27. Jacob

Chapter 27

Jacob

Three months later

Archer zips up his tracksuit jacket. "Do I look okay? I want to make a good first impression."

I put my hands on his hips so I can align our bodies and kiss him. "You look great."

I might be a tiny bit jealous that he gets to go to work in a tracksuit while I have to wear a suit. Then again, our professions are as different as night and day, a little like us.

"They'll love you," I say.

"I hope so."

I put my hand on his nape and stroke my thumb back and forth. "What's your job title again?"

He wrinkles his nose. "You know what it is."

"Humour me."

"Assistant Sports Centre Manager."

"Ah, yes. Your dream job."

He grins and kisses me. "I'd better go."

"We could walk to the bus stop together."

"A, you'd end up getting to work crazy early. B, I'm not using the bus."

I frown. "You're not?"

"Nope. I'm going to cycle."

"I forgot you're fitness-mad."

"Did you? Really?"

I chuckle and pull him closer. "No. I love how energetic you are."

He loops his arms over my shoulders. "I bet you do. Don't worry. I'll save some energy for later." He winks, pecks my lips, and spins away to grab his cycling helmet, waterproofs, water bottle, keys, and wallet. He packs all but the helmet into a small rucksack, then blows out a slow breath. "I'm so nervous."

"It's natural on your first day. As soon as you get stuck in, you'll be fine."

"I hope so."

I clasp his free hand and squeeze it. "I know so."

My phone beeps with an incoming message.

"Are you going to check that?" Archer asks.

I have a quick look at my phone. "It's Mum making sure we're still going to hers on Saturday for dinner."

"That's the plan, isn't it?"

Much to my relief, Mum fell in love with Archer within an hour of meeting him. We moved in together shortly afterwards. Now we rent a two-bedroom apartment close to good running and cycling routes and on a bus route to the city centre, so I can easily get to work.

Another message from Mum comes through.

"She says to invite Molly."

"I still can't believe they get along."

I shrug. "They've got at least one thing in common. Well, two, I guess."

"Marrying and divorcing your dad?"

"Yup."

Dad and Molly didn't work things out. I'd like to think it's because she took Archer's assertion that she deserved better to heart.

Archer rubs my arm. "How do you feel about that?"

I sigh. "It's nice Mum's got someone to talk to about Dad besides me. I might not have much contact with Dad anymore, but I don't want to hate him either."

My relationship with Dad has been reduced to the odd phone call. He's never apologised. I don't expect him to. I don't even need him to. He'll never be a major part of my life again, and I'm okay with that.

"You're too nice to hate anyone."

"It was touch and go for a while. But I'm over it. I don't need any validation from him. I'm happier than I've ever been. I wish Mum could get to the same point and move on. Part of her bitterness is realising how much of her life she wasted with him. She didn't want to admit he wasn't a good husband or father while she was with him."

"If it helps, Mum doesn't hate your dad. She's chalked the whole thing up to bad judgement."

"While being happy to gloat that she's the reason we got together."

Archer laughs. "I'm willing to give her about fifty per cent of the credit for that."

"Fifty? Really?"

"Maybe thirty. Your dad gets thirty too."

"And the other forty per cent?"

"Well, you get ten for deciding to come to my bar to get drunk. And I get thirty for chatting you up and inviting you back to my place."

I nuzzle his jaw. "I deserve more like twenty per cent of the credit."

"Oh, you do, do you?"

"Definitely."

"Hmm. Okay, I can live with that as long as we agree that sleeping together that night was the best decision we've ever made."

"Second best."

He purses his lips. "I'm confused."

"The best decision was moving in together."

"Yeah, that was a good idea too."

I press my lips to his and give him a long, lingering kiss. "You've got to go."

"One more kiss."

"Gladly."

We hold each other tightly and kiss like we're not going to see each other for a week, even though it's only going to be a few hours. Even the slight discomfort of Archer's cycle helmet knocking against my back can't ruin the moment.

"I've got to go." He cups my cheek and kisses me.

I laugh. "Go. You don't want to be late on your first day."

He kisses me again. "I won't be. See you soon." He goes to the door and blows me a kiss. "Love you."

"I love you too."

I smile sappily. Damn, I love him. I can't imagine my feelings for him ever stagnating. Every moment we spend together, every kiss we share, and every new thing we experience makes me fall deeper in love. The start of Archer's new career is another waypoint on the map we're making as we journey through our lives.

Together.

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