After they finished sharing pancakes,coffee and strawberries, their plates pushed aside on the nightstand, Amy leaned lazily against Jace's bare chest. He stroked his hand through her hair in slow, rhythmic motions, both of them soaking in the soft silence that had stretched between them.
She could've stayed like this all day but reality had other plans.
Amy sighed, nuzzling closer before reluctantly pulling away.
"I should get moving," she said, pushing her hair behind her ear. "It's Thursday."
Jace looked down at her, confused and a little pouty. "And?"
"And Thursdays are Storytime days at Fictional Escapes," Amy said, grinning a little at his boyish expression. "Mrs. Thompson called yesterday asking if I was back from Virginia yet. I promised I'd be there for the kids this week."
Jace leaned back on one elbow, watching her. "You're really something, you know that?" Amy laughed, wrinkling her nose. "Something exhausting?"
"Something amazing," he corrected, catching her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "You love those kids."
She smiled, heart squeezing. "Yeah. I do."
Jace propped himself up fully. "Then I'm coming with you."
Amy blinked. "You are?"
He gave her a half-smirk. "What, you don't want me around?"
"No..." she rushed to say, laughing. "I just didn't expect you to be so... enthusiastic about toddlers, little kids and sticky fingers."
"I'm enthusiastic about you," Jace said, tugging her closer again. "Besides.... I'd be a father one day."
He kissed her forehead as she tried to hide her smile from what he had just said.
"I've also got a camera that's been gathering dust. Might as well put it to good use."
Amy felt her heart bloom in her chest. She kissed him sweetly, lingering, and when they pulled apart, they were both grinning.
They got dressed in the cozy, unhurried way of people who had all the time in the world.
Amy borrowed a clean sweater from Jace's closet, an oversized navy one that swallowed her frame and looked like a gown on her and he slipped into jeans and a soft gray hoodie.
As Amy was slipping on her shoes, Jace's phone buzzed again.
He glanced at it absently and froze.
Amy looked up, catching the sudden tension in his shoulders.
"You okay?" she asked, tilting her head.
Jace shoved the phone in his back pocket. "Yeah. Just... spam. Again."
Amy narrowed her eyes, not entirely convinced.
"That spam's really persistent," she said lightly, tying her laces.
Jace smiled a little too tightly, and leaned down to brush a kiss across the top of her head.
"Nothing important," he said against her hair. "Let's go make some memories." He said as he slipped his fingers through her interlocking it as they walked towards the door.
They walked down the street hand-in-hand, the chill of the morning softened by the glow of spring sun against the wet sidewalks.
Jace snapped photos along the way..... Amy tossing her head back laughing at something he said, Amy peeking into a flower shop window, Amy dancing around puddles in his sweater that was way too big for her but she didn't seem to mind. Every click of the camera was another piece of their life he didn't want to forget.
When they reached Fictional Escapes ,the little independent bookstore tucked between a coffee shop and a boutique, Amy practically skipped up the steps.
Inside, Mrs. Thompson spotted her immediately, her face lighting up.
"Amy! Thank heavens you're back! I was starting to panic!"
Amy laughed and hugged her tightly. "I'd never abandon you."
"You brought company?" Mrs. Thompson said, giving Jace a knowing look.
Jace offered a sheepish wave. "Hey Mrs T,Just here for moral support."
"And some photography," Amy teased, nudging him.
"Alright then,have a blast you two" Mrs Thompson said smiling.
Jace helped Amy to set up for Storytime,a cozy circle of beanbags near the children's section, a colorful stack of picture books in Amy's hands.
The first kids trickled in, then more, and soon the little corner was buzzing with excited chatter.
"Amy....where've you been?, I missed you" Little Penny said cupping up Amy's face.
"I'm back now and I'm going to read one of our favorite story books" Amy says smiling at her.
"Yayyy!!!!" The kids yelled excitedly as they all sat down and paid rapt attention to Amy.
Jace hung back, camera in hand, taking pictures and watching Amy come alive.
She read to the children with wild voices and funny expressions, the kids laughing and leaning forward eagerly. Every once in a while, Amy would catch Jace's eye across the room and every time, he would raise his camera like a secret, silent pledge: I see you.
He snapped photos of her cradling a little girl in her lap, her smile radiant.
Photos of her handing out bookmarks she'd made by hand.
Photos of Amy being exactly who she was meant to be.
Suddenly, back pocket came buzzing again.
Jace frowned, stepping aside.
He pulled out his phone when he was sure Amy wasn't looking.
Another text from Gina.
"I haven't stopped thinking about you. Last night, I realized how much I missed you. Maybe we could talk? Over drinks? No pressure. Just... old friends catching up?"
