i am jack's medulla oblongata.

     It was truly luck that she ended up as a neighbor of Damien Rath. The house, or rather mansion, next door had been on the market for more than a year before the enigmatic and elusive club owner/fighter ended up moved in. Palmer never saw it happen; no moving truck or boxes. One day he was just there, pulling a luxury sports car out of the garage or having a pool party out back. Each estate had spacious grounds, not big enough for acreage but much larger than the average lot size. Especially for this part of Los Angeles. The blonde never really saw the man covered in tattoos, she would hear him coming and going at hours that even differed from the party people she knew — not that she was listening for him. She had seen in social pages and from the glimpses she’d manage to catch that he was ridiculously good looking and had the most insane body she’d seen yet. It made her all the more intrigued to meet him and get to know him, but sometimes he’d be gone for weeks or even months at a time. Something that led her to believe he was rich enough that he had houses elsewhere, and she was a college student finally on her last year of her nursing degree. So, as much as she’d love to get to know a man, she had to focus on finishing up and finally being able to move out of her parents house. 

     “More sangria?” The warm breeze caressed Sydney’s face as she held up the pitcher on the table. After a little more than an hour the fruity wine had been two-thirds drained between herself and Eli. Conversation had been a little tense as they tried to reason with what had been transpiring between them the last few months. They’d known each other for a few years, mostly in crossing paths, but one drunken night had led to two and two had led to a few more. It wasn’t anything the Peruvian beauty had been ashamed of though the fact that it kept happening with the influence of alcohol and then zero follow up had begun to bug her. Before she and the wild blonde had decided to drunkenly flirt and make each other cum, again — more than once, the journalist hadn’t been in a place where she was looking for anything romantic. The last thing she had desired up until a pattern had developed with Eliana was a relationship, yet there she sat  with attachments. Her heart selfishly longing a little attention too. Why should her pussy get all the adoration and fun? The only problem was just how comfortable her counterpart seemed with the lazy string of hookups. Like casual was more her way of being than not.

     It hadn’t been easy but for the sake of her relationship with Devon, the sacrifices and changes Annika had been making in the last few months were necessary. She had peeled back from her responsibilities and duties at work to give her girlfriend the attention she desired and deserved. The hope of course had been that she was making a difference, some progress, and that she hadn’t truly been losing the woman she loved because she also loved her job and the money she  made. Women trying to break the glass ceiling, while a little better, was still met with incredible opposition and was a huge challenge to achieve — it was something that Annika hadn’t taken lightly. Months ago, when Devon was ready to let their love go and walk out the door, she had been faced with a bit of an ultimatum. The choice had been made, now she only hoped and was curious if the effort had made a difference.

After a failed marriage, the blonde didn’t feel ready to dive into anything new, and was confident that taking a step back from her relationship with Jameson was the only way to not get swallowed whole by it. It was her decision not to acknowledge how far deep she truly was with her feelings when it came to Jameson that currently filled her with regret. He was so close and at the same time felt more out of reach than he had during her marriage.

Andie’s nerves had never been easily elevated. From a young age she challenged herself and step outside of her comfort zone. She was adventurous to her core, which was part of what had landed her back in stunt work and far removed from law. She wondered if he had even been aware of her drastic decision, but didn’t dwell on it for long.

If tonight went the way she wanted it to, they’d have the time to talk about it all.

She had been in denial for so long in her last relationship. Despite knowledge of Adam cheating, Andie managed to convince herself that they could come back from it…that their love could overcome it. It wasn’t until after the papers were signed that she allowed herself to acknowledge that her heart had been somewhere else for a while now.

She felt like melting into the floor when Jameson focused his attention on her. How was it that with just a look he managed to make her feel like his gaze held more interest than any other man’s ever had with her? Even at a time where his eyes should have held anger or disappointment in her.  Instead, his words and that laugh held a tone that felt forgiving.

Andie Klein hadn’t let her nerves surface since she was a young girl, and here Jameson was, standing in front of her in his perfection challenging her with that exact feeling.

“Jameson,” she matched his greeting, the smile she had been trying to keep at bay surfacing as soon as his laugh filled the space between them. “It’s only fat shaming if you don’t own it…and I ordered for me and six families, actually.” She had been frequenting his favourite restaurant more than normal lately, perhaps a small sense of hope leading her there.

It was easily to see the discomfort immediately as the words left him, though they managed to pry a laugh out of her. “I was going to sign the papers until I read that clause.” Lifting her hand, she ghosted her fingers over his bicep, an attempt at reassurance. “I keep coming here and it just doesn’t taste as good eating it alone…imagine the dinner we could have with both of our orders. And it’s been a while since I’ve been at your place.”

     “I’m pretty sure fat shaming is fat shaming,” he countered with a cocked brow. The detective turned to fully face the blonde and leaned against the counter as he did so. “Wow, you’ve gone from five to six. What’s with the growing appetite?” A small amount of dread filled his gut as the possibilities actually hit him. Maybe Andie and her husband were working on some reconciliation. Or maybe she’d ended up pregnant and they were going to stick it out for the baby. Internally he rolled his eyes at his own random thoughts but given how things had been lately, a little strained between him and her, he really couldn’t help himself. 

                    Did she touch him again?

                         Did she hint that she wanted to have dinner at his place?

     “Alright, you’ve got me here. What was in the clause? I don’t remember a clause… I’m pretty sure you’re just stalling until you can get your food and escape.” It was good to joke around with her again, even if there was some strain to it. “Using me for my Chinese, I see beyond your little ploy here,” he teased with a bit of a smirk on his lips. 

