Fated Shot

Chapter 30

Mia

It’s been a long few days, but between my orders this week, hanging out with Cami, and spending time exploring the city with my mom, I’ve been able to keep pretty busy.

If you want to normalize something, I highly recommend surrounding yourself with people in the same boat. Trust me, if I think a few days without Jack is hard, I can’t even imagine how Cami’s feeling with no family and a seven-month-old to care for. It’s been nice being around her. It feels like the first time in a long time I have a real friend, and it seems like she feels the same.

“I can’t get over how nice it is having you here, hun,” my mom calls out over her mug as I tidy up the kitchen. It’s still pretty messy from yesterday’s baking session, so I make a mental note to do a deep clean once I drop all the orders off in the morning.

“I know I’ve said it a million times, but we love having you back.” It’s like comfort is her superpower, when she smiles at me, I’m hit with an overflow of love, surrounded by warmth and calmness.

“I love it too, Mom.” It really has been great, there’s so much peace in knowing you have support around and people to turn to. It’s no wonder I clung to Seb so tightly, I was isolated.

“So…” she starts, taking a long sip of her tea before peering up at me smiling, “spoken to anyone interesting lately? ”

“I don’t know what you could possibly be talking about, Bev,” I say, unable to help the smile that crosses my face.

“Mmm, you definitely have not been talking to a particular guy who may or may not be traveling for work right now, then?”

“Definitely not,” I reply with a tiny smirk, taking a sip from my own mug.

She gives me a knowing look, all smiles.

“Hmm, just a newfound addiction to running over to your phone each time it buzzes?”

“You got it,” I laugh. I can’t help it. Every time a text comes through, mundane or not, I’m giddy with excitement, knowing he’s on the other side of the phone, thinking about me, talking to me, or texting me. Who can blame me? I’m just a girl, after all.

A contented sigh escapes her as she takes another sip, warmth radiating from her face as she smiles happily.

“I love seeing you this happy, Amelia. You look like the old you, full of life and light.”

“May have something to do with the phone addiction.” I blush a little, picturing him. It’s true, I don’t know how it’s possible to feel more like yourself with someone else, but I do. I’m a better version of myself—safer, more confident, and free to be exactly me.

Her usually lighthearted tone grows a touch more serious as she reaches over to rest her hand on my arm, her eyes pleadingly searching mine.

“Promise me, hun. No more keeping things to yourself. Your Dad and I, we want to know the good, the bad, the ugly. No matter how old you get, we’re—we’re always going to want to take care of you.” The way her voice cracks toward the end crushes me.

Even if we don’t discuss the Seb situation anymore, I know there are feelings of distress lingering. It was clear how much it hurt her when she found out about everything. The guilt of keeping it hidden from them still hits me sometimes. Not opening up, trying to be brave by myself, heck, for the level of shame I felt over the entire situation, it wasn’t warranted, and I should have known that.

“I promise, Mom,” I say, walking over to wrap my arms around her in a hug.

She clears her throat, clearly deciding to focus on the positives as per usual.

“Soo… tell me more about the boy.”

Her eyebrows raise in excitement. She wants details, obviously, and it’s hard not to gush about every little amazing thing he says and does. I’m about to spill the beans when there are two firm knocks at my door, a pattern I recognize immediately. My stomach tingles as I wander over and swing it open. There he is, the phone-addiction himself, Jack Brody, looking as handsome as ever, standing at my front door.

“I—” Words are failing me again, which isn’t great, considering the man in front of me is my boyfriend, and, ya know, communication is kind of the foundation of relationships.

“God, I missed you.” His hands fly up around my face as his lips meet mine immediately. My body leans into his touch as I feel myself being backed a few steps. My stomach flutters and my brain quiets, basking in the bliss that is being kissed so passionately by him.

I regain my sense of presence after a few breathless moments as my eyes whip open. “Jack, my—”

He’s staring into me, clearly trying to make sense of my attempts to convey a message with only my eyes, as I stay struggling to communicate my thoughts verbally. My brain just can’t compute when he’s looking at me like that.

A throat clears in the corner, and his head turns toward the sound, eyes wide as he drops my face .

“M-Mrs. Cameron—” He takes a large step back, clearing his own throat and standing up a little straighter. He takes a breath before walking purposefully over.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he says in a tone more formal than I’ve ever heard from him, stretching out his hand.

“Jack, we’ve met. Multiple times.” My mom’s warm voice replies with a slight laugh, a smile breaking out on her face.

“Y-yes, ma’am.” He pulls his hand back, smoothing down the hair at the base of his neck. “It’s very nice to see you again… ma’am.” He has a sheepish grin, blue eyes shining down at my mom, who clearly notices his nerves and decides to take pity on him.

