Page 38 of The Hot Mess

I didn’t recognize myself anymore. So much had changed, well beyond my new clothes and haircut. I needed to know myself again, to settle back into my own life.

I took out my contacts and put my old glasses back on. I slipped back into one of my old frumpy pairs of overalls and put my hair back in a headband. The old meek, bashful, nervous book nerd Jada was back. The sight was comforting and upsetting all at once.

Another thing that had taken a back seat in my new life was my book club. I hadn’t been attending meetings regularly since that first time I skipped for Jack. I checked the time and rushed out the door. If I hurried, I could catch everyone over at Jane’s.

I started getting worked up on the cab ride over. To the point that when I finally arrived, I burst through the door in a mad and frenzied state. The ladies were gathered in Jane’s parlor, books and drinks in hand. They stopped and looked up to me in shock.

“Give me a drink,” I blurted. Magda immediately jumped up to do just that. “Dammit. No, wait. Nevermind. I can’t drink.”

They groaned with an air ofOf course Jada can’t drink. She never drinks.

“Not because I don’t want to,” I defended. “I just—I have so much to tell all of you.”

They ushered me in with hugs, each of them telling me how much they had missed me. I had missed them too. I really, really had. I sunk down onto the couch and accepted a glass of water instead. But damn, did a martini ever sound good.

I broke down and told them everything. About how I hated the way people saw me and my decision to change my life, inspired by the books we read. I told them about Jack and me losing my virginity. I told them about Isabella and all the drama and what led to Jack ending things. Finally, I told them the big news. I was pregnant, and he was gone.

“That’s a romance novel just waiting to be written,” Jane noted when I finished.

“No kidding,” Lucy chimed with wide eyes. “Can I write your story, Jada?”

“Have at it. With my new promotion, I’m not going to have time to write a book.”

“So you’re taking the promotion?” Magda asked.

I nodded. “I’m angry about how it came to be, but I still want it. Besides, my career is the only thing that’s stayed remotely the same through all of this. Or rather, it’s the only thing that’s actually improved.”

A knock came to the door, stealing Jane away. I kept commiserating with the others until they both stopped and stared at the doorway with wide eyes. I slowly turned and gasped at who was standing there.

Jack.

“What are you doing here?” I leaped to my feet and raced over to him. His eyes dropped to my stomach and a warm smile spread across his face. “You heard?”

“I heard,” he nodded. “You’re pregnant? And the baby is…”

“It’s your baby,” I confirmed. “I was going to tell you, but you were gone before I could work myself up to it.”

I felt the eyes of the whole book club burning into us as we stood there, both speechless. But our eyes were full of so much emotion as we faced one another.

“I don’t expect anything from you,” I assured him. “I know neither of us asked for this, or planned on it. There was a lot we didn’t ask for. But…here we are. And I’ve decided now is as good a time as any to become a mother, which is something I’ve always wanted. I’ll understand if you don’t want to—Wait a second. I thought Lucas said you were gone. He told me you left town and that you weren’t coming back. That you had turned down his offer and wouldn’t even work for Heartstring again.”

He took my hands into his. “I’m back. And I’m staying this time. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not so sure where I stand with Heartstring just yet. It was more important to me to find out where I stood with you first.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. “What do you mean?”

He guided both of our hands across my belly. “I’m glad you’re ready to be a mother. Will you—Do you see me being in this with you? Can we raise this baby together?”

“I didn’t know if you’d want to. I didn’t even know if you’d still live in this city.”

“Now you know. I’m here, and I very much want to. With you.”

My face lit up with a smile as happy tears welled up in my eyes. “With me as in…co-parents? Or…”

“Co-parents. Friends. Lovers. Boyfriend and girlfriend. And then maybe one day…who knows. I want it all. I want a future with you. I want us to be a family.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I still hadn’t even fully wrapped my head around the fact that he was standing right there in front of me. As I was letting it all sink in, Jack dropped his face to mine for a kiss. I wanted to melt away in him, but I stepped back just before our lips could touch.

“Wait. What about my brothers? I thought they ran you out of town. That they didn’t approve of us being together.”

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