     “So you’re saying you want to bring the buffet amount of food to my place, huh?” This was a bad idea, Jameson knew that even considering it but he couldn’t help himself. There was a weakness when it came to the blonde and he was so wrapped up in feelings for her. It was why he had tried avoiding her lately. Knowing that she was still married made their attachments feel worse, it felt as though what they were doing was just as bad on some level as what her husband had done to her. Yet with her standing right there he really couldn’t help himself. It was too much temptation to fight and the detective had really missed Andie.

     “I guess you better order all your food to go as well,” he said and captured her hand. “I’m picking what we watch on Netflix though.” Immediately offering up something to do beyond eating together felt like the safest route to take. That way they wouldn’t get into any conversations that could possibly lead to their feelings coming to surface and being voiced. “If you can agree to those terms then we can test ourselves and see how we do on putting our takeout together.” Another smirk crossed his lips and he had a hopeful feeling warm his chest. Jameson really wanted her to say yes, despite how bad of an idea it likely was.

ZEPHYR KNOX & GINA NORTH [ no one is like you ] + a starter for / @tylersdurden​

          It seemed as though Zephyr Knox had been waiting awhile for Gina to show up on their date, maybe the other woman wasn’t going to be showing up. Of course, Zephyr wouldn’t blame the gorgeous brunette for not doing so. Things in Zephyr’s life were very much complicated what with Zephyr still living with her husband (whom she was currently separated). Checking her phone, the blonde house wife bit her bottom lip trying not to lose hope. 

        But finally she saw Gina walking across the room towards the table, but by that point Zephyr was already drunk on the three glasses of wine that she’d previously ordered. “I didn’t think you were coming anymore,” she waved her finger around and looked at Gina with a sheepish expression, “I know I’m a lot of crazy so I wasn’t going to be surprised if you decided to ditch me. Honestly, I’m pretty sure you’re way too hot for me as well.”

      Being late for anything was very uncharacteristic for Gina North. Even in retirement from playing shadow games, she still kept tight to schedules and was often five minutes early. However, today ended up being one of those odd and rare days where everything ran behind schedule. The brunette was in the midst of remodeling her house and for the past nearly three weeks her kitchen had been facing an overhaul. Every single appointment she had coming by had been running late, first it had been the plumber that morning and then the granite guy. It was frustrating, especially when she had a date with Zephyr that she didn;t want to miss. Pulling out her phone, she sent a quick text.

          [iMessage]: Hey Blondie. Running a little late but putting on my heels right now and heading out the door. Be there soon.

     When she finally made it, she smiled upon sight of the blonde and made her way to the table where Zephyr sat waiting for her. Gina greeted her with a kiss to the cheek before finding her way into the seat available for her. “It’s been… a day, sorry about that. I sent a text when I was leaving.” A few shifts and the former CIA operative was settled. She lifted her hand to call the waitress and order a whiskey sour as it looked like she had some catching up to do with Zephyr. “You just  might be the right kind of crazy. I don’t know many women that would go on a date with another woman while still married to their husband.” She winked at the blonde. “You’re not mad at me are you? I can always make it up to you if you are.”

        His first words weren’t the smoothest. It was good to see her, that wasn’t a lie, but there were probably a few more favorable words he could have used for seeing his ex-wife after years apart. It probably wasn’t that fair, either, but it was almost as though his tongue was like rapid wildfire and the words then began to roll out afterwards. God forbid he actually got to the root of why he was here and let the cat out of the bag with that one. She looked good, he was stunned in his tracks and for a moment he had to take a breath before she began the questions. “What? No. She’s fine.” Robert murmured and shook his hand, pulling his hand from his pocket to run over his face. What the hell was he even trying to say? He was stumped before he even had a chance to speak, almost as though he was starstruck being in her mere presence. He had this entire speech mapped out in his head that he had gone over again and again during the trip to Miami from Nashville… and yet he was drawing a blank. Snap out of it, Doute. You’re the one that showed at her goddamn door step. He had to kick himself mentally, physically responding to such by dropping his jaw. 

        “My Mom is fine. Healthy as ever actually.” He went on to reiterate, knowing his former answer was confused himself and wanting to clarify. He didn’t blame her for the guess… it had been quite some years, though it made the transition to be a little more awkward. “I’d say I was in the neighborhood but uh… yeah, I never was the best liar.” Ha. “I came to see you. You know how easy it was to find you? Beach house, huh?” He reached up and rocked his knuckle against the wooden door jamb where he stood before her. 

        Robert exhaled a deep breath. “I don’t really have an excuse for being here. I’m not going to lie to you—,” He never did before and he wasn’t about to start that habit now. “I’m in my off season and I wound up here.” For you. “I need to talk to you, before you say anything—,” Robert breathed, his tone shaky, “Hear me out, Jes. Please. I fucked up a long time ago. I was a stupid kid. I—,” Robert began with a shake of his head, already knowing he was walking on thin ice with her. One wrong word and there would be a door slammed in his face and his trek to her would have been for nothing. He leaned forward, almost daring to inch closer to her, his eyes began to bore into Jessica’s pretty and vibrant ones, dampening over his lips. “I messed up a really good thing. You were the best thing, we were the good thing. I know that, but there are three things I need to say to you and I need you to shut up and hear me out before you slam this door on my face.” Perhaps his wording wasn’t the best route, but as presented already, Robert wasn’t smart. 