“Just Beverly is fine,” she says, gently patting his arm as they both turn to me.

It’s a funny thing seeing him so intimidated. It’s also weird seeing my worlds collide like this. He clears his throat again, his normally composed voice coming out a little less controlled.

“I’m sorry for interrupting, I was just coming to say a quick hello.”

“No interruption, hun,” my mom says, making her way over to me. “We were just chatting, right Amelia?”

“Yeup,” I say, albeit a little awkwardly.

“Great,” Jack’s voice pipes up a lot stronger now. “How about lunch?”

My head whips in his direction toward his gorgeous smile, no sense of joking in his expression. Jack freaking Brody wants to go to eat with my mom? I send him a puzzled expression, but it’s my mom who takes the lead.

“Sounds lovely, Jack,” she replies with a chipper smile.

Her eyes widen at me, pleasantly surprised as she grabs her purse and makes her way to the front. And just like that, we head out the door. I may have just signed up for the most awkward lunch of my life. What’s the worst that can happen ?

Do it for the plot .

***

“So, Jack,” my mom says, gazing up from her menu beside me. “Tell me about yourself.”

“Mom,” I whisper, trying to give her the side eye not to start any grilling before we’ve even ordered our food. Her eyebrows lift as she mouths ‘what’ innocently at me. Jack looks amused at the little non-verbal interaction we exchange.

“Not sure there’s much to tell actually…” The way he says it tugs on my heart. He really doesn’t think he’s anything special; I don’t know why.

He pauses for a moment before continuing. “I’m originally from the Ottawa area. I grew up in a small town just outside of the city. I went to school in the States, Michigan University, before getting drafted to Boston, where I played until I joined the Tundra.”

Mom doesn’t seem phased by the quick information dump that is Jack trying to summarize his life in two sentences or less.

“That’s wonderful. What did you study in school?”

He gives me a quick look that I can’t quite decipher, slightly knitted brows, before turning back to my mom.

“Finance,” he says with a polite smile.

Did he just say finance? Ugh. Does that mean I have a type? No wonder he didn’t tell me.

“I didn’t know that,” I pipe in. The guy’s got a business brain and didn’t even tell me?

“That’s an interesting choice,” my mom continues.

The corner of his mouth quirks up into a cute smile. “I always thought if hockey didn’t work out, I could try to be an accountant. ”

“A very respectable career choice,” she says with an approving nod.

“I always thought so. I’m fortunate hockey stuck, though. I don’t know if I could actually handle being at a desk all day.” I can’t picture him sitting behind a desk with a calculator in his hand. Do they even make desks big enough for brooding hockey players?

“And what do your parents do, Jack?”

He shifts in his seat but doesn’t break eye contact.

“My mother was a nurse.”

“Oh, how lovely! She’s retired?” she asks before I have a chance to stop her.

“She passed away when I was younger, actually,” Jack supplies quickly.

“Oh my, I’m very sorry to hear that, I didn’t know.”

“Thank you,” he replies, polite as ever but a bit more solemn than usual. “One of the hardest workers I’ve ever met, raised me pretty much on her own. Kind too… she was always so happy, singing or dancing around the house. She made everything feel a little brighter. She was the best.”

“I’m sure you miss her very much. Sounds like a special woman indeed.”

He nods his head before taking a sip from his water glass.

“So,” my mom continues, clearly sensing it’s time to switch gears. “How did you two meet, anyway?”

She’s got this knack for reading a conversation perfectly—must be a perk of being a social butterfly. Or maybe she just wants the tea.

“Cordelia’s,” we both say at the same time, meeting each other’s eyes. We laugh at how in sync our replies were as my mom looks between us, beaming.

“Oh, how nice, right in our little Wyndham! Do you have any plans to visit again? ”

“I’ve actually rented a cottage already for the end of the season. They book up so quickly, and I really wanted to find a nice space. Wouldn’t miss another summer up there.”

I can feel my face warming as I think about the prospect of him, or rather, us together in my favorite spot in the world. I can’t imagine anything better. His gaze turns to me, a slight wink only quick enough for me to notice as my cheeks flush.

“Well, we’re looking forward to having you in the neighborhood again, aren’t we, Amelia?” Her intonation at my name alerts me to the fact that I’ve completely zoned out, staring at Jack.

“Um, ye-yeah, I can’t wait,” I say, trying to snap back into the moment. “W-we can’t wait, I mean.” I fuddle around to grab my menu, pretending to review it.

I see him holding back a chuckle as he sips his water. He’s got to know how bad I have it for him at this point. If he didn’t before, he certainly does now.