Jake Masters had become what he had always wanted to be and so did I. We just did it without each other. There were a thousand good reasons why it never happened between us. But just like when we were young, I tended to forget them when I was around him.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6A05lHMNMV
I had seen him on several magazine covers. Most of them were paparazzi tabloid shots with him and the rest of his band partying in LA or Europe. I had caught their Grammy performance, my husband chuckling about the lead singer’s odd choice of neon pants. I had said nothing but turned back to tossing a salad. I peeked back at the widescreen TV and spied him under the strobe light. Jake was understated, jeans and a white t-shirt. The same outfit he had been wearing the last time I saw him as I was leaving Nashville that final Sunday morning. copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lEd9wyNWT
New England autumn was ablaze in our hometown. I was visiting my parents and I braked at the crosswalk, my three year old son babbling in the backseat. Jake crossed the street, his coat collar pulled up to his ears. His sunglasses occupied half of his triangular face, long messy curls in the same style as they had been when we were in college. He gave a short, anonymous wave without looking at my car.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oeGoMJPqT
White knuckles gripped the wheel, my brain shooting back to that time of my life. It was like when I heard the song that played the night we sat on the jetty watching the guests dance at a wedding across the water. We had shared a bottle of beer and I told him about my first heartbreak. We were twenty one years old and thought we were all grown up. In reality, we were only old enough to buy the beer ourselves and that was it.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCFvqqc9W9
A car beeped behind me and I jolted, blinking down at my wedding ring. When I looked back up, Jake had hesitated on the sidewalk. He took off his glasses and met my eyes. He recognized me.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡdANdw96LVq
“Mama?” Steven chirped from his car seat. “Mama, we going?”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTKsC5hFZY
“Yes baby,” I breathed.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1tzHQAqD0
Jake lifted a hand and gave me a real wave. I returned the gesture with a shaky smile and drove towards the grocery store. Pulling into a parking space, I tried to catch my breath. But all I could feel were his fingers tucking my hair behind my ear, the rainy morning sunlight spilling through his basement apartment window onto the bed, I’ve never seen you more beautiful than you are this morning.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡLA0TLSgwj3
I got Steven out of the car and into a grocery cart. Numb and with a half-smile, I bought him a donut hole at the bakery to munch while I went through the motions. Avocado, banana, grape tomato, baby spinach. I marked off the produce section on my grocery list. Cheerios, coffee, whole wheat bread, frozen pizza. I couldn’t remember if I needed anything else. Waiting in the checkout line, I fumbled through my purse muttering to myself. What was I missing? My keys? My wallet was there thankfully.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTcR1OyBT1
“Mama, something is wrong.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkLkOHvfLi
“What baby?” I asked breathlessly, unzipping the front pocket on my purse.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lTopUV3uF
“Something is wrong with you.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0q0MZoB2W6
“What’s wrong with me?”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡcM8tcP6FJM
“You let me eat two donuts,” Steven stated succinctly. He was sounding more like his accountant father every day. "You never let me eat two donuts.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFDojWmkqD
I sighed and looked up. He grinned and the knot in my gut melted away as it always did when I looked at him. "Well, I thought you were being especially good today.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TQJEMMfw3
“Isn’t it because you love me so much?” He gave me a baby smirk. I shook my head, seeing myself in the cheeky twinkle of his eye.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡDohuims5uk
“Yes, I suppose.” I leaned my head in and bumped noses with him.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfmg3KMjre
As I was signing the electronic signature while the teenage bagger was loading up my cart, Steven tugged on the corduroy sleeve of my jacket. 526Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFqvuJ7UGm
copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡDN9RsCo9wG
“Just a second, Steven. Let mommy finish-“copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIFkX6PuuT
“Mama, why is that man looking at you?”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpjIjLxhVa
I glanced up at the glass window in front of us. Jake was leaning into the glass, biting his lower lip. He tapped the window with the tip of his finger and nodded at me.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡYewBSouB61
“Mam? Your receipt,” the bored looking cashier with the bad acne insisted, holding out a fluttering sheet of numbers.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fkkS6N1Zs
“Who is that?” Steven insisted. "He looks funny.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡnM4VWO3sLe
I lifted a hand weakly and pushed the cart towards the exit. “An old friend of mommy’s, baby.” copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡO48uLC3haG
There was no avoiding him. He was standing with his back to me as I pulled out of the automatic doors. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his leather jacket, glasses tucked in his breastpocket. His smile was the one you plastered on your face at a ten year class reunion. copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYsfUJZsLw
“Norah Miniver,” he stated boldly as I stopped next to him.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUe8SA1UK7
“It’s Fabrizio now.” I lifted my left hand and wiggled my wedding band without thinking. I inwardly cringed and hoped that hadn’t looked bitter.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PLeY6zmWU
Jake’s expression didn’t change, his smile not reaching his spice brown eyes. “Oh yeah, I think my mom told me when you got married. Congratulations…on everything.” He motioned towards Steven.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmRxveww06
“You also.” I had gathered myself enough to glaze my voice with the same programmed politeness. “I saw you on TV a few months ago with the Grammys. You guys were great.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAX1IM9Z7V
“Thanks, we got another album coming out next year. Hoping for more than a nod at the awards.” He shrugged, rubbing the back of his head.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡAechnn5nPB
“Better be careful walking around without your celebrity disguise, you’ll get mobbed.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡtokX6AHQbh
Jake shook his curly head. I remembered tangling my fingers in his hair that evening on his family’s boat with his head in my lap. We had been watching the Red Sox play on TV. They had lost.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaPDpEV0YL