Jace's jaw clenched. He quickly locked his phone and shoved it back into his pocket.
No way. No way he was letting anything or anyone touch what he was rebuilding with Amy.
Still, as he glanced at her reading to the children, a tiny knot twisted inside his chest.
He would have to deal with Gina eventually. He just didn't know how.
After the kids had gone home with their parents, buzzing about storybook dragons and brave little princesses, Amy found Jace leaning against a bookshelf, arms crossed, a soft smile on his face.
She walked straight into his arms without hesitation.
"Thanks for coming today," she said, voice low against his hoodie. "It meant a lot."
Jace kissed her hair. "Always, Ames."
Amy pulled back slightly, frowning up at him.
"You sure you're okay? You look a little... distant."
He forced a smile. "Just tired. Long week."
Amy hesitated, but decided to let it go for now.
"Let's go home," she said.
"Yeah," he agreed. "Let's go home."
It was already 4pm by the time they stepped out of Fictional Escapes, hand in hand.
The city buzzed around them, taxis honking, people rushing past but Jace and Amy moved like they were in a slower, softer world of their own.
Amy tugged him toward a restaurant with a grin.
"I say we pick up takeout and crash."
"Music to my ears," Jace said, squeezing her hand.
They grabbed some Thai food from the restaurant across the street and caught an Uber back to Jace's apartment, the space that, just last night, had become theirs, their home in a quiet, unspoken way.
When they got inside, Amy dropped her bag by the door and stretched with a groan, the smell of sweet chili and coconut rice filling the air.
"You shower first," Jace said, nudging her toward the bathroom. "I'll get plates."
Amy gave him a sleepy smile and disappeared down the hall.
Jace exhaled, leaning back against the kitchen counter. His phone buzzed again, loud in the quiet.
He didn't want to look.
He didn't even want to think about Gina, not here, not with Amy's laugh still lingering in the air.
But his fingers betrayed him.
He checked the screen.
Gina:
I don't mean to cause trouble. I just can't stop wondering 'what if?.',I was extremely happy seeing you and I miss you, Jace. I miss what we had, I want to go back to before."
Jace stared at the message, something dark and complicated twisting in his gut.
There was no "what if."
Not anymore.
Still, he tucked the phone deeper into his pocket just as he heard the shower water turn off.
Amy came back into the kitchen, cheeks flushed from the hot shower, wearing another one of his T-shirts.... this one even bigger and hanging halfway down her thighs.
Her hair was a little wet, curling slightly at the ends, and she looked like she belonged here with him.
"Hey," she said softly, stepping closer.
"Hey," he echoed, his heart squeezing.
Amy's hands slid up his chest.
"Everything okay?"
He nodded but she caught the flicker of hesitation in his eyes.
Before she could ask again, he kissed her slow, lingering, leaving no room for doubt, he wanted to assure himself that all he wanted and all he ever needed was here,right here in front of him.
She smiled against his mouth. "Okay. Go shower. Dinner then Serious talks later."
Jace nodded and disappeared through the hallway. He was done in a matter of minutes now wearing a black singlet and black joggers.
They ate curled up on the couch, the TV playing some old sitcom neither of them really paid attention to.
Amy tucked herself under Jace's arm, resting her head against his chest. His hand absently played with the ends of her damp hair.
For a while, everything felt perfect.
Later That Night, Amy was already half-asleep when Jace carried her to bed. She murmured something about not being a princess and that she could walk to the room but she let him tuck her under the covers anyway.
Jace stayed up a little longer, sitting on the edge of the bed, just...watching her.
Her breathing evened out.
She looked peaceful here, in his space, wearing his clothes, trusting him with her whole heart.
He didn't deserve her. He brushed a kiss across her forehead and climbed in beside her, pulling her close.
His phone buzzed on the nightstand.
He ignored it. For now.
....
The following morning,the smell of coffee woke Amy before sunlight did.
She sat up, the T-shirt slipping off one shoulder, she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and then padded out into the kitchen to find Jace making breakfast again..... this time, scrambled eggs and toast.
"You're going to spoil me," she teased, wrapping her arms around him from behind.
"Good," he said, setting the plate down. "You deserve it." He turned and planted a soft kiss on her lips.
Amy perched on the counter, nibbling on toast while he poured her coffee.
When his phone buzzed again, vibrating loudly against the counter, she frowned.
"Spam again?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.
Jace grabbed it quickly, flashing her a disarming grin.
"Yeah. Must've signed up for something dumb when booking our flight tickets last week."
Amy tilted her head, suspicious but also trying not to make a big deal out of nothing.
They had just found each other again. She didn't want to mess it up by being paranoid.