     Relief washed over Jessica in being assured that his mother was fine, and she breathed out as she slowly nodded her head in acceptance. The only problem with that meant Robert was at her doorstep for another reason and the endless possibilities that raced through her head made her mouth run dry. “Good, uh... that’s good,” the plastic surgeon stammered out then pushed a smile on her lips. Her ex husband looked really good in the flesh and him so close not only was confusing, the brunette also began to feel her nerves come alive. It was her own secret that she’d kept up on Robert’s career, not religiously or regularly but loosely. Mostly she knew where he was as far as the team he played for and how they were faring within the NHL season. Jessica actually tried very hard to avoid having to look at him or see him much, otherwise she’d get little stings and pangs of the past. Aleks didn’t know that the hockey star was her ex, but he was aware that she was married once. Now he was a hockey fan, which made her avoidance difficult sometimes. 

                    I’d say I was in the neighborhood…

                              I came to see you.

     From one statement to the next Jessica suddenly felt like she was in a boxing ring and taking a barrage of jabs right to the body. Her lips parted to say something… anything, but nothing came out at first. This had to have been some fucked up dream or maybe Robert was here because he wanted or needed something and it’d all be over quickly. What could he want or need from her after all these years though? “Don’t…” The petite brunette’s brow furrowed upon watching those thick knuckles rap against her door. “Don’t touch my door.” God, that sounded so juvenile and stupid. Jessica swallowed thickly, like there was honey stuck in her throat, and blinked slowly while taking a breath to steady herself. She sounded more bitter than she expected of herself and she hated that she showed that card to him so quickly. “Easy to find me, huh?” Jess smacked her lips and shifted her weight from one leg to the next. “How easy? Calling my mother doesn’t count. And if you did call her then she’s in trouble for letting you sweet talk her into giving you my address.” What in the hell was he doing all the way down here though?  If he had called her mother, the surgeon was sure as hell her mother wouldn’t have been able to keep quiet about it and would’ve called her immediately. “What’s wrong with a beach house? Did you come here to judge me, Robbie?”

     Everything that followed and rolled out of her ex husband’s mouth stunned her. It was quite literally the last thing she expected to happen. It had been too long, too much time had passed and she had seen how he moved on. And well, she had moved on as well. His demand for her to keep quiet had been unnecessary because he had silenced her with his confessions alone. When he stepped forward Jessica placed her petite hand against his sternum, she couldn’t handle him getting too close. The smell of his cologne was already overwhelming across the threshold. “It doesn’t matter what you need. I don’t owe you anything, Robert,” she fought back against his demands. “You can’t just show up here and do this.” The problem was that she was aching to know what he had to say and why he came all this way for her. For a long moment she stared into his eyes, she wasn’t necessarily ready to give in and hear anything out and she wasn’t sure how easily he’d give up. It seemed to be more of his thing to walk away but his words were twisting around her. If it hadn’t been for her phone ringing in her pocket and reinforcing whatever resolve of hers that had started to crack… 

     Pulling the phone from her pocket she saw Aleks name across the screen along with the picture she had saved with his contact. Fuck, she thought. Her out of town boyfriend checking in with her while her ex husband stood on her front step needing to tell her three things. Jessica held up a finger to Robert and answered the call. “Hey, I wasn’t expecting you to call for another hour or so. Your meeting either went really well or really bad,” she began and pulled away from the door, stepping further into her house and deeper into foyer. “I want to hear all about it but this isn’t a good time for me… umm, something has come up. No, no… it’s not bad. At least I hope not, but… yeah, okay… I’ll call you back later.” She was so flustered she forgot to say ‘I love you’ before hanging up the phone and looking back to Robert.

TUESDAY RADCLIFFE & LENA NOVAK [ practice makes perfect ] + a starter for / @tylersdurden​

         Alright, sure. Tuesday Radcliffe could be selfish at the best of times but the personal trainer really did care for her girlfriend Lea Novak. if only she could express her feelings somehow. Her own mother’s expression of love was gentle and affectionate and same with her Auntie’s Amity and Cam who could never take their hands off one another. And yet, why did Tuesday have such a hard time when it came to gentle emotions of the heart. Since the little escapade of Lena going over to the gym and basically blaming her for looking at other women things had been tense and Tuesday didn’t like it.

        All she wanted was to make things better between her and the other woman but she didn’t know how. The brunette was definitely NOT GOOD at making apologies - not to her girlfriend, not to anyone. Those things were partly why she got arrested a few times, which was something that Lena never let her live down either. Taking a deep breath Tuesday plucked up the courage and knocked on the door hoping that when Lena answered it that she would feel like being civilized for once. 

     It had always been difficult for Lena to admit her insecurities. When they came about, surfaced and nagged at her, the brunette fought them tooth and nail. Usually it was a battle done quietly and in a bit of solitude because she often tried her best to avoid confrontation. Though, it was mostly due to the fact that she wasn’t the best when it came to expressing her emotions. The day she’d caught Tuesday checking out other women hurt, and it caused an immediate riff between them. Lena couldn’t get the slow yet steady stream of doubts that trickled into her conscience after she’d caught her girlfriend, despite how much she tried not to think of it since.

     They’d been somewhat estranged and strained since that argument so she was surprised to find Tuesday at her door. Well, at least unannounced, given the current state of their relationship. She opened the door a little wider and leaned against the frame, not taking her eyes off Tuesday’s face for one minute. “Hey.” What else was she supposed to say? There was such mixed feelings regarding the woman on the other side of the threshold, though she was mostly happy to see the brunette. “Were you in the neighborhood or something?”

