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Chapter 24: Kent
Last Updated:
2023-03-18 09:48:44
owlonmywristSorry that I didn't post on Wednesday. I was in the hospital trying to break a migraine. I'll post another chapter tomorrow to make up for it. Stupid, stupid boys! *sniffling into a Kleenex*
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Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 25: Cole
I’m a coward.I know I am. On Monday, while Kent was at work, I moved out without telling him. All weekend I’d secretly packed my stuff, and by the time Monday rolled around, everything was ready. Kent never noticed because he’d been preoccupied, giving me enough space to slip away quietly.I left him a note—the ultimate coward’s move. I told him I loved him. It felt manipulative even as I wrote it, but I needed him to understand why I was leaving. It wasn’t about revenge or anger; it was about protecting what little of my heart was left intact.I couldn’t stay. Not when he’d started bringing other guys home. Not when the thought of seeing him with someone else felt like a knife twisting deeper into my chest. Yeah, maybe it was immature. Maybe it was selfish. But I couldn’t handle being his backup plan anymore.Besides, I knew this was bound to happen eventually. COVID threw us together, created something out of desperation and isolation. Without it, Kent would never have seen me as an
Last Updated : 2023-03-19Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 26: Kent
An entire month without Cole.I still can’t believe he’s been gone this long. Every day I miss him. At first, it was nearly impossible to get out of bed. I was depressed, empty. I even moved my mattress into his old room just to sleep somewhere that still smelled like him. It was the only thing that calmed me enough to sleep.As days turned into weeks, things slowly got easier, but I avoided the apartment as much as possible. Every inch of it reminded me of Cole, especially at meal times. Even on the nights we didn’t eat together, Cole always had food waiting in the fridge with little heating instructions scribbled on Post-it notes. After the first week, the last meal was gone, and it felt like losing him all over again.There were so many nights I nearly called him, so I eventually deleted his number from my phone just to remove the temptation. Star still has it if I absolutely need it, but it felt important to create that distance. If Cole calls me, the phone will recognize him anywa
Last Updated : 2023-03-21Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 27: Cole
An entire month without Kent.I thought it would’ve been…worse? Okay, that sounds bad—and it’s not completely true. The first few days were brutal. The ache of missing him was nearly unbearable. But after that initial wave passed, I got so busy with my catering business that I genuinely didn’t have time to dwell.Suddenly, a month had gone by, and I realized two things:One: My business had grown so fast I needed to hire more staff immediately.Two: It had been a month since I'd spoken to Kent, and I’d survived. Hell, I was doing better than just surviving.Did I miss Kent? Of course. I missed our friendship, the comfort of his company, and the ease we’d once had. But what I didn’t miss was the drama, the heartache, the constant insecurity that had come to define our relationship.Jessie had been pushing me to reconnect with old friends and to meet some of hers. My social life expanded beyond the circle Kent and I had shared, and honestly, it felt good. I didn’t feel weighed down by he
Last Updated : 2023-03-23Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 28: Kent
When Cole called to say he wanted to meet, I nearly dropped my phone.The second we hung up, I video-called Star, barely able to breathe through my excitement. “Bitch! We have to talk—now! I've got major tea!”“Spill it!” Star squealed, immediately matching my chaotic energy. This is why I loved Star; their ability to instantly match whatever mood I was in.“Cole called. He wants to meet me tomorrow afternoon!” My voice rose so high I probably sounded like a dog whistle.Star's jaw dropped, and they blinked rapidly. “Wait—are you serious?”“You don’t have to sound so shocked!”Star grimaced apologetically. “Kent, baby, I love you, but I genuinely thought this was done. I figured therapy was helping you move past him, not back toward him.”I stared at them, momentarily thrown. “You seriously didn’t think we had a shot?”Star shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “I mean... sorry?”I wanted to be annoyed, but my joy wouldn’t allow it. “Whatever. I'm too happy to fight with you now. But you ow
