He set his coffee down and pulled me to his chest, tilting my head so I was looking at him. “I told her I had met the woman I was going to marry.”

“Jayden—”

“I love you like that. Not her or any other woman. That’s yours.”

I nodded as my eyes filled with tears. He kissed me deeply, and after a few minutes I pulled back, ready to strip him bare.

“I’d love to accept the invitation in your eyes right now, but experience tells me that fucking you as hard as I want to right now right after my ex showed up might lead to more questions later, so we are going to watch Lost. Because, let’s face it, baby, you bitches be crazy.”

I laughed loudly as he cut me off, kissing me even deeper before I settled into his chest. A few hours later, I awoke to Jayden carrying me to bed. Once there, he took off my clothes and pulled me to him, whispering that he loved me before I drifted back to sleep.

After brunch that Sunday, Jayden and Bradley talked sports at the now empty kitchen table. Sabrina and Molly couldn’t make it this morning, much to my relief of easing Jayden into our crazy tribe. Alexis had left shortly after we ate, claiming she had to prep for a case, leaving Bradley, Mom, and I on our own. Alexis had mentioned that she and Owen had a date later that week and thanked Jayden in a not so subtle way for his ‘plotting and scheming.’

“He’s really something,” my mother remarked of Jayden, who looked up at me just then from the table and gave me a small smile before turning back to Brad. “So he owns his own company, huh? A good looking, homemaking, big shot.”

“No, who told you that?” I asked, thinking she had mistaken Alexis.

“He did, at the table. He said he co-owned it with his uncle.”

“Oh, yeah, he’s working on that.” A sick feeling came over me as I paused to study Jayden. “He said he owned it?”

“Yes,” she said, looking at me with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly. “He is amazing.”

“Are you excited about your trip?”

“Trip?”

“He said the two of you were planning a trip to the coast?” She looked at me with puzzlement as I took the dish out of her hand to dry it.

“Yeah, we could use a break.” Completely confused now as I stacked the plates, I shot another look at Jayden, who saw I was not pleased. He paused mid-sentence, carefully watching me and then turned to Brad.

“We have to go soon, Mom. Forgive me if I come earlier next weekend?”

“Of course, you kids have lives to live,” she said absently. “I need to start getting out more myself.” I looked at my mother, who even in her early fifties looked youthful and was still beautiful.

“Dating again?”

Her eyes widened as she corrected me. “No, not yet. No.”

“Well, when you are ready we are all behind you,” I said, even I didn’t believe my pep talk. I was too preoccupied with the lies Jayden had told my mother.

After another hour or so of casual conversation, we said our goodbyes. As Brad leaned in to hug me, he whispered, “You can keep this one.”

“Thanks.” I smiled back halfheartedly as Jayden and I made our way to the car. I grabbed the keys from him, proclaiming I was driving, and he looked at me oddly. A few minutes into our drive, he was still talking about how much he liked Brad when I cut him off.

“What’s with telling my mother you owned the wood shop?” I looked over at him, catching him by surprise.

He stared at me for a short while before he spoke. “I mean, as soon as I talk to Stephen about it, it’s a done deal.”

“So you lied,” I said, looking over at him.

“It’s going to be the truth, anyway. I wanted to make a good impression.”

I sped up as I merged onto the highway. “And our trip?”

“What?” He seemed genuinely confused.

“You told her we were planning a trip.”

“Yeah, so,” he said, gazing out the window, indignant.

“Why would you lie, Jayden? She doesn’t give a damn what you do as long as you keep her daughter happy. And lying about trips you are planning to take me on is just poor form. I wanted her to get to know you. You don’t have to use lines on my mother.”

He continued to stare out the window, remaining silent the rest of the way home. I didn’t understand his motives at all, and even if he was trying to impress her, he was going about it all wrong. The sinking feeling didn’t leave me as he exited my car without a word and headed toward his apartment. I gawked after him and decided to let him have some space as I headed home. We both needed to cool off, and I needed some time with Gerri, whose car I spotted before I pulled in.

“Sup, woman!” I said, making my way to her in the kitchen. She was swaying her hips back and forth to Amy Winehouse while cutting up tomatoes.

“Hey, lady!” she said, dropping her knife to give me a hug. “God, you look good. Constant sex agrees with you.”

“Thanks. You do, too.” I tugged at her hair. “Growing it out?”

“Yeah, I can’t wait to get past that awkwardly, ugly stage,” she said, sliding her hands through it. “Thought you were with Jay today?”

“We had a disagreement,” I said, popping a piece of tomato in my mouth. “It’s no big deal. I just caught him in a white lie and called him on it. I think it pissed him off.”

“Oh, well, he’ll get over it.” She gave me a broad smile. “I’m making this kick ass taco salad Joe taught me how to make. Want some?”

“Sure,” I said, still feeling ill at ease. Jay and I never really fought and I wasn’t sure that’s what we were doing now. I didn’t like not knowing, so I quickly texted him.

Me: I love you.

Maybe I’d been too hard on him. Maybe he had nervously lied to impress her. Even so, I didn’t like having to cover for him. After a long dinner with Gerri, who had nothing special to report, I lay in my own bed, watching My Three Sons and Mel’s Diner. I looked down at my phone every few minutes, disappointed I still had no reply. The next morning I went for my swim then stopped by Jayden’s before work. He opened the door for me then walked away, leaving it open.

“Hey,” I said, closing the door. He had his comforter wrapped around him and walked back into the bedroom, lying down on his stomach.

“I’m sorry I was such a bitch last night,” I said, taking a seat next to him. “I know you were trying to put your best foot forward, but Jay, they’ll love you the way you are.”

“I get it, and I heard you the first time,” he said, his voice monotone.

Glancing at the clock on his nightstand, I asked, “You aren’t working today?”

“I’m sick,” he said in the same tone. Reaching over, I placed my palm to his forehead and he jerked away from my touch. The pain of his rejection shot through my chest, but I pressed on.

“You don’t feel warm. I’ll get you some Tylenol.” I got up from his bedside and got some capsules out of his cabinet and then grabbed his favorite coffee mug from the sink. I looked in out of habit and smelled the vodka right away. I looked over my shoulder to see Jay press his hand to his head. He wasn’t sick, he was hungover and it occurred to me in our time together that I had never seen him drunk. I rinsed out his cup and filled it with water, noticing his boxers were soaked and on the floor. What in the hell had happened last night?

I brought him the Tylenol and he lifted up just enough to take them before lying back down. “Did you call in?”

“What are you, my mother?”

Clearly this wasn’t going to go well. I shrugged off that sting then stood up to leave. “I’m going to get ready for work. I’ll see you later?”

He didn’t say a word as I stood there, dying for any sign of my man. “I love you.”