SHANE & JAX - FACETIME - DECEMBER 26TH

“We’re missing you over here…how’s it been over there? Are you actually taking the time to enjoy the days off of work, or are you working? ‘Cause if you’re not stuffing your face with good food I’m gonna have to come over there and do something about it. But really…Ava keeps asking about you, but she also is set on the idea of having Christmas with her parents in the same room. Did I also tell you that she made me take her shopping and we ended up being there for four hours? I think I ate 5 hot pretzels, but we got a few surprises for ya. Anyway…fill me in on you or I’m gonna end up going to the kitchen to eat more leftovers, and no one wants that.“

     The southern blonde was nothing but happy smiles and laughter as Jax talked and talked. It was so good to not only hear his voice but also see him, she was hating these forced separations more and more as time went on. As her affections grew for the inn owner so did her attachments and longing.

     “I miss you too. Both of you,” she confessed with another giggle as she stared happily into the screen of her phone. Mossy eyes searched and scanned his entire face, committing it freshly to memory once again. “I think I’m inclined now to tell you that I’m not stuffing my face nor enjoying time off of work...” Because really, she was still working, but also Shane was curious if Jax would make good on his words. “Well, tell Ava I miss her and that I’ll be seeing her soon. I’ve got some gifts for her.” She wondered for a moment if he would elaborate on the parents thing but didn’t want to ask just yet.

     “What’d you get her when shopping? Four hours is really nothing though, especially in this busy time of year.” Shane shook her head, “I think you just want to munch and... I can’t blame you there.” The blonde investor stalled, it wasn’t fun to confess that she was still stuck working throughout the holidays. Mostly, it was habit, years of practice that was hard to break. “There’s not much to fill you in on. I’ve been working and trying to avoid my family. Is there any way I can convince you to make a rescue?”

         Why the hell did he go to these things? Landon asked himself that plenty each and every time he found himself stuffed in a suit with a tie gripped around his neck, constricting his need to breath. He enjoyed the foundation and all it had to offer, but Landon truthfully would have been happier sticking to his office or the halls of the hospital where he was deemed most important ― where his work was, anyway, with his sculpted hands and need to perfect a complicated case. He was a surgeon first and foremost; he wasn’t some schmoozer and he certainly hadn’t been the best at churning out some endless donations. While that evening was technically reserved for his honor, he among the two other young doctor’s that had found themselves in competition for some sort of honored prize to be revealed at the hospital wing, he was already rip roaring and ready to get out of there. The smile on his face and the way he smoothed down his silk tie when speaking to those around him wouldn’t portray such, though. To others, it may seem like he actually wanted to stick around.

        Landon always remained polite, though, so as each and every nurse or business woman had waltzed his way in an attempt to engage in a conversation with him, he would sip from his beverage and chit chat until there was an opening for an exit. His colleagues that he got on with and actually promised a real drink afterwards could only help him so much when they had their own to get to… it wasn’t until there was a wave in his direction and a pretty brunette that was putting his Tinder profile on display for those looking that he was actually saved.

         He smirked a bit. Not obnoxious, not smug, but the way his lips curled and peaked at the corners couldn’t be described as any other. “Excuse me,” Landon soon pardoned himself from the blonde he was speaking to to meander on his way to Selene. “You’re just flashing my profile around to everyone, huh?” His lips curled into a little lopsided smile by then, tugging his phone out when it vibrated from a notification. Congrats! You got a match. Swipe to find out who! He chuckled a bit, twisting his wrist and holding it out to her this time. Since he had received the immediate notification, that had meant that he had already swiped right on her prior… which he had done ages ago for the hell of it. “Looks like we’re a match. I’d say you’ve got good taste.” 

     “Yeah, it looks like you could use the assist. Maybe the flash will boost activity on your profile,” Selene humored and even chuckled softly. Not only were they neighbors, Landon also worked with her sister so she saw him around plenty enough and once she’d arrived the former equestrian learned that this little party was in his honor. Seeing him there wasn’t all that shocking. The event was boring though, certainly not her speed and she couldn’t really find anyone to speak with that held her attention for long. All the doctors in attendance wanted stroking of their ego and that wasn’t something the brunette was so eager to dive into. Selene loved herself an older man but she had learned to be selective. The last thing she wanted was to go through the drama of her past once more, in one way or another. At least with Landon there she had someone she could talk and spend a little time with, there was a comfort in already knowing each other a bit and she found herself able to relax and not force on a smile. Bright curleans glanced at his phone and she chuckled breathlessly before rolling her eyes at seeing their match. This wasn’t the first time and it was becoming comical at this point. “I mean… likewise, Doctor Cooper.” She pointed at her face smiling back at her from his screen. “Lucky you.”

          Talk about a blast from the past. Katie couldn’t recall the last time she had been face to face with the blond and his topaz stare, but it surely had to be somewhere close to their high school graduation. It was at no one’s fault but her own —- both Katie and James had fled the coop once they were both eighteen and tied together legally, and only had been back a handful of times throughout the last decade. James had kept in contact with his friends when he was traveling to and from states with Katie at his side, but for quite awhile, the couple had taken to their own. But for Katie, she knew she was swept up in the life that came with building their own little world to keep her nose dipped into the world of Memphis. In turn because of that, Katie had been out of the loop for those she once hung around with for quite some time. Time had spun and progressed without her presence, and it was only recently that she been filled in with little details here and there. Within the last six months of her moving back home to their home town, Katie had learned of Nathan’s life since she had last been apart of it. The two kids, Levi’s sentence… it was a lot to swallow since James had never cued her in on Nathan’s life, but never an ounce of judgement on her part with what she learned. Seeing Nathan again, Katie didn’t expect a big grand gesture or a proper hello, heck even with old friends she knew there was plenty of time that had passed. There was still that tragedy that brought her back to town in the first place that had to have been a hard hit to the blond as well —- he was the best friend, after all. The loss of her husband and her baby. Katie had assumed he had learned of the death of her husband once it had made it back to their family, and perhaps maybe that was why the duo had been avoiding each other in the first place.

