The Mrs. Degree (Accidentally in Love 2)

I giggle.

Jack’s toe comes up out of the water and sticks itself into my armpit, wiggling.

“Is this your way of flirting?” I tease, doing the same thing to him with my toe, but his armpit is way hairier than mine. Aren’t I glad I shaved my legs yesterday?

His hand goes to my calf, and he begins a slow motion of caressing it up and down as we sit here, talking.

At one point, we have to add more hot water, thankful we’re at a hotel with an unlimited supply of it, unlike my house where I run out all too often.

“What was your biggest fear in me finding out about Harper?” he says after a long lull. We’re just sitting here enjoying the quiet time, the water around us, and the bubbles.

“My biggest fear.” That’s an easy one. “That you would think I was a terrible person. That I had bad intentions. I can’t imagine what you were feeling when I told you.”

He raises his head from the stack of towels. “Mostly shock. Call me crazy or call me naïve, or call me a fool, but…oddly, the biggest thing that pissed me off was the lost time. My mind didn’t immediately go to anger, and I didn’t run to my manager, publicist, or lawyer. They still don’t know. I want to keep it private for now. Although after this weekend, I don’t think that’s possible.”

No, it’s definitely not possible with the fan photographing us at the airport and probably The Getty and probably the restaurant.

I haven’t been online, but there’s no doubt a story brewing there, false narrative or facts.

“I’m glad. Which sounds weird, but I was petrified and worried my whole world was going to come crashing down. It’s all I can do these days to hold it together—which sounds terrible, but it’s really difficult being a single mom.”

“Especially knowing you didn’t have to be.”

I nod my head. He’s so very right.

I didn’t have to be.

I chose the path for myself and have regretted it since.

“What was your pregnancy like?”

“Good. Nothing out of the ordinary, thank god—no morning sickness, no nausea, no weird cravings. I cried a lot, though.” I laugh. “Probably because I knew what I was doing was wrong, and I carried a lot of guilt with me, but I was too afraid at that point to say anything. It was stressful, and I’m lucky that everything went smoothly.”

“I can’t imagine the stress was good for the baby.”

I shake my head.

No, it wasn’t.

“Bet you were fucking adorable, though, with your cute belly.”

I splash him with water. “No one is cute with a giant belly.”

“Pfft, yes, you were. Don’t lie.”

Sighing, I laugh. “Fine. If you want to know the truth, yes, I did look great with a giant belly. I rocked it.”

Jack grins. “See? That’s what I’m talking about. You always look good, even in sweatpants and a ratty sweatshirt.”

“When do I wear ratty sweatshirts?”

He pulls a face. “Uh… wasn’t that sweatshirt you had on at your brother’s house old as fuck?”

“Which time?” I laugh, splashing him again. “So I like to be comfortable! And so what if they’re three sizes too big? I like what I like.”

His head is back against his towel pillow, eyes sliding closed. “You were always a bit of a contradiction—not caring what anyone thought but also caring what people thought. Certain people. Like the girls on campus. I remember you worried they would judge you for dating me.”

Is that what he thought it was? Hardly. “No, it was the opposite. I always thought they were judging you for dating me. I was so immature back then. It’s embarrassing to talk about.” All I needed was a few more years to grow up and form my own opinions and think for myself, and I would never have run away after finding out I was pregnant. I would have had a better head on my shoulders and wouldn’t have been scared.

What’s done is done, and I’m glad we can talk about it.

Jack nods, head still resting, eyes still closed. “Can you imagine how shocked I was when she told me her name was Skipper? If I’d have been sitting down, I would have fallen off my stool.”

“Um, yeah. I could see it on your face.”

“You know how I put two and two together? My buddy Robb Macenroy said ‘Dude, that kid looked just like you. Put a wig on you and you’d be twins.’ And I started thinking about it and thinking about it and was like—holy shit, he’s right. She does look exactly like me! So I hopped on a flight and came right back.”

“And here we are.”

His toe drags itself down my rib cage, and his mouth curved into a delicious smile. “And here we are.”

Jack looks relaxed and half asleep, the same way I feel.