Last Updated : 2023-03-25Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 29: Kent
TRIGGER WARNING: Discussions of suicide and attempted suicide. Read at your own discretion.“How are you feeling today, Kent? You’re looking better—there’s more color in your cheeks.” My therapist, Allison, is watching me closely, her tone gentle but probing.I force a small smile, shifting in the plush chair of her office. “Yeah. Star dragged me to the flea market Saturday. They made me put on, like, an entire bottle of sunscreen. Said they were worried I’d turn into ash like a vampire,” I joke weakly, managing a short chuckle.It’s been three months since that disastrous meeting with Cole.When Cole said he didn’t want me anymore, I ran from the café without looking back. Ignored his desperate calls, his pleading voice. I barricaded myself in the apartment, locked him out, and then I fell apart.Cole banged on the door, begging me to let him in, pleading for me to talk to him. But I just lay there, curled up in bed, crying so hard I couldn’t breathe. I knew I couldn’t go back to just
Last Updated : 2023-03-28Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 30: Cole
1 Year Later…“Who dips french fries in their ice cream? That should be illegal. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not defile perfectly good fries with ice cream,” I tease Evan, grimacing as he dips another fry into his Wendy’s Frosty.He grins, completely unfazed. “You don’t know what you’re missing. It’s the perfect combo—salty and sweet. Like little orgasms for your tastebuds.”I smirk, leaning in close. “I’ll give you an orgasm for your mouth.”He chuckles before meeting me halfway, kissing me deeply. Evan has this way of taking charge—confident but gentle, playful yet passionate. He pulls away just enough to murmur against my lips, “Promises, promises.”We’ve been together about two months now and recently decided to be exclusive. I don’t know if Evan’s the one, but he’s definitely someone I can see myself falling in love with. After Zoe and especially Kent, it took many late-night conversations with Jessie and plenty of reassurance from Star before I
Last Updated : 2023-03-30Love in the Time of Quarantine Story 3: Jonathan and Alexis - Chapter 1: Alexis
“Ms. Park! Where the hell is my lunch and the itinerary for the trip?!”I just love it when he yells. It really makes me feel like such a valuable employee. Seriously, all warm and fuzzy inside.Thick, heavy sarcasm.That’s my boss, Jonathan Wilson. THE Jonathan Wilson of Wilson Cybersecurities. THE Jonathan Wilson of the top cybersecurity firm in the country—one of the top five in the world. Notorious hard ass. Notorious playboy. Notorious asshole. And my boss.The man is like the male version of the boss from The Devil Wears Prada. Task master. Dictator. Emphasis on the DICK. He has high demands and even higher expectations. He doesn’t care who you are or what other responsibilities you may have. You will stay and finish whatever he’s tasked you to do—to his specifications and satisfaction. If I didn’t get such amazing pay, huge benefits, and had an astronomical amount of debt that my late, gambling-addicted father left me with, there’s no way I’d stay in this job.But I need it
Last Updated : 2023-04-01Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 2: Jonathan
I fucking love pissing her off.To the point of distraction—where she doesn’t even realize the show she’s giving me with that low-cut shirt every time she bends over her desk. She thinks I can’t see her.But whenever Alexis is in the room, my eyes are always on her.It’s why she has to sit behind me in meetings. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to focus.I knew the second my food arrived—had Andy at security call me the moment she stepped into the elevator with it. And yes, I saw the itinerary she placed front and center on my desk. You’d have to be blind not to. The woman is nothing if not efficient. So efficient, in fact, that I’ve had to get downright devious just to throw her off balance.Does she deserve it? Absolutely not.She’s incredible. Takes care of her mother—recently moved into a nursing home. Carries the crushing debt her late father left behind. Still searching for her addict brother who disappeared years ago. And she does all of it while working for me.I know I’m de
Last Updated : 2023-04-04
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Love in the Time of Quarantine Author's Note