          Licking over her dry lips, Katie straightened her posture once she regained proper balance. She didn’t want this to be awkward, but she was sure there was little she could do to avoid that by now. Maybe she would just have to fake it until they regained footing, if he ever allowed. “Yeah. That’s uh…” Katie trailed off and glanced down at the phone still lit up in her palm, immediately locking the device to slip into her back pocket of her jeans. “—that’s my bad. I’m almost as guilty as the millennials around here.” There was an immediate breeze that came once Nathan had released his grip and she was back left standing alone, unsure of what that meant in the grand scheme of things, but sure surely felt it. Her throat cleared and she almost immediately painted a smile to cross over her lips, not wanting to stall that much longer. “I’m okay. You aren’t that much of a boulder to collide with.” Katie rambled on before her lips had smooshed together, fingers moving up to push her dark hair behind her ear, only to showcase the dangly earrings she custom made herself. “It’s good to see you, though. You look really good. Happy.” Maybe that was a bit of a stretch, Katie hadn’t had the details to know if he was happy or not, but it was making conversation. “How have you been?”

     It wasn’t just history he’d collided with. Smack, body to body, even momentarily with the first and likely only woman he’d truly loved hit Nathan harder than likely anything ever could. That came with the death of a former best friend, one that he stepped back and let have the girl of their dreams. It was over the hardships he’d faced time and time again in his adult life, with two kids and a failed relationship. Then of course the legal troubles and his brother rotting in a prison when it should’ve been him, and the guilt that came with living with that on a daily basis even if the sacrifice was because of his children. Ever since Katie had left town with James he had avoided her and wanted no part of her life anymore. He’d made his own Sophie’s Choice and gave her up when he realized she and James would’ve been happier, not to mention he was able and more capable of giving her a better life. Something the brunette beauty deserved. There were times, early on at least, where Nate thought of what her life would’ve ended up like if he had stepped up rather than stepped back, and it would’ve just been more guilt to build up onto his shoulders. Seeing here there before him though, his hands grasping her and his senses picking up the scent of her perfume — an almost bitterness fell over him. It was painful for a multitude of reasons. She was back and James wasn’t…

     The small glimmer of hope he felt… the devil should’ve risen and swallowed him whole. 

     At most he nodded and his brow furrowed at her comments of millennials and saying he wasn’t much to run into. Whatever that meant. The blond’s throat cleared and his hands slipped into his pockets. Nate’s expression had to have been hard and uninviting, he wasn’t exactly pleased, he truly hated how much this was likely to turn him upside down. While he understood why Katie came back home he wished that she hadn’t because he didn’t want to know that she was this close again, or have another run-in and force himself to have conversation as though she wasn’t once all he ever wanted from the world. Happy? Did she really just say he looked happy? She seemed… awkward? Trying to be nice and friendly and play catchup like they were nothing more or less than old high school buddies having a glass of punch at the reunion? Nate nearly groaned. “You know you don’t have to stand here and have a chat with me, right?” God, he really couldn’t help himself. “You gonna tell me about the weather next or that your ma sent ya on some errands?” A smirk did play on his lips then. There was an edge to his mild tease but there was surprisingly still some true humor in it. “I don’t look good. Or happy, Katie. That’d be like sayin’ you look happy…” How could she be when she’d lost her husband and the love of her life? It was still fresh and raw. She did look good though, something he’d noticed in the numerous times he’s sapphire gaze subtly took her in. Time had been good to her. She still looked so soft and sweet. As he stood there, Nate couldn’t imagine how rough and ragged he appeared. “And you’re not happy are ya?”

             “I don’t look like a murderer? Do you know exactly what murderers look like?” The resident cocked her head to the side as she walked, staring back at the man before her. He denied every point she threw at him and even asked her name, which only confused her. It was very rare that altercations like this blossomed into something meaningful, much like the old days. In fact, it was rare. It didn’t happen anymore, which was why Daniella was actually taken a bit by surprise when he turned his greeting into a prompt for a coffee date. The bold move had actually forced Daniella to tick her brow and stop in her tracks, much to the annoyance of the bystanders that were trailing behind her on the sidewalk. “Are you asking me out?” She asked, blunt as ever. As she remained standing in front of him, the warm hues examined the face that was before her. He wasn’t a salesman, he wasn’t someone harassing her thinking she was someone else… it seemed he really was just after stopping a stranger for her name and coffee. She was cautious, the brow that remained ticked proved that theory, but her lips still parted to speak. She couldn’t always be cold — she might have been closed off to the idea of a relationship, but she still was a social person when she wanted to be. More so after caffeine and some sleep, never after a long shift like that moment. “It’s Daniella.” She shifted her satchel on her shoulder and tucked her phone into it’s pocket, extending her hand. “And you are?”

Even Shane’s small movements managed to captivate Jax’s attention with ease. “I’ll make sure to represent that title at the next bellboy slash bed and breakfast owners conference.” Every time he caught a glimpse of that earth-shattering smile of hers, he found his own smile widening. He let his gaze move over her again as he took her in, wanting to commit everything about her to memory before she was boarding a plane and states away again. There were the little things he had come to notice about her that he found himself thinking about when they were separated. The way her hair fell over her shoulders, often in loose waves. How even though he had only seen her done up, it was easy to see how naturally stunning she was. The way her breath had felt against his ear during their lingering goodbyes, and the way she managed to leave him craving more time with her once she was gone. There were so many things about Shane that had stuck with Jax and had him more excited than he had been in a long time with her return. Her words shook him from his momentary daze, his eyes catching hers as he picked up her bag. “We might end up being too good looking to be out in a small town like this. I might even be bold and whip out a tie.”