Still, she tucked the moment away in her mind.
As she sipped her coffee, she smiled softly at him.
"Thanks for breakfast."
"Always," Jace said, leaning down to kiss the corner of her mouth.
But when he pulled away, his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
They cleared their plates and moved around each other comfortably in the kitchen. But even as they laughed and bumped shoulders at the sink, Jace's phone buzzed again on the counter. This time he picked it up quickly and turned it face down, just a little too quickly.
Amy looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "Another something dumb?"
He gave her a lopsided grin. "I've been meaning to unsubscribe"
Her smile was small, but she accepted the explanation. "Well, if it turns out you joined a fishing club, I'm holding you responsible."
Jace laughed, leaning in to kiss her. "Noted."
But once her back was turned, he checked the message on his phone.
Gina:
I miss you. I don't know what seeing you stirred up, but I can't ignore it anymore. We need to fix things please.
He stared at it for a long moment, his jaw tightening.
Then he deleted the message.
When he looked back at Amy, she was dancing a little to some song in her head while drying the mugs. And in that moment, all Jace wanted was this. The simplicity. The peace.
Even if it meant hiding a few pieces of the past to protect the present.
"Let's go to your studio" Amy said suddenly.
"My studio?" He asked surprised.
"Yh, let's go do something you love since you followed me to the bookstore yesterday,I might as well come to your studio" Amy said as she places the last mug on the counter.
Jace smiles then walks to her and holds her by the waist.
"That's so thoughtful but I rather stay indoors with you or maybe take a walk. Anything but the studio. I've taken a break from all the work there " Jace said.
"Why is that?" Amy asked circling her arm around his neck.
"I just want to spend time with you Ames, nothing is better than that"
"Anything you say Mr Prescott " She said smiling widely.
"Yes, anything I say" He said as he plants a peck on her nose and she laughs playfully pushing him away.
The city was soft with the glow of late afternoon. they left the house hand in hand, deciding neither of them was not going home till they've had enough fun outside.
"I don't know what it is about today," Amy said as they crossed the street . "It feels… light."
Jace smiled. "It's you. You glow"
She gave him a look. "I do not glow."
"You do. Like full Hollywood-protagonist glow."
"Maybe that's because the male lead protagonist is here with me too"
She nudged him with her shoulder as they laugh and they turned down a quieter street that led them towards the Park.
The air was crisp, not too warm, not too cold, it was what rom-com writers refer to as perfect and cheer filled and it was just breezy enough to make Amy tuck closer into his side. The park was alive with picnickers scattered across the lawn, an artist painting near the fountain, a saxophonist playing near the steps.
They stopped to watch a street performer juggle flaming sticks. Amy clapped along with the crowd, her laughter easy, her hand in Jace's.
As they left the crowd, Amy's heart churned in content. She was satisfied with everything and didn't wish for anything more.
Jace caught her looking at him sideways. "What?"
"Nothing," she said, smiling. "Just… this feels good. I was afraid we won't get back to this."
He squeezed her hand. "We're good,no need to worry". In actual sense,he was reassuring himself with what was right here in front of him,peace and ease, that's all he's ever wanted and he couldn't afford to let his past ruin his present and a future he is looking forward to.
They found a bench near the carousel and sat close, legs touching. Jace pulled out his camera and snapped a photo of the park then one of Amy, without warning.
She laughed. "I look tired."
"You look real," he said, turning the screen toward her. "Beautiful."She tilted her head, softened. "You always did see the good parts of me. Even when I didn't."
Jace smiled in content but before he could answer, his phone buzzed again in his jacket pocket. He tensed. Amy noticed the change. "Spam?"
He nodded quickly, forcing a small laugh. "Probably another newsletter or something. I've been too lazy to unsubscribe."
But even as he said it, the message preview was glowing on the screen.
Gina
I know I messed up in the past, but it's different now and I am different. Let me explain...just once and pls reply,say something Jay.
Jace turned the phone over face-down on the bench and hoped Amy didn't notice the hesitation in his hands.
Amy rested her head on his shoulder. "I could stay here all day."
"So let's stay," he whispered.
They watched people move around, couples holding hands together,children running and screaming squimishly.
They ended up grabbing soft pretzels from a vendor and walking along the edge of the Great Lawn, taking turns naming shapes in the clouds like kids. For a while, everything felt safe and whole.
But later, as they sat on the grass watching the sky fade from gold to navy, Amy's gaze wandered off to nothing exactly.
Jace laying beside her watched her profile against the dimming sky. His heart was full, but the pit in his stomach reminded him that secrets had a way of growing if left too long in the dark. It has a way of ruining solid relationships and people's trust.
Still, he didn't speak. Not yet.