Letting Go

Chapter 6

Jake’s point of view

“Are you ready, Peanut?” I ask Ellie as she finishes the last of her orange juice. She nods with a big smile, “I’m so excited! We haven't been to the Zoo in a long time!” 

“It’s going to be a fun day. It’s an hour drive though, so why don't you go to the bathroom before we leave,” I warn, and she skips off excitedly. 

As I wait at the front door for Ellie, I find myself thinking about Mora. We had such a great time the other night, and I feel like this might be a long process to get to where I eventually see us being, but I feel really hopeful, and happy as hell. She makes me happy, and she gets my heart pounding. I didn’t know I was capable of that anymore, but with her it's different and we got here all on our own. No mate bond telling us who to love, or clouding our judgement.

 We may never have the physical sparks between us like fated mates do, but there are the metaphorical ones, that's for sure. I feel alive with her. My thoughts of Mora are interrupted by Ellie’s laughter. 

“Why are you smiling like that Daddy? You usually look grumpy,” she giggles and my jaw drops.

“What? I don’t look grumpy,” I laugh and grab onto her and start tickling her ribs and the hallway is filled with her sweet laughter. 

“Daddy,” she squeals.

“Take it back,” I say, trying to hold back my laughter as I continue to tickle her.

“Okay,” she giggles, and I stop my tickle attack. 

“Okay, what?” I smirk, narrowing my eyes.

“Okay, you’re not always grumpy,” she giggles.

I give her a kiss on the forehead and release her. 

“Okay, let's go,” I say as I open the front door.

“Hey, do you think I’m actually grumpy all the time?” I ask. We play and laugh together all the time.

“Not with me, but sometimes maybe with other people or when you're by yourself. Definitely not with me though, or Ms. Mora,” she says with a smirk, and her cheeks turn pink. f**k, she’s almost 6 years old, and she has me figured out already. I thought she was oblivious. I guess it makes sense, I feel like I light up like a f*****g Christmas tree around Mora. 

I narrow my eyes at her with a smirk and open the back door, and she climbs in. “Buckle up,” I remind her, and when I close the door and walk around, I can hear her giggling. 

I don’t know what to say to that. I can’t confirm anything about Mora, because it’s so soon, not to mention Mora wants to keep this quiet for a while, and I respect that 100 percent. I also am not going to lie to her and deny I light up around Mora. 

When I pull into Mora’s place, Marley is sitting on the step, and Mora is hunched over in her car, unbuckling Marley’s car seat. I jump out, and run around to take over for her.

 “Hey! I got this,” I say and place my hand on her back. She comes out of the car and I’m greeted with the biggest smile. I feel myself lighting up like I do. I can’t help the smile that takes over my face. 

“Hey!” She beams.

“Hi,” I beam right back. Like a big ol’ Christmas tree. And I’ve got f*****g butterflies. Am I 12 or something? It feels incredible though.

We share a quiet moment just smiling like fools at each other. She looks so beautiful. She’s wearing her hair down, she has tight distressed jeans on with a loose blue t-shirt that's tucked in at the front. Casual but insanely beautiful. Then I hear Marley, “Hi, Mr. Jake!”

 “Hi, Marley! 

“Thanks for the ice cream. Mommy said you dropped it off, special just for me!” she smiles.

I smile at Mora, and the small fib she told Marley. “You’re welcome, cutie,” and then I reach in to grab her car seat. 

“Come on, I’ll get you buckled,” I say to Marley. As soon as I open the back door, Ellie is yelling her hellos to Marley. 

“I have a heavy-duty fold-up wagon, should we bring it?” Mora asks. I think for a second, “Yeah, that’s a good idea.” 

The last time I went to the Zoo just Ellie and me, I ended up carrying her half the time and carrying a large tiger stuffed animal, and other things we got along the way. I hook up the car seat and get Marley buckled, and then I help Mora get the wagon and large cooler bag in the trunk. Mora grabs another 2 bags from the front step, and then I open her door for her. 

I get in, and I realize how much Mora packed. A large cooler bag in the back, plus 2 big bags in the front. She didn’t pack lightly. I don’t say anything but smile internally. I look back and Marley and Ellie are all smiles and they’re chatting away. 

Within 10 minutes the girls are complaining that they're bored. Mora opens one of her bags, handing the girls each a bag of crayons with a colouring book and that seems to please them. Mora and I talk about all sorts of things. The conversation is easy and comfortable. We’re such good friends that it’s so easy to be with her. 

When I bring up the Blue Moon Festival next month, I’m soon interrupted by the girls. They’re bored again. Mora takes the books and crayons back, “I’ve got LOL’s, sticker activity books -” 

“LOL’s,” the girls interrupted her. I look over and watch her lean back, handing the girls each a couple of little dolls, and the smell of her sweet aroma fills my nose. She always smells like wild strawberries. She’s f*****g edible, and I want to eat her. I wonder if her lips taste like strawberries. I wonder what she tastes like. f**k! No erections, I remind myself.

“So are you going to the Blue Moon festival or are you working?” she asks, interrupting my dirty thoughts. 

“I'm not sure yet,” I smile, and she smiles back. She’s so f*****g beautiful! “I’m guessing, being Luna’s sister and all, you are expected to attend?” I ask. 

“Correct,” she nods. I think of her all dressed up, maybe her long legs will be on display. f**k even if she wears the most conservative dress there, she’s still going to be gorgeous and sexy as f**k! What if someone tries to make a move on her? Or tries to dance with her?” A small growl unintentionally rumbles in my chest. 

Mora’s eyes shoot to me, and her face has confusion written all over it. I fake a cough to hopefully… I don't know, make her think she heard wrong. I totally coughed twice, not growled then coughed. She’s still looking at me, brows furrowed, so I just smile.  

Her head tilts to the side, and a small smirk forms on her delicious lips, and of course, I’m a f*****g Christmas tree again. Just beaming! She’s so f*****g cute! At least when I light up, so does she. I mind link her,

-Are you bringing Marley to the festival?-

-No. She is going to sleep at Aria’s with Landon and Eli's kids. Aria has a sitter for them.-

-If I can get it off, would you go with me? Be my date?- 

I look at her, and her cheeks are an adorable shade of pink, and she nods.

-Yes. I’d like that. Why did you growl?- she asks, and she’s biting her bottom lip trying to mask her cute as f**k smile. She totally knows.

I look at her, and just smile and shake my head. She can’t hide her smile now, or the small giggle that escapes her lips. f**k I just want to pull her into my arms right now. I want to hold her hand. I just want to touch her. 

“Mommy, I’m hungry,” Marley says, interrupting our little flirt fest 

Mora opens another one of her bags and it’s full of snacks, juice boxes and water. 

“It’s still morning, so we’ll save the treats for the way home. I’ve got cheese strings, pepperoni’s, yogurt tubes, granola bars, raisins, clementines, and apple sauce pouches,” she calls out. 

“Pepperoni and cheese string, please,” Marley calls.

“Ellie?”

“Same, please.”

“Jake?” she asks, and I can’t help the chuckle. I was thinking she overpacked, but she came prepared. This is going to be the best trip Ellie has ever been on. Even though it’s only an hour drive, it usually consists of Ellie whining the whole time that she's bored, hungry, tired, has sore legs, etc. I guess this is what it’s supposed to feel like to be in a family. For kids to have a Mom. 

“I’m good, thanks,” I smile. 

“I thought you overpacked when you first put all your bags in the car, but I’m starting to realize you just came very prepared.”

She laughs and nods. “I totally overpacked. We could eat for days, but you never know what you’re getting yourself into with kids,” she shrugs.