Page 57 of Only This Once
Phoebe rolled her eyes. “You say that, but you’ve only ever been in love with Julia. You have no idea what it’ll feel like.”
“And you do?” Charles snorted, continuing to rub the baby’s back. “Who was it that married the first man she loved?”
“Oh, he wasn’t the first. I met Kyle in college, but back in high school—” Phoebe’s eyes widened. “Oh no, Kyle! We had a date planned.” She looked at Charles hesitantly. “Are you still good to watch my kids for a little while?”
“Of course. They’re my niece and nephew.” Charles leaned down to kiss the baby’s head. “Go on. Jesse will help me with them.”
Phoebe began to nod but hesitated. “Is it contagious?”
Jesse grew cold as he stared at his sister.
“I mean, not that I don’t want you around them or anything, but are there any precautions we should—”
“Phoebe!” Charles interrupted.
She froze, looking at him.
“Just stop. It’s not Jesse’s responsibility to educate you on this. Do some research on your own tonight and stop the backhanded insults.”
“Sorry. I guess I really know nothing about this. I’ve never had to worry about it since I’ve only been with Kyle.” She rubbedat her jeans as she took another step back, staring down at her shoes. “If you really are okay watching them, I’m going to go.”
“I’ve got them,” Charles said.
She hesitated, lifting her head and meeting Jesse’s eyes. “I messed this all up. I’m really sorry this happened to you.”
His throat tight, Jesse nodded.
Phoebe left through the kitchen door. He watched through the window as she hurried to her car without looking back.
“You okay?” Charles asked, swaying with the baby again.
“Yeah.” His head throbbed, and his throat still felt too tight. “Well, no, not really,” he admitted, running his hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have told her.”
Charles moved closer, laying a hand over his shoulder and giving him a gentle squeeze. “I think it was a good thing for you. You haven’t told many people, have you?”
Jesse shook his head. Charles had been with him at the doctor’s office when he’d found out. His brother had helped him tell their mom. And then there’d been Julia.
Remembering the way Julia had reacted chased away the chill that had crept inside him.
He moved over to the sink. Normally, he took his antiviral pill in the morning, but he hadn’t expected to sleep over at Julia’s house again. He grabbed the bottle from the medicine cabinet over the stove.
“I’ll talk to Phoebe again myself. Let her ask me questions about it,” Charles offered.
Jesse nodded, swallowing the pill and draining the glass.
“About your date with Julia. I take it things went well?”
More of his tension unwound as he thought about his time with her. “Being with her feels better than I ever imagined it could.” He flushed at how that sounded. “I didn’t mean the sex!” He glanced at the baby, glad to see his nephew sleeping. “I mean, that was good, great even, but we also had fun at theart museum, and I enjoyed hanging out with her parents, and, well… everything,” he mumbled, staring down at his hands.
“I’m glad,” Charles said.
“Yeah. Thanks.” Jesse rinsed out his glass, the warm water chasing away the last of the chill from his body. “I’ll clean up and change before coming to help babysit.”
“No rush,” Charles assured him. When Jesse glanced at his older brother, he had the softest smile on his face as he stared down at the baby in his arms. His brother headed back to the living room, where their niece was still happily clanking together blocks.
His brother would be a wonderful dad, but he’d never had a steady relationship that led to that. Jesse had never understood it, but his brother had his life put together way better than he did, so he didn’t interfere.
Jesse used to think he’d want the whole family thing. Kids and a house and a wife. Now, he wasn’t so sure. It wasn’t impossible, but it’d be difficult.
