Motherfucker. “I’m sorry.”
“Y’all were right.”
“It happens sometimes,” I joke, kissing her forehead. “But at least you know now.”
“Yeah, before I threw it all away and chased after him.”
“This is true,” I say, kissing her once more. “You know you’re going to be just fine.”
“I know,” she says, holding me. “But it sucks. I just want my version of Jakob Titov.”
I grin against her forehead. “Don’t worry. You’ll find him.”
When Ally leaves to meet Posey, I sit back in my chair and exhale heavily. I reach for the phone and dial Harper’s number. She answers right away, and her voice sends me to the clouds. I close my eyes as I sigh. “Hey, kiska.”
“Hey, when are you coming home? I need you to stop for bread. We’re having French toast for dinner.”
I grin. “That sounds fantastic. I’ll be leaving in a bit. I wanted to call you, though.”
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I just love you.”
I can hear the grin in her voice. “I love you, baby.”
When she tells me those words, it’s always like I’m hearing them for the first time. “Ally came to see me.”
“Oh? I thought she went out with Posey.”
“She did, but she came to see me first.”
“What for?”
“Taco broke up with her when she told him she wouldn’t go with him.”
“That motherfucker!” she yells. “I knew it! Didn’t I tell her that?”
“We both did, and she agreed we were right,” I say as I lean back. “She’s staying home, though.”
“Oh, Jakob,” she cries. Maybe I should have waited until I got home. I could have held her, but I wanted to tell her right away. “I was so worried.”
“Me too,” I agree as I close my eyes. “Great job, team.”
She laughs. “Well, you are the best teammate.”
“Right back atcha.”
“Really, it was smart to tell her everything.”
“I thought so,” I say softly. “But I think it was a team effort.”
“It always is.” She lets out a long sigh. “She’s gonna find someone so good for her.”
“She wants her ‘Jakob Titov.’”
She pokes fun at me. “Good luck. Nothing but fuckboys out there.”
I grin. “She’ll find him.”
“I did.”
I smile.
“I love you so much, Jakob. Seriously. You’re the best father and husband ever.”
I grin as I sit up. “Didn’t I promise you a damn good life?”
“You did.”
“And I won’t ever break that promise.”
“I know, which only makes me love you even more.”
If only she knew how much I fall for her over and over again. “And you thought I was only a one-time thing.”
She scoffs. “I was completely wrong. I’m just glad you never gave up.”
I grin because life hasn’t been easy, but she makes it pretty damn great.
“And I never will.”
That’s an easy promise to keep when it comes to her.
* * *
THE END