Page 59 of One More Kiss

Megan

Megan handedJack a cup of coffee and took a seat on the porch swing next to him.

After Tucker’s close call in the water, they’d been glued to the boy, lavishing him with nonstop attention.

As long as they focused on Tucker, they coexisted in what could pass as semi-normal.

At first the afternoon had been riddled with awkward glances, the two of them starting to talk at the same time, and painful politeness.

But then they’d taken out the bubbles, something Tucker adored. He jumped and snapped at the globes of soap with his teeth. When Jack let out a flood of tiny bubbles cascading over Tucker, he pranced and barked as they landed on his coat and popped.

By the time they’d fired up the grill, Tucker had worked up a massive appetite. They’d had no choice, but to give him his steak shaved and in rationed amounts to avoid him getting sick.

With their bellies full, the dishes done, they retreated to the deck, just like they used to.

Jack stared out at the rippling water as the sun fell behind the horizon as if searching for the answer to…something.

She knew the look. The feeling. She’d been doing the same thing. “Are you okay?”

“I haven’t been okay in a long time,” Jack said quietly.

“I meant after what happened with Tucker.”

He blinked a few times, shook his head, and shot her a glance. “Oh. Yeah, I’m fine. Worried about him, but fine. I didn’t know the arthritis had gotten that bad.”

“He goes through difficulties. I haven’t seen him doing this well in a long time though. But it’s always temporary. When it flares, it’s horrible and I feel like the world’s worst pet owner for letting him suffer that.”

“Letting him suffer would be if you did nothing. You take him to the vet. You research and try different therapies and medicines. We’ve tried so many remedies. Sometimes, it’s just not meant to be.”

“Just one more thing I love that I can’t save,” she whispered staring into her mug.

“Listen. About earlier. I know I haven’t handled this all the right way and I’m sorry. More sorry than you’ll ever know. The divorce will be final soon and I didn’t want you to walk away without you knowing that.”

“Thank you.” She glanced away. That look on his face, the apology she’d been waiting so long for made her want to reach out to him.

But to what end?

“I guess we need to finally put this place on the market, huh?”

“Probably. It’s made for a family.” The words brought pain, as they always did, but for the first time in forever, her throat didn’t constrict with the admission.

“I can call the realtor on Monday and get the ball rolling. I can’t imagine it will be on the market long.”

“The house on Bluebird will need to go up too,” she said.

“No,” he said, his voice hard.

“It’s marital property.”

“It’s yours.”

“It’s never felt right since…”

“Since?”

“Since you left,” she said sucking in a shaking breath. “Tucker looks for you every night. He stares at the damn driveway until it’s too dark to see, just waiting for you to come home.”

“And you?”

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