“Around here?” His voice rocked me out of my reminiscence. “Nah, I’m just Reggie and Velma Masters’ eldest son. The one who didn’t take over my dad’s law firm and went the irresponsible route.” He chuckled with a shrug. “I suppose no matter how successful a musician you are, you’re still not considered a grown up. Not like you, at least.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWfuuHu0rS
He hadn’t meant it as an insult but I shrunk back a little, feeling matronly. In my faded jeans, sneakers and jacket from two years ago, I was thankful I had actually done my hair that morning. Visiting my parents while my husband was on a business trip, I was in perpetual weekend mom mode. And I looked it.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPOqH9FzsB
Jake sensed my hesitation and chuckled again. “You look great.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvHOyGHyQY
I gave a dismissing wave with a huff. “Sure.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡSacSTfXGED
“No really.” He met my eyes, the corners of his lips falling a little. “You really do.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxpJyeDik4
It was that first summer we were together. I was flying back for the fall semester the next day and we were saying goodbye in the parking lot of the marina. He was holding me to him, his palms warm at the small of my back. He exhaled heavily through his nose and pressed his forehead to mine.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡxG27t2S3u3
“You need a haircut,” Steven stated simply, staring at Jake.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYdB8hOHQu
My mouth dropped open as Jake barked out a laugh. “What? My mom said the same thing!”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVsmXcZBoI
Steven smirked. “My mom would too.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjfxVtE6sR
“And she’d be right.” Jake winked at him, then peered at the cart full of plastic bags. “Can I help you get these in the car?”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA2MTaOnfS
I shook my head. “No, no, don’t worry about it-“copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKW4L20DWz
“C’mon, let me give you a hand. My mom would kill me if I didn’t insist.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡfr9dRbfDUT
I knew it wouldn’t hurt. It was an innocent offer, he was only being polite. I nodded my consent and he walked beside the cart as I pushed it towards my jeep. I cringed at how dusty it was from the drive up the week earlier. There was a stroller in the trunk, a few baby toys, even a pacifier that had never made it into the house even though Steven hadn’t used one in years. I blushed and pushed the stuff out of the way, feeling even more unglamorous.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DxivAznIX
“Soccer mom, huh?” he joked, dropping a few bags into the vehicle.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOu04k6RQ5
I gave a breathy laugh and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Something like that.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡpL1wyTDB5j
As he lifted another bag, his jacket slid open. I caught sight of his shirt and laughed out loud. “You still have that t-shirt?”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3852r8WVw3
It was plain except for block letters that read ‘The Stringcheese Incident’. It was one of those obscure bands he loved. He had been wearing it the first time I had seen him since we had graduated high school. copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡH61je2STLQ
Jake and I had gone all through school barely talking to each other. We didn’t become friends until we were well into our college years. Back in high school, I never would have thought I’d one day fall for Jake Masters. But I had.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJHJy6uIs1
“Hell yeah!” he exclaimed, pursing his lips after swearing and glancing at Steven as I lifted him out of the cart. “Sorry.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxj8BZ6Z8a
“Its fine.” I shook my head with a smile. "Do you remember what I said to you that night at Joe Foster’s fourth of July party?”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSUMfx7gm4
“You asked me what happened to the Stringcheese, if they were ok.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡYG69b5eM7i
I scrunched up my nose. “I was drunk and thought I was being cute.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmO4u89UXw
“You were cute." He tightened his mouth after he said it. The words hung between us like specks of dust, suspended and present.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMuQV452bk
“Mama, your shoe.” Steven tugged my collar. I hugged his little body to my side and glanced down. My laces had come undone on one of my Keds.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7clrOEJw0w
Before I could set Steven down and fix the problem, Jake knelt to the ground. I held my breath as he tied my shoe for me. Inexplicably, tears pricked the back of my eyes. I blinked them away, staring into the brisk November breeze as he stood back up. He didn’t meet my gaze.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4yX2OnTiN
Marching towards the back seat, I strapped Steven into the car. I kissed his forehead, breathing in the scent of his black curls like a cure-all. I shut the door, rubbing my hands together as I turned towards Jake. He kicked an acorn towards the Jetta parked next to me and glanced up.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Jf1ZENlIG
“You look happy, I’m glad,” he managed, his hands back in his pockets.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBsgSgO877
“You do too. You got your dream. The band, the music, everything. You’re doing what you love." I smiled. “I’m proud of you.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xDngvNKcL
“And you’re a good mom. I always knew you would be.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIAPL2HjsT
There it was again, that knot in my throat. I wondered if he knew how many times I had imagined if things had happened differently. What if I hadn’t left Nashville that last Sunday morning when we were twenty-three but stayed. I could have found work in the city and he would have made it big. Someday we would have been married, maybe. But I had wanted something simple. I wanted to settle down at twenty four, not thirty four. I wondered if Jake would ever settle down. He was married to his guitar.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡt240YruFpV
He took a step forward. His dark eyes were trained on mine like a target that he knew he would miss but wanted to try just to same. "Nine years after the fact and you’re still the only one I could ever imagine coming home to.”copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlBSVUT7P5
I broke the connection and glanced over at the backseat window. Steven was watching with his father’s green eyes. I had met Gregory Fabrizio, the kind and honest recent accountant graduate, not five months after I had left Nashville. I had said yes to his proposal here in my hometown by the ocean on Christmas Eve of that year. I had said yes to him. And I still meant it.copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75MewODOVp
“I wish you nothing but the best, Jake. You’re a good man.” copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0X7zpCh6h
I didn’t look in the rear view mirror as I drove away. copyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBx20OiS7V
Jake and Norah's song on the jettycopyright protection522ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrP23jNlwn
