All Chapters of When Hearts Collide: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

He looked into those eyes, his fingers running over her cheek and he wanted to answer all the questions he saw in there, but there was no way he could.  And he was certain that even though he saw it, she wasn’t laying voice to them so she didn’t want the answers.  He gave her a soft kiss and then rolled out of bed and walked into the bathroom, dumping the condom and then getting a warm cloth for her and cleaning her up.  Once he was done and had the rag in the dirty pile, he slipped her shoes off and then helped her into bed.                 “I take it you don’t do this.”  He rolled on his side and looked at her.                 “What?  Cleaning off a woman and then making sure she is comfortable?  Yeah, that’s for sure something that is not my norm.  I’m more of a let them do it and t

“I like to see that you keep your promises Bobby,” Dylan said as Jackie parked the car that she had gotten back just that morning in a spot in the Pizza Palace parking lot.  Jackie gave Bobby a look that read just how well she knew about him keeping his word.  Yeah her body was feeling many different ways because of all of his promises and how good he kept them.                 “If there is anything I do, sir, its keep my word,” Bobby tossed back at Dylan.  They both laughed and then they all climbed out of the car.  As the kids ran ahead of them, Bobby took Jackie’s hand, causing her to glance at it and then at him.  “What?”                 “Hand holding?  Doesn’t feel like something you do.”                

Jackie turned on her heel and walked away.  She wanted nothing more now than to leave this place and what was supposed to be a family fun night turned into something else completely.  What was with people judging her?  Her ex-husband was fucking someone younger and everyone was saying he was the man.  And yet it was so damn fucking taboo for her and it was teaching her kids the wrong thing.  Why the fucking double standard?  And if she was seeing someone older, it would be just as wrong, just on a different level.  Jackie rolled her eyes as she spewed over it all.                 “Mom are you okay?”                 “I’m not Dylan and I’m sorry but can we please go?”                 “But mom,” Dylan start

“Who the hell do you think you are? Getting to talk to her like that?”   “I’m her ex-husband who has every right to be concerned with her fucking the help in front of my kids.” Bobby’s hands tightened up and Jackie put her hand once again on his arm and Greg just snorted when he saw that. “Sure, keep touching him. Keep this up Jackie and I’ll take you to court.” “Like hell, you will. You have nothing on me. First of all, I’m not fucking the help. Bobby works for me, he gets a fucking paycheck. And nothing that we have ever done has been on company hours. Second of all, we haven’t done anything in front of the kids, more than I can say for you! And if you have such a problem, step up and take your kids out,” Jackie told him and Bobby nodded. “Maybe better yet, you should own up to your promises to them? Breaking those are horrible to the kids, they aren’t old enough to deal with the bitter disappointment of a dad who doesn’t care,” Bobby told

Jackie took another deep breath and turned as some people came up to the bar. She served them and once she was done, she cleaned up the area. She had to go back in and help Bobby that was her job, she thrived on being busy. And she knew she would be. She also knew that she had to bite her tongue because she was going to see a lot more. And she couldn’t, wouldn’t let Greg and his shit-talking intrude on her thoughts, she refused.  So, with that, she walked back into the main bar, nodding at Buzz as he walked outside. She took to the side and watched as Bobby walked over, his hand resting gently on the small of her back. She smiled to herself at the care she saw in his eyes. “You okay, Jackie?” “Yeah, I’m good. Just...my own problems.” He frowned, obviously not happy with that response but she couldn’t help it, she couldn’t give him more, not now and not even later because he would think she was crazy and try to convince her she wasn’t.