“Presley, I—”

“I don’t want to hear it!” I face-palm her. “You don’t care about Masen. Shit, you didn’t even have the decency to come see him.”

“I sent you flowers,” she answers defensively.

“Oh!” I laugh sarcastically. “I didn’t realize flowers were the same as meeting your future stepson.”

She remains still, her face in complete and utter shock at my outburst. And I’m just getting started.

“I don’t know why the two of you are getting married. But know this. My son will not be a part of your lives. If I have to move hell and earth to make that happen, I WILL!”

I push past her, and thankfully, the elevator opens on cue. The second I’m inside, I repeatedly tap the close button till her wretched face disappears, allowing my tears to fall freely. With clouded vision, I take out my cell and send two texts: one to Vicky confirming that tonight is still on, and one to Jason, letting him know I’m excited about dinner.

I have no clue what I’m doing. And that’s the thing about broken hearts; they open up a dark abyss and all you can do is try to stop yourself from falling into that dark hole. Even if that means spending the night with your ex to get over the man who never intended to steal your heart.

Vicky arrives to babysit Masen while I get ready for my dinner with Jason. It’s no coincidence that I chose to wear my short black dress that fits even nicer than before with my new, full bust. I accessorize it with a ruby-red necklace, my hoop earrings, and those red pumps that the Jerk drooled over. They also happen to be Jason’s favorite piece on me.

“You look too hot. MILF type of hot. The girls are totally out for show. Unless, of course, they’re out on purpose…”

“It’s nice to dress up.”

“Pres…what’s going on?”

I grab my purse off the night stand and kiss Masen on the forehead.

“Nothing. I’ve having dinner with a friend. That’s it.”

“Okay, but we need some sort of code in case you want to come back and get laid.”

“It’s not like that. I’m going. Please call me if Masen won’t settle,” I gently remind her.

She simply smiles and I kiss her on the forehead too before heading out to my dinner date with Jason.

Sitting in close proximity to Jason makes me realize how much I’ve missed him. Everything about him is so familiar and comfortable. Everything about him is drama-free.

He takes a sip of his red wine and I can’t help but stare at him. He has aged, just a bit, and his hair is now a salt and pepper color that reflects his maturity. His eyes still do that thing to me, calming the storm brewing in my head. With his hands resting on the edge of the table, I remember how many times I’ve kissed his fingertips, how many times his fingers have trailed my body. All the things I haven’t experienced with the Jerk.

And fuck him! Stupid motherfucking jerk!

“So tell me, how did this happen?” he asks.

I swirl the glass of wine, taking small sips so as not to get too intoxicated. I had cleverly pumped enough milk to last a lifetime so I know I can have a glass and express my alcohol-infused milk down the drain. I start from the beginning, leaving out the whole “it happened in the alleyway” part. No need for graphic details.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Honestly? At the time, I was ashamed. It was so careless of me. You know me, I’m one to stick to a plan. This was a shock to me. I had no choice but to accept the reality of the situation.”

“And now?”

“It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Masen is my life,” I answer honestly, smiling at him.

Behind the glass he is holding to his lips, he hides his sly smile.

“Why are you smiling that way?”

He takes another drink and motions for the waiter to bring him another. “Because, motherhood suits you.”

“I seem to be hearing that a lot.”

“So you’re not with the guy…Henry…”

“Haden,” I correct him.

“Whatever.”

“No, Haden is engaged and it’s really complicated.”

Ain’t that the fucking truth! I desperately want to tell him the full story, but I’m scared he will convince me to never speak to the Jerk again. It’s not such a bad idea after what happened with Eloise, but it’s not just about my feelings anymore. It’s about Masen and what he deserves.

“Well, sounds like a jerk.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Yeah, what can you do?”

“You find yourself a real man, Pres. A man who’s willing to give you everything.” His eyes twinkle as they stare directly into mine. Moving his hand towards my side of the table, he plays with the ring sitting on my middle finger. My chest is pumping, but it’s not all because of this intimate moment. It’s the guilt that I feel for sitting here with Jason when my heart belongs elsewhere.

Why does it have to belong somewhere else?

The food arrives and we eat in silence. My appetite is nonexistent, and with each bite, I’m swallowing a tablespoon of guilt.

“What did we do, Pres? We had it all, you know?”

“Did we, Jase? We were happy, but I don’t know…it’s like we got cold feet way too early.”

“This could have been us. We could have had a child together,” he says in a low voice.

“I guess so.”

The question makes me think. Even if I could go back in time, would I make Jason the father of my child? It would’ve been so easy, it would have been a stroll in the fucking park. But everything that Masen is lies in his DNA. He has Haden’s blood running through his veins. And truth be told, I wouldn’t change that for the world.

“There’s always the future, Pres. It’s not a closed book between us.”

“I miss you,” I blurt out, not intending it to come out the way it does.

“I miss you too.”

“It was so easy, what we had,” I confess. “Life is so complicated now. I just don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”

“But is easy wrong?”

“No, it’s drama-free and all I’ve been doing for nine months is living in a world of drama.”

Jason presses his palm against mine and leans forward. With only the glow of the candle light between us, my body moves in, bringing us close together.

“We both were searching for something else, Presley. But we already had it all,” he concedes. “Now we’ve had that time apart. I’ve realized that no woman could compare to you. Sure, you have your quirks, but Presley, I want my life with you.”

He said all the words I want to hear…from someone else. He’s offering me everything we had on a silver platter with a nice red bow to complete the package. An easy life filled with love and happy memories.

“Jason, I have a son. My life is about him now, and he’s not yours.”

“I know that, but you know I was raised by Jeff and he was a great stepfather. I’m not here to replace his father. I’m offering you a life, Presley. A life with me.”

I lower my head and stare at the tablecloth. With his hands still touching mine, his offer appears too good to pass up. But I’m angry at the Jerk. Livid, in fact. And to make an important decision like this, I need a clear head.

I tell him I need time to think, and on cue, the alarm goes off, warning me that I have to return to Masen. I kindly tell Jason I need to go, and being the true gentleman he is, he offers to walk me back to my apartment.

It’s a cool night with a heavy breeze, and just as my body shivers, he removes his jacket and places it over my shoulders. We talk about our families as we walk back home, reminiscing about the good old days and our joint family vacations.

“It was really good seeing you.” I smile happily.

He leans in closer and kisses me on the lips. Suddenly the guilt washes over me and I pull away, wiping my lips without even thinking. He looks taken aback by my ability to pull away, let alone wipe his kiss off my lips, but he doesn’t comment on it.