Page 138 of Seal the Deal

It’s not that she’s wrong—I don’t have kids of my own. But fuck, that doesn’t mean I don’t understand. I love her kids like they’re mine. I’m here fighting for them, for her—and she’s telling me I don’t get it. Like I can’t relate. Like it wouldn’t completely break me.

“You think I don’t understand because I don’t have kids?” My voice wavers. “Maybe I don’t get every part of it, but I know I’d do anything for them. IloveNoah and Meadow, and I loveyou. I’d lay down every single thing for you and the kids. And if you don’t see that, if you don’t trust me to stand beside you… then what the hell are we even doing?”

“Jake,” she breathes, guilt written all over her face.

I walk to my bag and pull out my leather-bound notebook. I hesitate, running my thumb over the worn edges, then hold it out to her.

“What…”

“Open it.”

She takes the notebook, her hands trembling. As she flips through the pages, her eyes gloss over as she realizes what's inside. Page after page, star after star, each one different, each one meaningful.

“I started drawing these every time I thought about you,” I explain. “Every time I missed you. When I missed the kids. When I thought about what our future could look like.”

Her fingers brush over a page where Meadow’s name is written, surrounded by tiny, delicate stars. Another with Noah’s, bold and bright, shining like a constellation. Her breath hitches when she finds one with her name in the center, a cluster of stars around it, like they’re orbiting her.

“You’re the stars, Charlie. You and the kids… You’re my whole fucking night sky.”

Tears spill down her cheeks, and she closes the notebook, clutching it to her chest. “Jake…”

“I’ve been in this from the start,” I say, stepping closer. “But if you’re willing to run the second things get hard—”

“I’m notrunning!” she shouts, eyes frantic with tears. “I’m trying to protect them!”

“By doingexactly what Alex wants? I’ve never had anything like this, Charlie. Never had anyone in the stands, never had anyone love me the way you and the kids do.You’re my family. And you’re telling me you’re willing to walk away—like this was nothing?”

She goes quiet, and I can see her crumbling in front of me. But instead of reaching out to comfort her, I’m frozen. Hurt. Shocked.

“I’m not walking away from you,” she chokes out. “But I don’t know how to fight Alex. I don’t know how to keep everything from falling apart.”

The hurt tightens in my chest. It’s like she hasn’t heard a single word I’ve said. “You don’t have to. I’m here, Charlie.I’m right fucking here, fighting for you and the kids. But now I’m wondering if you even want that… Or if this is just an excuse to bail.”

Her face crumples, and I instantly regret those words. But I can’t take them back. The truth is, I need to know. I need to know if she really wants this. Because right now, it feels like I’m the only one fighting for it.

“I’m not trying to bail, I… I’m not giving up on us, I just don’t know what else to do.”

I close my eyes, trying to keep it together. “I get it. But you don’t just walk away because it’s hard. I love you so much it scares the hell out of me. And I’ve been all in with you,always.But I need to know you’re all in, too. I need to know you’re not gonna give up.”

She wipes at her cheeks with the back of her hand, but the tears keep coming. “I just... I don’t want to lose my kids. And I don’t want to lose you either, but I feel like I’m gambling. I don’t know how to fix it!”

I can’t breathe watching her like this. Broken. Panicking. I hate it. I hate that Alex has driven her to this point, that she feels like there’s no way out. And it kills me that no matter how much I keep telling her, it’s not enough to make her believe she’s safe, that we can fight this together.

“Charlie, listen to me.” I step closer, my hands gripping her shoulders. “You won’t lose the kids. You won’t lose me. But I need you tofight with me. I can’t be the only one standing in the ring.”

She lets out a sob and my heart clenches. For a moment, all the frustration and hurt fades. I can’t stand it anymore.

I pull her into my arms and hold her tight against me. Pressing my lips to the top of her head, I close my eyes as I try to ground myself in the feel of her. “I know you’re scared, baby. I know.”

She clings to me, her face buried in my chest. “This is what I was scared of from the beginning. This mess, Jake.Mymess... And now you’re dragged into it.” Her voice is tight, words spilling out like she’s admitting something painful she can’t hold back. “I warned you. I’m too broken, too complicated.”

I pull back just enough to cup her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me. “Don’t say that.” My voice is rough, breaking with emotion. “You’re not broken, baby. And you sure as hell aren't dragging me into anything. Ichosethis. I chose you." I exhale sharply, my grip tightening like I’m trying to hold her together.Hold us together.

“But fuck, Charlie.” The words come out thick and tangled in frustration. “You have to stop pushing me away.”

My voice is sharp, but I can’t help it. The thought of her thinking she’s too broken, too messy for me—it cuts me to the core.She’s all I want.

Her tears keep falling, hands gripping my shirt as if she’s afraid to let go. We stand there wrapped in each other’s pain, until I can’t take it anymore. I love her too much to see her so torn apart. But I also can’t ignore that she’s wavering, that she’s thinking about running.