The kiss to his cheek partnered with the near ghosting of her hand on his side was almost fleeting, building up a desire to be closer to her that he hadn’t realized was so close to the surface. Normally he was good at keeping attraction at bay, but it hadn’t been since he had first met Ava’s mom that he had experienced an attraction even close to this. He laughed, following as she made her way up the stairs. “I’m a pretty damn responsible man, but no can do…not when your visits are this infrequent. We can come back to it on your next visit.” He used her words as a cue to slip past her, holding the door to her room open and set her bag down. When they were both in the room, he allowed the door to shut and closed the distance between them, his right hand moving to cup her cheek, his thumb tracing softly across her chin and jaw line, his eyes set on her lips. “I’m not sure I can settle for another hug right now.” The closeness had his heart racing, his gaze lifting to hers for a moment before he stepped back, his hands falling to his sides. “So I’m gonna let you freshen up or we’re not getting out of here. I’ll come back in half hour looking as handsome as ever.”

“Wow,” Shane grinned, thoroughly amused and lured by Jax’s humor, “they have whole conferences for bellboy’s slash bed and breakfast owners? That’s incredible. I had no idea there were so many of you.” It was so fun for the billionaire to be so casual and open like this. When Shane was lucky enough to be around Jax, she found it easy to let her guard down and let her true self come out. There was a safety in his warmth and presence. It was scary, especially since no matter what he seemed so oblivious to whom she was or the amount of wealth and history that was attached to her, but for the first time in her life the blonde truly felt wanted for whom she was. Jax picked up on the details of her, not of all that surrounded her, and she supposed that’s why it was so easy to just fall into things with him. Her affections grew fast, whenever they got some time to see one another and even more so it seemed when they were separated by her obligations. That saying ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ was absolutely proving to be true. When he bent down to pick up her bag, she briefly ran her fingers through his hair. “You whip out the tie and we might not even make it away from the Inn.”

When they made it into her room, Shane went to set her purse down on the bed and was unable to hide the smirk that cropped up on her lips when she heard the click of the door as it shut behind Jax. By the time she straightened up and faced him, he had closed the distance between them. Her cheek leaned into his touch and she peered up at the man adoringly. It was hard to fathom how she’d become so lucky to meet someone like him. After all the trouble she’d been through, it felt like it was a little too good to be true. “Are my visits really too infrequent?” Shane knew the answer to that, but she couldn’t help their lighthearted teasing back and forth. “Maybe we can do something about changing that for the future. Any suggestions?” The blonde’s finger gently tugged at the collar of his shirt. “A hug is too much? Well… how about a kiss?” The counter wasn’t going in the right direction, upping the stakes rather than making them easier on each of them. She really couldn’t help herself though. Shane missed his presence so much and the way it felt to be held by him and kissed by him, and for the first time in her life she found herself surrendering to someone. A man that she could see a future with, and she was feeling that even with how new things truly were between them. When he stepped back though, Shane pouted a little. The billionaire wasn’t all that used to not getting what she wanted. Either her presence and power did it, or her looks. “You look more than handsome enough to just stay here and spend some time with me. Or maybe you can help me freshen up.” She took a step closer to him, not ready to let him out of the room without at least a little fight.

Sure, she could have and should have left a note or some sort of acknowledgement that she was slipping out, but the chances of that making things messy rather than a clean exit wasn’t something she leaned towards. One night stands with zero attachment had been working out for her and catered to her lifestyle. It was this exact comfort with securing no attachments when it came to sex that had bumping into the dark haired beauty throwing her for a loop. And it was that very same surprise that was also managing to bring her a sense of relief and comfort.

She worked to ignore the fact that Maya and the desire for another night with the woman through her ride home, and as she showered and got ready for the brunch. She fought even harder to suppress the thought as she let her gaze roam over the breathtaking woman before her, a woman who she might’ve been delusional to skip out on, especially with the teasing she was putting on the table.

Sipping on the mimosa, she watched as Maya interacted with her friend from afar. There was no doubt in her mind that Maya was a natural when it came to socializing in these kinds of settings.

A smile tugged at her lips at the teasing, a reminder of what had drawn Sofia to Maya after that initial physical attraction. She had easily been the most gorgeous woman she’d ever seen step foot in that bar, but it was her way with words and her confidence that had the woman hooked. She was a breath of fresh air in a time when Sofia felt like she was suffocating.

“My neighbour invited me…pretty sure he’s fucking your friend Julie.  And thank you for being considerate…I’m not so into breaking hearts of people who are keeping my friends happy.” Relieved when Maya took the glass, Sofia took a generous sip of her own. “Maybe I’ll reevaluate my rating once I get to taste the food.”

She couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle before polishing off her drink. “You don’t remember inviting me last night?” Sofia took a small step forward, feeling a deep-rooted need to be close to the other woman. “If I knew a shower was involved, I might’ve broken my rule for you, Maya…shame.”

When it came to a woman like Sofia, so remarkably gorgeous and possessing a dynamic personality, it was the most tasking chore in the world to put her attention anywhere but on the honey haired blonde. She was magnetic in a room, and this was only her second day in the same place as Sofia. 

