I couldn't believe it. I'd finally found him. This really wasn't how I'd expected it to go, but I can't say I'm disappointed.
Jack ran a hand through his cropped hair. It looked so soft, I wanted to touch it so bad.
"So, Amelia. Tell me about yourself." Jack said, giving me a crooked smile that melted my heart.
"Okay. My full name is Amelia May Davis and I am 18. I grew up in New York. I met my friends at a college course and we moved in together a month ago." I said.
We stepped into a frozen yogurt place and sat down. Jack pulled out his wallet. "You you want something?" He asked.
I shook my head. "No, it's ok. I can pay." I said. I went to pull out my card, but jack grabbed my hand.
"Amelia, this is technically a date. I want to pay for you." Jack said.
I rolled my eyes. "Okayyyyyy." I said.
We both got some yogurt. Key lime with fruit beads for me and vanilla with cap'n crunch for him.
"What about you?" I asked. He looked at me confused.
"I want to hear your story." I told him.
"Well, my full name is Jack Robert Avery. I've been in a band with my best friends since 2016. I have and older sister called Sydney, and two little sisters called Ava and Isla. I have a daughter called Lavender." He said.
It took a second to process this. "Wait, you have a daughter?" I asked. He nodded, looking worried.
"How? I mean, I'm sorry if I sound rude, but.... why wouldn't you wait until you found your soulmate?" I asked. I cringed internally. That sounded so mean. Way to go, Amelia.
Jack, thank god, didn't look upset. "It's complicated. I started dating her mother, Gabbie when I was 19. Gabbie was 16, so she hadn't gotten hers. I loved her. We thought it would be like Corbyn and Christina, who liked each other before they knew they were soulmates. It never occurred to us that we weren't right for each other. I'll always love my daughter, and I want her in my life." Jack said.
"How old is she?" I asked.
He looked away. "She just turned one. Look, I know you must be freaked out, but I really want Lavender in my life. It's complicated, but I want it to work out." He said desperately.
"So I'm kind of a step mother?" I asked.
Jack nodded. "Yeah." He said in a small voice.
"When can I meet her?" I asked.
Jack looked up disbelievingly. "Your ok with this? Seriously?" He asked.
I nodded. "I love kids. And your my soulmate. I'd never want to hurt you." I said.
He jumped up and hugged me. "Thank you Amelia!" He said. I laughed and dotted his nose with frozen yogurt.
"It's so weird to think that I've only met you once, but I'm going to spend the rest if my life with you." I said.
"I know, right? I've always thought about it. Is it, like, love at first sight, or do you fall in love as you go along?" Jack asked.
"What do you think now?" I asked, blush rising in my cheeks.
Jack looked at me in a way that broke my heart. Full of compassion and yearning.
"I'd say I'm pretty in love." Jack said.
He reached up and brushed my hair out of my eyes, then leaned forward and kissed my lightly on the lips.
He pulled away and we nervously smiled at each other.
