Chapter 17: Safe Harbor

The man in front of me approached, a dangerous look in his eyes.

Jason’s eyes glittered, a challenge dancing there. He wasn’t angry, just intensely focused, as if reading every line of my face.

“If I remember right, your flight landed at eleven, and now it’s two in the afternoon. Three hours, and you’ve already met with your ex-husband?”

His words were sharp, but there was a playful edge to them. He reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch gentle despite his jealousy.

I poked his firm waist gently.

His laughter rumbled low in his chest, the tension between us melting a little.

“Jason…”

I whispered his name, letting the sound linger between us, a balm for the hurt of the day.

He immediately grabbed my hand, his deep voice warning, “Don’t try to fool me.”

He squeezed my fingers, eyes softening just a fraction. It was his way of saying he cared—even if he’d never admit it outright.

I pinched his shirt, lowering my eyes in silence.

My fingers curled in the soft cotton, searching for the steadiness I always found in him.

His large hand lifted my chin. As soon as our eyes met, Jason laughed angrily.

He tried to hold onto his scowl, but it melted into a grin. "I haven’t even started scolding you, and you’re already crying?"

“I haven’t even started scolding you, and you’re already crying?”

His teasing was gentle, meant to coax a smile out of me even through the tears.

I sniffled. “I missed you so much…”

The words came out small and vulnerable. I pressed my face into his chest, letting myself fall apart in his arms for the first time in years.