Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Lila

"This is the best!" Ice cream drips from Jake's fingers into the grass. He takes the last bite and runs toward the swing set.

"I think your plan worked," I say. After Drake's game, he insisted on taking Jake to the park so we could discuss what happened. Jake was surprisingly okay with it. I shouldn't have questioned it. He never got along with Miranda. He was more than thrilled to leave the house with all the ridiculous restrictions she had in place.

"That is the coolest kid on the planet. You've done a great job with him." Drake's tone is almost wistful, but there's something distant in his stare. Almost a sadness. I can't quite put my finger on it. I don't push. He catches a plane in a few hours and will be gone for a week, so I want to spend what little time we have left getting reacquainted.

"Thanks. But I don't think I've done much. Some kids are just born good, ya know?"

He chuckles. "As opposed to being wild?"

My mouth curves to a smirk. "I happen to like my wild child."

He wraps his arms around me and pulls me closer to where my back flushes against his chest. Lowering his mouth to my ear, he murmurs, "Do you, now?"

"Mm."

"Mama Lila, Gun Man, watch!" Jake kicks his feet back and swings higher.

"Be careful," I yell.

"Should he be swinging that high?" Drake's entire body stiffens, making me smile.

"Probably not. But these swings aren't like the ones we used to have. There's a safety check to keep him from going too high."

I feel his entire body relax. God, he's cute. Not only does he care about Jake, but he worries for him, too. It's a side of Drake I haven't seen before. A side that reminds me of the days we spent together in high school, of the man he could become.

"Still…" He starts, and I know he's about to voice more concerns.

I laugh, spinning around and cutting him off. "He's fine, Drake." I pat his chest before pulling away from his hold to stand beside him. He puts a protective arm around my waist, and I lean into his side. We watch Jake together as he flies as high as the swing lets him.

"I want this."

My heart stops beating. I can barely breathe. What is he saying?

I turn to face him, searching his eyes for confirmation of what I think he's trying to tell me. He's looking straight back at me, a burning determination in his gaze that I've only seen on the field or in the throes of our past passion.

"Drake…" My voice catches in my throat. What does this mean for us? For Jake? "You … you want what?"

"This," he insists, motioning towards Jake, who's now laughing and scrambling up the slide. "A family, Lila. I want a family with you."

The weight of his words knocks me off balance, but Drake's arm around my waist keeps me steady. My mind is racing, my heart hammering against my ribs. I feel both elated and terrified at the same time.

"But … but don't you think it's too soon? You just broke up with Miranda."

His expression darkens momentarily, and then he lets out a weary sigh. "I feel terrible for leading Miranda on. I was going to try with her," he admits, running a hand through his tousled hair. "But she isn't you, Lila. She doesn't fill that space in my heart like you do."

I look away from him, trying to hide my racing heart. If Drake sees how much his words affect me, it'll be over before it even begins.

"I … I don't know what to say," I admit, biting my lip nervously.

"You don't have to say anything now," he murmurs, nuzzling into my hair and kissing my head softly. "Just think about it."

As we continue watching Jake go down the slide, my mind is whirling. This was supposed to be a relaxing late afternoon at the park, a chance for us to regain our footing before diving back into the real world. But Drake's simple words have turned everything upside down.

Does he want us? It sounds as if he wants to give our relationship another chance. But are his feelings legitimate, or do they stem from memories overshadowing reality?

Before I can gather enough of my thoughts to reply, Drake lets out a groan—his boyish grin on full display. "I shouldn't have said anything yet. It's just I hate leaving when I just got you back."

"We'll be here when you return. It's not as if I'll have much free time this week. I have to prepare my business plan."

He stares at me for a moment, his eyes clouded with that familiar mix of regret and longing. He then takes a deep breath and nods, obviously trying to shake off whatever internal thoughts bother him. "You're really going for it, huh?"

"Absolutely," I say, my gaze still fixed on Jake as he careens through the air. "I've been dreaming about owning a dog grooming business for a while. I was hoping for one more year, but I feel ready to take the plunge."

Drake grins, one of those broad, boyish smiles that flutter my heart. "That's my girl," he murmurs, kissing my head. "I'm so proud of you."

My heart skips a beat at his words. Hearing him say that means more to me than I thought it would. The smell of him—slightly salty from sweat and tinged with the musky scent of his cologne—fills my nostrils, and I breathe him in deeply.

Jake's laughter echoes across the park, and we both turn to see him bounding towards us. "Race me to the pond!" he yells.

With a laugh, Drake releases me and starts after Jake. They both take off running while I hang back, watching them with a smile gracing my lips.

This reckless, wild man I'd lost my heart to all those years ago—was now charging full speed ahead into fatherhood with all the enthusiasm he displayed on the baseball field.

And as I stroll behind them, my heart feels complete for the first time in a long time. Despite everything that has happened between us, despite all our past mistakes and regrets … maybe we have a chance after all.

Maybe we can make this work. For Jake. For us.

They're waiting for me as I reach the pond. Jake grinning and pointing at the ducks in the far distance. I wander to the nearby park bench and watch them play. It doesn't take long before Drake joins me.

"He's enough to wear a grown man out. And I'm a professional athlete in my prime."

"He is a ball of energy."

A few moments pass before he asks, "I know you've always wanted to work with animals. How'd you stumble into grooming them?"

"When we were in Vermont, our landlord knew about our situation. He was a nice Greek man who helped me find a job where I could have flexible hours while making decent money. They trained me on the spot." I shrug. "It's not a veterinarian school. But I get to work with pets."

"You like it?"

"I love it. It's like a calling I never knew I needed." And I'm not even lying. I may not be saving their lives, but I get to spend time with them all day and make them shine. It's more rewarding than I ever thought possible.

"How'd you end up in Boston?"

I suck in air through my teeth and look away. Because of you.

"I needed a change after Darci died." I had to get out of there. The memories were too much. I had Jake, but I felt utterly alone. "It was too depressing being in the same space we had occupied. Since I didn't have ties there, I packed up and headed here."

"To the city that we always talked about living in?"

Busted.

My face warms as I turn to face him. A small smile plays at the corners of my lips. "You remember that?"

"Every word," he replies, gazing at me with a sincerity that makes my heart stutter. "I remember all our promises, Lila. I may have let you down, but I never forgot."

Our eyes lock, and for a moment, everything else fades away—the park, the pond, Jake chasing after the ducks—everything but Drake's eyes and his words.

"You never let me down, Drake," I say softly. "Life … life sometimes doesn't go the way we planned."

He reaches out and gently tucks a stray lock of hair behind my ear. His fingers linger on my skin, and warmth spreads through me from his touch.

"I should have been there for you," he murmurs, his voice heavy with regret.

It feels like we're standing on the edge of something important, a precipice that could change our lives forever. My heart pounds in my chest as I gaze into his eyes, seeing the same mixture of hope and fear mirrored in their depths.

Suddenly, Jake comes bounding back towards us, interrupting the moment. He's out of breath, and his cheeks are flushed with excitement. "Did you see that duck? It was huge!"

Drake laughs and ruffles Jake's hair fondly. "I did."

"Can we throw that round thing again?"

"The Frisbee?"

"Yeah," Jake says.

"We need to head out, buddy. I have a plane to catch."

Jake's face drops. "You're leaving?"

"Yeah, for a week. But I'll be back soon." When Jake's face doesn't brighten, Drake pulls out the big guns. "How about you and Mama Lila hitting a game after I return?"

"Yes!" Jake's fist pumps the air.

And just like that, Drake managed to win over two hearts.