Hey friends! Thank you so much for reading Love in the Time of Quarantine. I hope that you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. Here are a couple of announcements/interesting information for you. 1. If you are interested in what I listen to while I’m writing, you can find my playlist “Creative Juices” on Spotify. I love all different kinds of music, so there's a little something for everyone. 2. Other books on GoodNovel: Trio of Mates Series: 4 werewolf books that take on the idea of what would happen if one of the leadership was gay and couldn’t produce an heir. Lots of very graphic smut. (completed) Trio Legacy Series: The stories of the children of the wolves introduced in the Trio of Mates Series. Completed: Hide and Seek, Ongoing: Red Rover Dissonance and Harmony: The story of a high school girl who has to face her rapist at his sentencing hearing and deal with her PTSD from that night. Graphic violence and rape scenes. (completed) 3. Follow me under the same name
Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 30: Jorge
I’m standing outside the girls’ apartment—our old apartment—with a picnic basket of baked goods and a cooler full of drinks, fruit, and toppings. I brought muffins, cinnamon rolls, danishes, cinnamon raisin bread, and fresh bagels.Okay, I went a little overboard. I can admit that. I’m just so fucking anxious, I don’t know what to do with myself.I was already awake when Andie’s text came through last night, replaying everything Angel had said to me earlier. I’d been scrolling through old photos of Andie and Jaime, staring at all the joy I used to have. I miss them so damn much. It took losing them to understand exactly how badly I’d fucked up.I didn’t even hesitate. I texted back immediately that I’d bring breakfast.And for the first time in a while, I fell asleep without any trouble.Granted, it was only for a few hours—I had to make deliveries at the bakery this morning—but I got there early, dropped everything off, and grabbed the best of the morning’s offerings for them.Now I’v
Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 29: Jaime
I’ve been tossing and turning in bed all night after listening to everything Angel and Maddie said tonight.“You three belong together.”“He loves you.”“He wants you back.”“What do you have to lose if you do call him?”I know what my heart wants. I also know what my heart is afraid is going to happen. How can I allow him to possibly hurt me—us—all over again?What’s the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result? Wouldn’t it be insane to let him back into our lives and hope it ends differently?Angel and Marta have both said he’s reduced his hours at the business. That they’ve hired new people. That he’s learned his lesson. Could it be true? Could he really have changed for us, even if he didn’t think we’d ever come back?I don’t know.We’ve been in bed since midnight, and it’s now 3 a.m. With a huge sigh, I get up and grab my robe, tying it tightly around me. I can’t lay here any longer. And if I keep shifting, I’m going to wake
Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 28: Andie
Jaime and I go about making dinner in silence. We’re a well-oiled machine at this point, moving easily around each other in our kitchen. Angel and her partner Maddie are coming over tonight for dinner and to play cards.It’s something we started back in college with Angel—a weekly card game. Each week, someone picks the game we play, and once a year, each of us is supposed to introduce a new card game. We use candy and snack foods for any games that require betting. It’s more about hanging out and having fun than anything else.Maddie and Angel have been very careful about who they let into their circle, as have we, so we all feel comfortable being around each other, even with COVID still going on.Unfortunately, this is how much of our life has been since Jorge left: a silent orbit around each other. We hold each other through the tears and the pain, but we don’t really talk.I mean, what’s there to say?We’re enough for each other—but not for the man we love.It hurts. And we’re grie
Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 27: Jorge
“Angel, do you have tomorrow’s shipment of bread all packaged? Carmello’s needs the delivery an hour early. I’d like to be able to have everything on rolling carts so I can just load up the trucks the second I get here,” I call to Angel.When she first started working with me, I had brought Angel on just as a delivery driver. But over the last two months, I have consciously tried to pull myself back from the business, and I’ve made Angel a partner. We have three drivers, a part-time baker, and two part-time packagers. I’ve cut my hours back so that I’m working nine-hour days, as opposed to the sixteen-hour days I was working before.The only reason that I’m driving tomorrow is because our early morning guy took the day off. Otherwise, I’ve even built in Wednesdays and Sundays as days off.“Yes, everything’s all ready. Just waiting for the last batch to finish cooling before we get it packaged. I’ll get that done in the next hour,” Angel tells me.I let out a huge sigh. “Ok. I’m heading
Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 26: Jaime
It’s been a week since our last interaction with Jorge. We’ve been communicating via text and notes left at the apartment. The morning after our breakup, Jorge was gone before Andie and I even woke up. He’d packed a bag and left a note saying he’d be in and out while we were at work over the coming week.He’s moving into an apartment over his parents’ restaurant. It used to be his dad’s office, and over the years, various family members have crashed there when they were in the doghouse with their wives or girlfriends.Not a bad place—but not exactly the kind of space you’d expect someone with a thriving business to live in. Still, with COVID still bad, Jorge decided to stay somewhere only family had been. Said it was safer.Trying to decide what belongs to who over text is awful.I’d honestly thought Jorge was the one. The guy I’d spend the rest of my life with. When we added Andie into our lives, it felt perfect. For a while.So we bought everything together—TV, couch, microwave. Even
Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 25: Andie
In that way that grief between people who love each other will sometimes turn sexual, when Jorge turns to Jaime and kisses her, she kisses him back.I lean in and kiss the side of his face. He turns toward me and—God—it feels good to kiss him. I’ve missed him so damn much. It’s been too damn long.Jaime brings his mouth back to hers, their kiss hungry and desperate. My hands go to the bottom of the hoodie he’s wearing and I rip it off of him.Jaime finds his mouth again, and I lean down, licking his nipples. He groans into Jaime’s mouth, his body tensing in arousal. He loves having his nipples played with. At the same time, I rake my nails down his abs.Jorge pulls back from Jaime’s mouth to look down at me. “Please. I need you both.” His voice is so full of need.I look at Jaime, asking if she’s okay with this. Because this is going to be an end, not a reconciliation. But I want this. I need him.Jaime nods, both of us catching the motion.Jorge surges from the chair, knocking it to t
Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 24: Jorge
Andie looks between Jaime and me, and I can tell she immediately understands what’s going on. She’s always had that ability—to take in a situation at a glance and know exactly what’s happening. I guess that’s what makes her such a good programmer.And an expert at calling me on my bullshit.Ever since the day I triggered Jaime’s meltdown, Andie’s been more distant with me. I think she realized that, even though the promises I made to her and Jaime were heartfelt, they weren’t ones I could keep.The time I managed to get after that? It felt more like it was for Jaime’s benefit than for Andie’s. As introverted and quiet as she appears, Andie doesn’t take shit from anyone.She gave me more rope than I deserved. And I guess I finally used it to hang myself.“How far are we into this conversation?” Andie asks calmly.I blink at her, caught off guard by how level her voice is.Jaime answers instead. “I told him he’s not treating us like priorities. That the last chance we gave him was the la
Love in the Time of Quarantine Chapter 23: Jaime
I’m sitting on the couch flipping through TV channels when Jorge walks in. It’s been two days since our failed date night, and this is the first time I’ve seen him for more than a passing second. He’s dressed in sweats and a tank top, hair wet from a shower—he must’ve just come back from a run.Andie and I have been sleeping in her old room ever since that night. With the hours he’s been keeping, I don’t really know what he’s up to anymore.Honestly? I don’t know if I can even muster the energy to care. Every time I try, it just ends up hurting.“Hey…” Jorge says tentatively, sitting on the arm of the couch.I glance over. “Hey,” I reply, then turn my attention back to the TV.“Um… where’s Andie?” he asks, like he’s not sure what to say.“Doctor’s appointment and then grocery shopping.” My responses aren’t angry—just short. I give the remote a voice command to switch to N*****x and start scrolling through options, skipping past the show I actually want to watch.Shadow and Bone. Can’
