Page 99 of If This Was a Movie

I look to Claire. “My plan?”

“God, Dad, did you learn anything?” she says, all sassy. In the time that she’s spent with Jules, it’s clear my girl’s sassy, independent streak has rubbed off on my daughter, and made hers even wider, and fuck if I don’t like it. “You need a grand gesture to win her back.”

“Oh, definitely. He needs a grand gesture,” Claire says with a nod.

“You lose the girl, you gotta win her back,” Sophie says, and I roll my eyes.

“I don’t think I lost her, Soph,” I tell her gently.

“She’s not here, is she?”

Fair point.

“So you think I need a grand gesture?” I ask, crossing my arms on my chest and leaning against the kitchen island.

“Oh, absolutely.”

I start brewing on it, thinking about the past month, about all of the movies Jules made me watch, the ones that made her laugh and cry and blush while sitting at my side and realize my daughter isn’t wrong. All of them have a grand gesture, some big moment where the hero does something to win her back.

My mind starts scrolling through all of the movies we’ve watched before finally, an idea blooms. I must show it on my face because Claire smiles, nudging Sophie excitedly.

“Ohh, Soph, I think that means your daddy has an idea!”

THIRTY-NINE

JULES

When I bought this place, I thought it was magical. I was so proud to have a place of my own, something to work on and put myself into every inch of, that every moment here felt like a dream come true.

But after just four weeks of living behind the Donovans, of waking up and shuffling into the big house to have coffee with Nate, then get Sophie ready for her day. Of putting her to bed and then watching a movie on the couch while Nate pretends to work just so I feel comfortable enough to sit with him.

I miss it.

I miss the way Sophie slams into my legs every time she sees me and the way she uses me to team up on her dad.

I miss walking into the main house and having Nate pull me into a corner to press a kiss on my lips when Sophie isn’t looking.

I just missthem.

Part of me wishes I had just taken him up on his offer, moved in, and let this place be just my business, but that’s too fast, isn’t it? There’s no rationality behind saying yes, no common sense. It’s bound to end in disaster if we rush things.

But then again, is it really rushing things if I’ve been pining after him, missing him for an entire year? If he’s been doing the same?

When I finally opened up to him and let him in, it was like we were always meant to do this, like we hadn’t stopped. And now there's an aching hole in my chest where my two favorite people belong.

I’ve tried watching a dozen movies, but all of them feel pointless without Nate by my side, asking questions and giving his thoughts. I turn in my bed more than once to try and explain a trope or a scene to Nate, but I’m just…alone. The first tear falls down my cheek when I realize I may’ve totally and completely fucked up by going back home.

That's when something hits my window. A quiettinkthat has my entire body going tight and turning toward the sound.

It would be my luck for something bad to happen just as I move back in. What if it’s my windows freezing, cracking, and shattering, letting in all the frigid cold? I’ll be like Tiny Tim, shivering in the corner while all of my expensive ass heat flies right out the window.

But this time, when it happens again, I’m staring at the glass so I can see it: a tiny pebble hitting my window. My brow furrows in confusion as I take a step closer and step back when a new noise fills the room. It’s my phone in my hand with a new text lighting up the screen.

Are you up?

Yes…?

Go to your bedroom window.

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