Page 90 of Seal the Deal

His smile is soft as he nods. “He’s lucky to have you.”

“He just needed someone to be there.” I shrug, trying to play it off.

Jake tilts his head, studying me. “You’re good at that.”

“At what?”

“Being there for people.” He rubs the back of his neck like he’s unsure about admitting it.

I feel my cheeks heat up. “Well, someone’s gotta do it.”

There’s a pause—not exactly awkward, but uncertain. Like neither of us knows if we’re supposed to say more or just let the moment settle.

“Want me to carry him?” Jake finally asks, nodding toward Tyler.

“Sure,” I say, gently handing hin over. “Thanks, Jake.”

“No problem.” He settles Tyler in his arms with ease, like he’s done it a hundred times.

We walk back to Tyler’s cabin in silence, the night air cool against my skin. As we tuck him back into bed, I catch Jake looking at me thoughtfully.

“What?” I ask, feeling self-conscious.

“Nothing,” he says quickly. “Just... you’re pretty great, you know?”

My cheeks flush again, and I look away, pretending to adjust Tyler’s blanket. “You’re not so bad yourself, Captain Thunder.”

He chuckles softly. “Get some sleep, Lady Lightning.”

***

Charlie - Present Day

The house is quiet, the kids are finally asleep, and I’m stuck doom-scrolling on the couch, my mind replaying the tension from earlier today.

I hear the front door open and close softly. A bag drops, and then Jake walks into the living room, his eyes immediately finding mine.

“Hey,” he says, dropping down beside me. “Everything okay?”

I nod. “Yeah, just thinking.”

“About earlier?” His tone is gentle, but there’s an edge to it, a reminder of the tension.

I take a deep breath, setting my phone down. “Yeah. I’ve been thinking about everything. About the kids and us. About how complicated this all is.”

Jake reaches out, taking my hand in his. “It’s not that complicated, Charlie. We can figure it out.”

I look down at our joined hands, feeling the warmth of his calloused skin. “I just… Alex will be looking for any reason to drag the kids back to New Zealand.”

His thumb brushes over the back of my hand, soothing but firm. “That’s not happening. Those kids aren’t going anywhere. Alex can try all he wants, but he’s not taking them away from you. I won’t let it happen.”

I search his eyes for any hint of doubt, but there’s none. Just the steady, determined gaze of a man ready to fight for me.

“I don’t want to keep you in the shadows, but I’m scared of what could happen if we don’t.”

Jake shifts closer with a frown, his grip on my hand tightening.“In case you’ve forgotten, I want this, Charlie. So you tell me—what are we doing here?”

I open my mouth to respond, but the words get stuck in my throat. The fear, the doubt, it’s all there, but so is the desire—the overwhelming need to be with him, to let go of everything else.

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