“Oh my god, that’s your friend...?” Maya did attempt to not sound judgmental, but she was sure it wasn’t hidden well. Then there was the fact that she couldn’t resist turning her head to get a glimpse of the male friend, also ignoring the relief she felt that it was male and not some competition for her when it came to Sofia. Although, she never did find out in the limit conversation they had if the blonde before her was into men as well as women. “He’s obnoxiously loud in bed. And he does this weird throat clearing thing...” Maya shrugged, only trying to give the so far one night stander some tips to subtly let her neighbor in on if he wanted to keep fucking Julie.

“But... you’re into breaking hearts otherwise?” A brow quirked at that one and hid her smirk by raising her glass to her lips once more.

Aside from her looks and figure and also her witty personality, Maya knew right then at the mention of food, that it was likely a big part of the draw to Sofia. She didn’t want to get ahead of herself on any fantasies of wining and dining when it came to the slippery one standing in front of her. Maya had already been slipped out on once, and she wasn’t in any rush for it to happen again.

She swallowed thickly, like she had honey stuck in her throat. When really, it was just Sofia and her flirtations and then her presence imposing on her even closer. “Shame on yourself, sweet thing. You played yourself slipping out before I woke this morning.” The brunette shrugged, it was a tit for tat, a play back and forth between two cats and no one willing to be the mouse. 

Taking a few steps away, hoping to lead and lure the blonde to come with her, Maya smiled. “You wanna follow me to the hors d'oeuvres? I suppose we have to get our fill that way since someone couldn’t stay for breakfast this morning.” She winked at Sofia before heading for the table.

Devon leaned her head on her hand and looked at Anna softly. She wanted to believe her girlfriend, she did but it was kind of hard when it seemed as though the person whom Devon was speaking about was always getting in the way of her and Annika. “And it pains me when you don’t validate my feelings. But honestly, what else is new?” Devon asked not meaning to sound as harsh as she’d just been but she was feeling as though her heart had been slowly shattering in two for a long time. It was like those shards were now all over the floor in a thousand pieces and yet she was still having to explain herself to her girlfriend who just didn’t seem to fucking understand. 

“Well if you think explaining things is just a broken record on constant repeat than maybe there’s no point - maybe there’s something else that’s broken between us.” Devon swallowed thickly trying not to let this conversation get her but it was kind of past that point. She was feeling it and Devon could tell because of that that her depression was over taking her entire being. 

“How else am I supposed to make it clear why I don’t trust you? You play with my feelings and that’s not okay. I feel like you’re never here, you’re never around. Like you’re a ghost. And you know that I already have too many ghosts in my life to have yet one more.”

Her girlfriend’s reply put her in her seat, and Annika shut her eyes for a moment while she sighed through the pain she felt in her chest. She was closed off, had never been good at expressing herself and her feelings in a manner that were well received. In fact, whenever she did it always seemed to create a greater divide and more problems. Which, in turn, kept Annika from opening up and instead made her shut down certain parts of herself.

“I’m sorry I make you feel that way,” she finally said, sincerely. “Your feelings matter to me. More than anyone else’s.”

There was some thought of asking what she kept doing wrong and how could she fix this, but Annika was afraid she’d be met with a wall. Maybe it was more so that she was terrified of the answer, or even worse, that she wasn’t any good for Devon and this relationship. “That’s not exactly what I meant, Devon.” She tried to reason with the blonde, some sadness setting into her gaze upon the woman. “You feel I’m not validating your feelings, and I’m just trying to tell you again and again that there’s no one before you. I’m with you.”

Yikes. Okay - so apparently Tuesday’s reassuring words hadn’t exactly worked on Lena. The trainer understood that with how the other woman had responded to her explanation. “Baby girl, seriously. There is nothing there between her and I. She’s my coworker, that’s it.” Tuesday waved her arm around in the air as she did so when she talked - she moved her hands a lot, it was one of her signature traits or at least others told her so.  

“What else do you want me to say about it? I’m a women who is gay. I have eyes, she was hot. But nothing would ever happen.” Tuesday went on, wondering if she was making herself more in trouble than she had been before. Maybe considering how Lena was looking at her, maybe she should just shut up and be quiet. 

Crossing her arms over her chest, Tuesday tilted her head to the side and stared at Lena in slight annoyance. Didn’t the other woman see that Tuesday was trying? “Look, before you I didn’t do the whole exclusivity thing. I slept around. So I’m trying here. At least give me a little bit of credit for that - Jesus.”

Pursing her lips, there was a slow bob of Lena’s head as Tuesday responded. She would accept that fact that there was over reaction on her part, she was young and insecure, but most importantly she was working on growth. The trust issues she had stemmed long before her relationship with the brunette before her began, and given that the trainer didn’t know of them Lena couldn’t expect her to know her sensitives.

When it came to it though, the meaning of only having eyes for one person wasn’t lost on her. Lena knew if you liked and wanted someone enough that there was no such thing as wandering eyes. “I’m also a woman who is gay that isn’t checking out my co-workers.” To make that matter worse, Tuesday had done it blatantly right in front of her. It left all the room for doubt now because how was it when she wasn’t around as witness? “She was hot,” the brunette shrugged though she honestly hadn’t paid attention in that way, “maybe something should happen.”

The annoyance on Tuesday’s face was clear and she felt all the more defeated, so Lena sighed and simply gave up. She wasn’t about to cause a scene anyway. “You can have all the credit in the world for trying. Just don’t use it as a crutch after you’ve made a commitment to someone.”

WHEN LOVE IS ON THE MEND, ONE IS NEVER THE BEST AT LETTING GO / ROBERT & JESSICA.

— @rathleaguewrites.

