Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 47419 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47419 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
I cried myself out, and by the time he helped me up, a few hours had gone by. “How long was I in there?” I asked as soon as he helped me into the car and walked around.
“A couple of hours. Don’t worry, I told Helen we’d be late getting back.”
I think I passed out on the ride home, but when I woke up, I felt somehow better. The kids had been up for a while, and I apologized to Helen, who brushed me off and gave me a nod after a good once-over.
“How’d she do, Jacob?”
“She’s a champ. She did two sessions back-to-back without realizing it.”
“Wait, Helen, you knew?”
“Yes, Jacob asked me if I thought it was a good idea.”
This was all so confusing but not surprising. Everyone had rallied around me and the kids in a way I never expected. One of the things Wendy had said in one of her texts was that I needed to back off because I was no longer Doug’s wife and it was no longer my place to engage with his family and friends.
It was one of my biggest fears, having everyone ripped away from not only my kids but me as well. It’s been great not having to face that nightmare. “Alright, you two, the kids had their early dinner, and I’m going home to see about my husband.”
She kissed both our cheeks and headed out the door after saying bye to the kids, who were busy eating the dinner she’d made them. “I don’t know how to thank you. I feel…”
“You don’t have to thank me, and you don’t have to say anything. I know you’re uncomfortable, so I’m going to head out. Your gym equipment should be here sometime tomorrow, so I’ll come by sometime in the afternoon to set it up and then get out of your hair.”
“Jacob, stop. I don’t want things to be uncomfortable between us. Don’t change anything about the way you’ve been acting so far.”
“Okay, if you’re sure. But if you get uncomfortable at any point, let me know. It’s enough that you know where I stand, and it’s okay if you never get there. I’ll always be here.”
He was halfway to the door when a thought struck me. “Jacob, Doug used to tell me how much you traveled before he and I met. Right after we got married, you stopped traveling as much, and now that I think about it, you’ve only dated one person seriously in that time, and it wasn’t for very long.”
“What are you asking?”
“Was that…”
“Because of you? Yes! I didn’t trust him with you, and had I known then what I know now, he would never have gotten the chance to approach you. I didn’t have relationships because it wasn’t fair to them. But I was more than happy to live the bachelor lifestyle for the rest of my life as long as you were happy.”
He just left after saying all that, and I stood there unmoving until Sarah started babbling away at me and I had to turn it off and pay attention to my kids.
After their baths and bedtime stories, it was my turn to shower and take care of myself. It was only as I was climbing into bed feeling more tired than a body ought to be that I remembered I had turned my phone off.
There were tons of messages waiting for me as soon as I turned it on, all from Doug. Since my kids were both here and fine, I didn’t see the need to read or answer any of them until the next day. I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow and woke up the next morning feeling like a new person.
Before I could think better of it, I sent a text off to Jacob, letting him know that I wanted a standing appointment at that place at the same time once a week. His quick reply gave me butterflies. It was almost like he’d been waiting by the phone, and I felt seventeen again.
BASTARD
I left the office before Wendy and drove back out to Rachel’s place. She wasn’t back yet, but then I realized that her car was in the garage this whole time, which meant she’d driven somewhere with Jacob. When I drove back around, mom’s car was gone, and Jacob’s SUV was there instead.
My gut burned like fire, and I was tempted to go ring the doorbell. What the hell was he doing in there? I drove away quickly when I saw the door opening and had reached the end of the street by the time he got into his car and started driving in my direction.
I was quick enough to get out of there before he saw me and went around again to follow him to his place. Once I got there, I realized I didn’t know what to say to him. How do I broach that conversation with him?