Wednesday night. Mariano house.
Jay sat on her bed, staring at her phone.
No messages. For three hours.
She'd texted Keifer at 6pm. Home safe. Miss you already.
Nothing.
7pm. You eating?
Nothing.
8pm. Keifer. Reply.
Nothing.
Now it was 9pm and she was losing her mind.
"He's probably working," she muttered to herself. "He's always working. It's fine. I'm fine."
She was not fine.
A knock on her door. Percy poked his head in.
"Why do you look like someone killed your dog?"
"We don't have a dog."
"Figure of speech. What's wrong?"
Jay held up her phone. "He hasn't replied in three hours."
Percy checked his watch. "Three hours? That's it?"
"THREE HOURS IS A LONG TIME."
"For normal people, no. For you? Apparently yes."
"He always replies within an hour. Always. What if something happened? What if he's dead?"
"Jay. He's not dead."
"WHAT IF HE IS?"
Percy sighed. Walked in. Sat on her bed.
"Okay. Breathe. He's probably in a meeting. Or asleep. Or his phone died."
"Or dead."
"You need help."
"I need KEIFER."
Percy grabbed her phone. Before she could stop him, he called Keifer.
Put it on speaker.
One ring. Two rings. Three—
"Jay?"
Keifer's voice. Tired. Confused.
Jay grabbed the phone. "KEIFER. WHERE WERE YOU."
Silence. Then a low laugh.
"I missed you too, love."
"I'm not—I wasn't—you didn't reply for THREE HOURS."
"My phone died. I was in a meeting. Then it died. I just plugged it in."
"You could have died."
"The meeting wasn't that boring."
"KEIFER."
He laughed again. Actually laughed. "I'm sorry, baby. I should have told you. I'll charge my phone better."
Jay deflated. "Okay. Fine. Whatever."
"You worried?"
"No."
"Liar."
"Shut up."
"Make me."
Percy made gagging noises. Jay threw a pillow at him. He dodged.
"Percy's there?" Keifer asked.
"Sadly."
"Tell him Honey says hi."
Percy perked up. "She does? Tell her I say hi back. And that I miss her. And that she's pretty."
Jay repeated it. Keifer laughed.
"She says you're weird but cute."
"ACCURATE."
Jay kicked Percy out. Finally alone.
She lay back on her bed. Phone to her ear.
"You really worried?" Keifer asked quietly.
"Maybe."
"Jay."
"Fine. Yes. I worried. Happy?"
"Very."
She smiled. Stupid. But real.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Lying in bed. Staring at the ceiling. Missing you."
"Corny."
"True."
She bit her lip. "I miss you too."
"How much?"
"This much." She held her arms wide. Then realized he couldn't see. "A lot."
"I wish you were here."
"Me too."
Silence. But comfortable.
"Jay?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad you're mine."
Her heart flipped.
"I'm glad you're mine too," she whispered. "Even though you're annoying."
"Even though you're loud."
"Perfect match."
"Perfect match."
They talked for another hour. About nothing. About everything.
When they finally hung up, Jay smiled at her ceiling.
Three hours of panic. Worth it for this.
Across town, Watson house.
Keifer lay in bed, phone on his chest, staring at the ceiling.
Smiling.
Keigan walked past his open door. Stopped. Stared.
"You're smiling. Like actually smiling. It's creepy."
Keifer didn't move. "Go away."
"You just talked to her for an hour. I heard you laughing."
"So?"
"So you never laugh. You're the ice king. The robot. The—"
"Keigan."
"Yeah?"
"Go away before I make you."
Keigan grinned. "Love you too, bro." He left.
Keifer shook his head. Still smiling.
He grabbed his phone. Texted Jay.
Keifer: Can't sleep.
Jay: Me neither.
Keifer: Thinking of you.
Jay: Same.
Keifer: Wish you were here.
Jay: Same times a million.
Keifer: Tomorrow?
Jay: Work. But dinner?
Keifer: Your place or mine?
Jay: Yours. Your bed is more comfortable.
Keifer: My bed misses you.
Jay: Your bed or you?
Keifer: Both.
Jay: Corny.
Keifer: Shut up.
Jay: Make me.
Keifer: Tomorrow. I will.
Jay: Promise?
Keifer: Always.
She sent a heart. He saved it.
Thursday morning. Watson Enterprises.
Keifer walked in at 7 am. Coffee in hand. Actually looking... rested?
Honey stared. "Did you... sleep?"
"Some."
"And you're... smiling?"
"Focus, Honey."
"You NEVER smile. What happened?"
Keifer didn't answer. Just walked into his office.
But Honey saw his phone. The wallpaper.
Jay. Asleep on his chest. Photo from the couch. The one Keigan took.
Honey grinned. "Love looks good on him."
Percy appeared behind her. "Told you."
She jumped. "How do you keep doing that?"
"Ninja skills." He kissed her cheek. "Also your boss is whipped."
"Always has been."
They walked to their desks. Holding hands.
Life was good.
That night. Watson house. 7 pm.
Jay arrived to chaos.
Keizer was cooking. Badly. Smoke coming from the kitchen.
Serina was calmly reading on the couch, ignoring it.
Keigan was on his phone, recording everything.
Keiren was running around with a toy sword.
And Keifer stood by the door. Waiting.
"You're late," he said.
"Five minutes."
"I counted."
She smiled. Stepped inside. "Miss me?"
"Always."
He kissed her. Quick. Soft.
Keizer yelled from the kitchen, "JAY! BABY! DINNER ALMOST READY!"
"Is it safe?" Jay called back.
"...NO! BUT WE'LL EAT IT ANYWAY!"
Jay laughed. Keifer shook his head.
"Your family," she said.
"Our family," he corrected.
She leaned into him. "Our family."
They walked in together.
Dinner was chaotic. Food slightly burnt. Laughter loud. Keiren spilling juice. Keigan arguing with Keizer. Serina calm as always.
Jay looked around. At all of them.
Her family now.
Keifer's hand found hers under the table. Squeezed.
She squeezed back.
Later, after dinner, they sat on the back porch. Alone.
"Today was crazy," Jay said.
"Every day is crazy."
"True." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "But I like it."
"Me too."
"Even the burnt food?"
He almost-smiled. "Even that."
She looked up at him. "I love you, Keifer Watson."
He kissed her forehead. "I love you, Jasper Jean Mariano."
"Our kids are gonna be so weird."
"So weird."
"Perfect."
"Perfect."
They watched the stars.
And for once, neither one was counting the minutes.
They had forever.