Page 88 of Protect

“You’re quite the duet,” I tell him with a slow smile. He shrugs and looks down at Hollie.

“Just getting ready for her big night,” he says.

Troy is picking Hollie up in two days to drive to Seattle forSuperPetsso I’m relieved she’s feeling better.

“We cut you up some fruit and Hollie said she’s going to make you peanut butter toast fingers.” He comes toward me and Hollie reaches her arms out.

“It helped her tummy last night,” he says. “Just a twelve-hour bug or something,” he adds. I swallow down my emotion as I take her from him and she clings to me in a tight hug, Rowan stops in front of me and takes his neon orange glasses off then traces a thumb over my cheek. “Glad you’re feeling better, Mommy.” He smirks then nods, starting to walk toward the kitchen.

“Toast time, Hols!” he says.

Hollie struggles free from my arms

“Coming!” she says, and I oblige, setting her down. She runs to Rowan and grabs his hand as they enter the kitchen together.

As I sit at the table and watch them make my toast together, chatting easily about Hollie’s favorite Disney princesses, I realize howgoodthis man is, good to his core.

As he and Hollie place my breakfast in front of me, it hits me that I’ve been lying to myself. I can tell myself whatever Iwant but Iam,in fact dating a hotshot and worse than that? I’m definitely falling in love with him.

“Come in, son,” Jack says when I knock on his door a couple days after Violette and Hollie’s bout with the stomach bug. Luckily, I do seem to be Super Rowan and I haven’t caught it yet. I have a million things to do before Troy comes to get Hollie at three. I’m finally taking Violette on that date we keep trying to plan but I wanted Jack to know I’m always available for him.

The Taylors’ house hasn’t changed in years. The furniture still sits in the same spot as it did when I was a kid. Their house isn’t unlike Violette’s, warm and comforting and full of a lot of love. It's just missing one thing and that still hits me five years later as I look around the room.

“Hey ya, baby.” Mae waves from the kitchen. She’s got country music going and it looks like she’s making her world-famous potato salad.

“Barbequing today?” I ask, trying my best to not let this visit be awkward as fuck.

“Yep, got the Smiths coming over,” Jack says of their long-time friends.

“Great day for it,” I answer, hoping he can’t tell how nervous this visit is making me.

I decide to just ask the question I’ve been dying to know since he asked me to come over the other day.

“I’m always up for a visit, but did you want to see me for something specific, some help with something?” I ask.

He nods and grins at me. “Let’s sit on the porch, you want a coffee?”

“Sure.”

Jack nods and pulls two mugs out of the cupboard, pouring us each a coffee.

“We’ll be out back, Mae,” he tells his wife. She doesn’t even look up; she just nods as he hands me my steaming mug.

I take a seat on one of the Taylors’ cushy outdoor chairs and look out at their swimming pool.

“Well, there’s no beatin’ around this bush. I’ve known you for a long time, kid.” He takes a sip, and I nod.

“We’ve seen some shit together,” I agree.

“We have. And that’s why I invited you here. I know Violette is a grown woman and you’re a grown man, and I know there’s always been some kind of tie or what have you between the two of you. I just want to be sure you understand what she’s been through.”

A little confused, I look and wait for him to continue.

I take a sip. Goddamn, that’s good. Mae always makes good coffee.

“Not just her divorce. I mean, that was a lot for her to go through, yes.” He leans forward a little. “But I’m talking about how she changed after losing Jacob.”

“I can understand that. We all changed,” I tell him, focusing on my mug.

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