That Loving Feeling (Jake Seresin x Mitchell OC)

Chapter Two

As the night dragged on, my mind kept drifting back to my conversation with Jake. His words echoed in my head, making it harder to focus on the mundane tasks at hand.

I caught herself glancing his way more than once, and each time, I found him watching me with that same intense, unreadable expression. It was as if he could see right through me, and that scared me more than anything.

Those words rattled my brain again. "You're Married"

I've had always been good at hiding—hiding my pain, my fear, my scars. But Jake had a way of making me feel seen, more than Austin did. And I wasn't sure I liked it. Or maybe I liked it too much.

The Hard Deck began to wind down as the night approached closing time. The crowd thinned out, and the buzz of conversation softened. I found herself with a rare moment of quiet, leaning against the bar and letting out a long, tired sigh.

"Long night?" a familiar voice drawled next to me.

I didn't have to look up to know it was Jake. "You could say that," I replied, not bothering to hide the exhaustion in my voice.

Jake slid onto the barstool next to me, his proximity sending a wave of warmth through me that I tried to ignore. "You should get some rest. You look like you could use it."

I shot him a sidelong glance. "You're really into telling me what I need tonight, aren't you?"

He chuckled softly. "Just calling it like I see it. You're running yourself into the ground, Mills."

I sighed, the weight of his words settling over me. He was right, of course. I was tired—bone-tired, in a way that sleep couldn't fix. But what choice did I have? Keeping busy was the only way I knew to keep the darkness at bay.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead," I muttered, half-joking, half-serious.

Jake's expression darkened slightly, his usual playful demeanor slipping away. "Don't talk like that. You deserve better than that, Millie."

There it was again—that sincerity, that concern that made my heart twist uncomfortably in my chest. I wasn't used to it. Not from Jake, not from anyone.

I shift uncomfortably, trying to deflect. "And what about you, Jake? You're always here, always looking out for me. What's your story?"

Jake leaned back slightly, his gaze thoughtful. "My story? It's not as interesting as yours, I'm sure."

"Try me," I say challenging, genuinely curious for the first time. I realized I knew almost nothing about him beyond the surface—beyond the charming pilot with a cocky smile and a penchant for flirting.

He hesitated for a moment, as if considering how much to reveal. Then he shrugged, a shadow of something I couldn't quite identify passing over his features. "Grew up in Texas. Dad was strict, Mom was sweet. Joined the Navy to get out, see the world. Flying was the only thing that ever made sense to me."

I nodded, sensing there was more beneath the surface, but knowing better than to push. "And the flirting? Is that just part of the whole 'charming pilot' persona?"

A slow grin spread across his face, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Maybe. Or maybe it's just easier to flirt than to let people in."

There it was—vulnerability, raw and unfiltered. It surprised me, seeing Jake like this, stripped of his usual bravado. It made him seem more real, more human. And it made me realize how little I truly knew about the man who had somehow become a constant presence in my life.

"I get that," I admitted quietly, my gaze dropping to the bar. "Letting people in... it's dangerous."

"Yeah, it is," he agreed, his voice soft, almost tender. "But sometimes, it's worth the risk."