, soaking in the scene, and my heart felt fuller than it had in years.

“So, Saturday’s the championship,” Jake said, looking up at me with hopeful eyes. “You’ll come, right?”

“Of course,” I replied, smiling. For the first time in years, it felt like things were falling into place, the void I’d carried slowly beginning to heal with every shared moment.

Twelve

Elena

The sun peeked through the blinds as I tied my hair into a loose ponytail and pulled on my Cedar Cove Bears T-shirt. Saturdays always had a certain buzz, but today was extra special—Jake’s championship game. His excitement had been building all week, and I couldn’t help but feel a mix of pride and nerves for him.

I reached for my phone to text Cory and let him know to meet us at the ballpark near the concession stand. Scrolling through my messages, I paused when a text from Luke popped up from a few days ago:

LUKE: Sorry, but I won’t be able to do our weekend getaway. My sister’s throwing a surprise party for her husband, and I can’t miss it. Rain check?

A wave of relief washed over me. I’d been dreading having to navigate whateverthat weekendwas going to be. With everything happening with Cory, I didn’t have the bandwidth to untangle whatever expectations Luke might have. There was toomuch up in the air. Too much I still didn’t understand about where Cory and I stood—or could stand.

“Mom! Are you ready?” Jake called from the hallway, breaking through my thoughts.

“Almost,” I replied, shoving my phone into my bag. “Go grab your glove and water bottle.”

He darted off, and I took a steadying breath. This wasn’t about Luke or Cory right now. Today was Jake’s day.

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