Crossing Lines

Bonus Chapter: the fight

It started out as slight annoyance. I had covered the food keeping it warm and checked my phone for the fifth time.

So yeah I was annoyed.

Jake was supposed to be home twenty minutes ago for dinner and he had yet to show. Usually twenty minutes wouldn't be anything to worry about. With Becca or Jetson I used to always just expect them to be at least thirty minutes late to everything.

But Jake was different. In all these years since we've been together he has never changed in the fact he needed to be everywhere at least ten minutes early.

Today, on the one day I'd left work early since we'd both been so busy lately, he was late. I had every right to be annoyed. I had put this dinner together for us and he could at least text me to tell me he was running late.

Another five minutes went by without a text and I was starting to get frustrated. I'd reminded him this morning and he had promised he'd be home.

"We're doing dinner tonight."

"At six, yeah I remember." He smiled over at me.

"That means the food is ready at six, so get home a little-,"

"Ev, I'll be home at 5:30. I got it all written out in my planner. You should know me better than that." He leaned forward pressing a soft kiss to my lips.

"I do, I just miss you. We've both been so busy lately and I feel like don't see each other any more." I sighed.

"I know, I miss you too."

So really now that it was hitting 6:30 he was an hour later than what he said he'd be home by. An hour and he hadn't even thought to text me.

Evan- the foods going to get cold, if you aren't on your way I'm going to just eat without you.

It was not the best response but I was getting frustrated. I just wanted to have a nice night with my husband. I wanted to finally spend some time just the two of us. I'd been busy lately getting ready for midterms. This time was always busy for me, I had a lot more one on one extra help sessions to run with my students and grades I needed to enter by the end of term. Jake was gearing up to take his team to the playoffs. He'd landed a spot as head coach for a college football team and he'd excelled basically immediately.

The damn guy was such a show off. I swear I was still trying to find things he wasn't good at.

When the clock hit 6:40 I sat down at our table and started to eat. Every time I looked up to see the seat across from me empty I felt the frustration turning to anger.

I had asked one thing. I had told him repeatedly that I wanted this dinner just the two of us and he had promised he'd be here.

I felt my phone buzz with a text and seeing his name only made me more mad.

Jake- sorry got caught up at work, I'll be home soon

Part of me just wanted to tell him not to bother. That he could just stay there at work doing what he cares more about. It was an unfair thought. Jake had been nothing but amazing for all the time we'd been together. He'd done so much for me over the years and one night where he was late shouldn't be a big deal but I'd been looking forward to this. I'd wanted it so bad and I couldn't just let it go yet.

I was washing up the dishes when the front door opened and the familiar sounds of Jake's footsteps echoed through the house. Usually I'd go and greet him, wrap him up in an embrace and let him pull me into one of those overwhelming kisses. But today I ignored the sounds of him getting home.