           It hadn’t been a difficult task finding out where the Jessica lived, and it was almost a bit concerning how easy it was for the townsfolk to point him in the right direction. All because he was some sort of celebrity within the eyes of the community —- Miami was littered with them, but seeing the dreamboat of a hockey player in the flesh seemed to be the easy enough trick to get directions to this condo scribbled on a piece of paper when he deemed himself lost. Either way, Robert was still pretty thankful of the kindest those around him him took when it came to taking pity on him, because it had only taken him a mere hour and a half from that morning to find himself at her doorstep. Nerve-wracked, shaken, but standing tall to rock his knuckles up against the wooden door.

          He couldn’t even begin to remember how long it had been since he had last crossed paths with Jessica. In between his final goodbye and leaving her behind, there wasn’t much contact for years on end. For awhile that was exactly what Robert was seeking… moving on to find something redeeming with his life. No one knew much about him, not really, and that’s how he preferred. Robert did his best to forget those he had left behind before moving to Nashville and getting drafted by a the Predators; no one had really pushed him to succeed, or believed that he’d get on the rink one day. As ironic as it was, the only person who had was the woman that had drafted up divorce papers in between.

           Finally, it had taken him ages to finally wrap his head around what exactly he had done. He was nearing his forties and only had so much time on the team left. Years tucked under his belt was one thing, but the realization that he had lost another was weighing on him. He knew he shouldn’t have showed up — he did it anyway.

          Robert hadn’t expected a warm welcoming from her, he would have been foolish to think he would have anything remotely warm when it came to his presence. Still, he had mentally prepared himself for anything when she were to open the door. He just prayed it would be her and her only on the other side, not that he had much right to hope. Clearing his throat, the hockey player drummed his knuckles against the door again and took a step back, waiting for that creek of the hinges before she finally came into view. “Hey.” He was quick to say, wanting to chime in before she had an opportunity to slam the door in his face when she released who was on the other side. He couldn’t quite the describe the feeling in his chest the first moment he laid eyes on her again —- there in that very moment, as if they had not been apart for years, as if they hadn’t aged and become new people. She was still the same… a few unnoticeable crease lines on her forehead from too much frowning he was sure, her hair longer but still the same shade of brown he remembered. She even smelled the same, no doubt sticking with her favorite scent over the years. That made his stomach churn a bit. “God, it’s good to see you.”

You never forget your first love. It was a universal sentiment and warning, and Jessica knew exactly how many years had passed since Robert had handed her divorce papers. A moment like that, when your world collapses and fractures you right through your chest, was a memory that clung to the now plastic surgeon like hardened and faded scar tissue. The first couple of years without Robert had been torture, to have to sit and watch him run off and live his dream — one that she had supported him on and went to all of his amateur games and sat through practices, for him to just drop and ditch her the moment he made it...

I'm the one that always cleaned your wounds I wiped your brow And told you were more than what they saw Sacrificed myself until you knew you could believe

Eventually, Jessica got over it. She had worked hard on her own success and made it through medical school without him there for her at the end. Then there was residency and finally working as a surgeon. The brunette had done so well for herself that she was able to open up her own practice in Miami, and she also had found a man that wasn’t intimated by her success but supported her and acted as a cheerleader while running his own software business. They had a beautiful home right on the beach, but no children. Jessica had always wanted them, it was just a dream she had with Robert that she couldn’t see doing with anyone else.

On her way out the door, a rare day off, Jessica was going to meet a girlfriend for lunch since her boyfriend Aleksander was on a business trip somewhere in Europe. There was a knocking sound on her front door that she wasn’t expecting as she was slipping her feet into a new pair of designer heels. The surgeon figured it was just another delivery for Aleks and made no rush to answer. Though, when she finally pulled the door open — she was sure her heart stopped.

“What —?” The brunette stammered, completely stunned and staring up at her ex-husband with a long subdued pain in her chest resurfacing. God, it’s good to see you. “Robert, wha—” She couldn’t seem to get any words out. Many years ago she had let go of the chance that she’d ever see him again, gave up on it after so long of thinking and dreaming of what she’d say in a moment like this after it never happening. Her mouth felt drier than the Sahara, and Jessica felt a little light headed so she rested her hand on the door frame just in case.

It took her a few tries but she finally spit it out. The only reason why she could think he’d be on her doorstep then... “What’s wrong, is your mother sick? She pass away?”

It was her sister’s work thing, whatever it was — Selene actually wished she paid a little more attention to what the party was for when she invited herself along to Ettie’s social hour among co-workers. One thing she specifically remembered was her older sister mentioning the word party, and it was clear then as she leaned against the wall right before where the hallway began that the definitions of party varied person to person.

Boring wasn’t the right adjective, so Selene refused to think so. She’d just set herself up for failure the moment she had assumed and demanded to be brought along rather than actually questioning all the details.

“Ugh —” The brunette groaned and she swiped through another profile on her Tinder app. It was what she had been busying herself with to avoid the mindless chatter everyone was partaking in. All the hospital gossip, doctor jargon, and general insider conversations of people who worked together so much and knew each others families and friends made her feel left out. Not that the Olympic Gold Medalist was trying all that hard. Selene had wanted to meet someone, flirt, and maybe snag the attention of a doctor. If that had failed though then she had hoped for at least some dancing and good food.

The equestrian groaned when Landon’s picture popped up next. There was his profile again. “Of course he’s a nearby match, he’s in the freakin’ room,” Selene muttered quietly in her Tennessee drawl to the app who clearly had it wrong. She had actually lost count at how often Landon had popped up as a match, and it wasn’t that her neighbor was unattractive, quite the opposite actually...