Page 145 of Seal the Deal

“Oh, did I miss the rebrand? Old habits die hard, I suppose.” He shrugs.

Zoe leans toward me as she stage-whispers, “Some things need to die harder than others.”

I stifle a laugh, but Noah looks up, curious. Zoe quickly redirects, “Noah, how’s that new LEGO setJakegot you?”

Noah lights up, launching into an excited description. I shoot Zoe a grateful look while Alex seethes silently.

My phone buzzes, and my heart lifts at Jake’s name. I answer, and his face fills the screen, tired but smiling warmly.

“Hey, babe.” He grins and the flutter in my stomach is immediate.

Babe.He’s never called me that before, and I don’t need to guess why he’s chosen now. Even with tension between us, he’s staking his claim in earshot of Alex.

I smile back. “Hey. We’re just finishing dinner.”

Jake’s grin widens when I tilt my phone toward the kids. “Hey, munchkins! How’s dinner?”

Meadow waves excitedly. “Hi, Jake! We had chicken and potatoes!”

Noah tugs at his Storm jersey. “Jake! Look! I’m wearing the jersey you got me!”

Jake chuckles. “Looks awesome, buddy.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Alex’s jaw tightening. The tension creeps back in.

“I’ll be right back,” I say quickly, standing up. “Zoe, can you—?”

Zoe waves me off. “Go, have your lovey-dovey moment.” She winks, turning her attention back to Alex, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

I step into the hallway, pulling the door behind me. Jake’s face fills the screen again, eyes roaming my face like he’s searching for cracks.

“How’s everything going?” he asks. “How’shebeing?”

I glance back toward the dining room. “He’s being Alex,” I reply, trying to keep it light.

His jaw ticks. “I hate that he’s there.”

“I know,” I murmur, feeling the weight of his absence. “I hate it, too.”

Before Jake can respond, Zoe’s voice floats through from the dining room, dripping sarcasm. “So, Alex, what are your plans for the rest of the week? Moredisappearing acts?”

Jake’s lips twitch with amusement. “Zoe giving him hell?”

“Just a little.”

“Good. He deserves it.”

“I should get back,” I say reluctantly.

“Okay,” he pauses, eyes sliding down my face. “I miss you. I miss the kids.”

“We miss you, too,” I whisper, blinking back the emotions rising up.

“We’ll talk more when I’mback,” Jake says. “Gonna figure this out together, okay?”

I nod, holding it together. There’s another pause, the weight of our unresolved argument lingering.

“I love you,” he adds, voice soft—a reminder of what we still have.

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