Page 55 of Bedding the Biker Next Door

Monica’s boyfriend, Trevor. She’d seen him wearing it the Monday he’d picked her up to head out for San Diego. They’d had a fight beforehand. Maybe they’d had a fight afterward and had never gone on their trip, after all. She wasn’t sure. But she knew she’d seen Trevor wearing the hat before.

He was the person who’d broken into her house.

She immediately called the police and told them what she’d found. They sent an officer over to take the cap and her statement. After he left, she mulled things over, deciding it had been the right thing to do. She wouldn’t call and talk to Monica about it herself. She’d let the police do that.

Finding the cap and knowing the police were on their way to talk to Trevor made her feel better and in control again. She wasn’t helpless. She had survived the break-in. She was strong. Sure, it had shaken her up and knocked her off her feet for a while, but anyone would react that way. It didn’t mean that she was different now, weaker, or any less of a person. And the same would be true whether she decided to be tested for the genetic mutation or not, whether she tested positive or not. She’d do her best to be the person she always had been for as long as she could. In many ways—an average woman, but capable of love and occasional boldness.

A tiny part of her hoped she could still find her wild side even if Cole wasn’t in her life. She had loved riding his bike with him. While at his condo, she had let herself dream about going on adventures with him—a cross-country trip, maybe on his Harley or flying to other countries. And having wild, mind-blowing sex, of course…

But she shook her head and pressed back the tears. Maybe she could think about all that later on without it hurting so much. For now, she needed to focus on moving on.

* * *

The next day, Jill and Liz had the daycare up and running, though a few of the children wouldn’t be back until the next week. It felt good to be working again and seeing her kids. Jill was able to put her emotional pain aside during work hours and just throw herself into the daily routine. She’d talked to Stanley’s father that morning and made it clear she would not be accepting his dinner invitation ever. He promised not to bring it up again, and after an initial awkwardness, things returned to normal.

Monica’s boyfriend, Trevor, confessed to breaking into her home. He and Monica had indeed gotten into another fight ten minutes into the drive to San Diego. He’d dropped her off at her house and they hadn’t seen each other since. Trevor had come back to Jill’s house on his own. He’d claimed he hadn’t meant to hurt Jill but had panicked when she’d walked in on him. He was just looking for a stash of cash to keep up his meth habit.

So her first day back on the job began with answers and closure—not a bad thing. If only she could get that with Cole. But she wouldn’t regret her time with him. She and Cole had enjoyed each other in so many ways, sexually, emotionally, and even in a way she couldn’t articulate. She couldn’t blame him for not wanting more. He was an amazing man, but he was only human. Nobody would want to be with a woman whose future was as uncertain as hers was.

She’d get through this—she was strong. But knowing that didn’t help lessen the pain.

* * *

Jill was getting the kids settled for lunch when Liz touched her arm. “Listen, I’ll take over for a while. Someone needs to talk to you outside.”

Jill walked to the front door, smoothing her hands down her work apron. She peeked through the peephole and saw—

“Cole.” She opened the door slowly.

He smiled, a slow, uncertain smile, but as he looked at her, his eyes lit up and the smile grew. “Jill…” He opened his arms, and she flew into them. His warmth, his scent, his strength surrounded her. “I’m sorry,” he said. “The other night… Well, can you come next door to talk for a few minutes?”

She looked over her shoulder, and saw Liz nod and shoo her out. Jill turned back to Cole and stepped out onto her porch. He took her hand. Together, they crossed the lawns and entered his mother’s house. It was empty inside, but he led her to the kitchen, then picked her up and set her on the counter. Standing in front of her, he took her hands. She got a sinking feeling in her stomach. Maybe he simply wanted to say goodbye in a better way. But she didn’t want goodbye.

“There’s so much to tell you,” he said, his voice sounding gruff. Choked. “First, I shouldn’t have left that night, but I—I was struggling with what you told me. I’m sorry.”

She rested her free hand on top of their entwined fingers. “It’s okay. I understand you needed space to deal with what I’d told you.”

“I needed to deal with that, yes. Just like I’ve needed to deal with other things too.”

“What do you mean?”

“After I found you gone, I panicked. I was afraid I’d driven away the most important person in the world to me. The way I reacted—it wasn’t because I saw you as a burden, Jill. I believe in the words ‘for better or for worse.’ Whatever the future brings, I’ll always want to be here for you. Taking care of you. I’d already decided that you’re more important to me than any amount of traveling. Just like my mom was. But I’m not perfect. I feel like I let my mom down at the end, not being there for her—”

“Oh Cole. No!”

“Shh. It’s okay. I know I shouldn’t blame myself. But I think I always will. The important thing is I know my mom loved me. That she’d never view me as a failure. And Jill, I think you can love me that way, too. If you can just believe in me—”

“I do believe in you, Cole. And I’m already falling in love with you.”

He cupped her face and rested his forehead against hers. “I’m falling in love with you too, sweetie.”

She smiled once again at the endearment.

They just stayed that way, faces touching, breathing each other in for several precious seconds, before Cole pulled back. “I want to share something with you. The letter you saw? The one I’d torn in half? I taped it together and read it.”

“You did?”

“Yes. You gave me the strength to do that, Jill. You taught me to be brave. To face the future with open eyes and an open heart. And it turned out my father is someone you’ve heard of—Senator Taylor.”

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