Jade's mind drifted back to those early days, back when her evenings often ended at Brandon's home with a bottle of wine and hushed conversations after Emma had fallen asleep. She'd been hired to babysit, but somewhere along the line, things had shifted. What started as polite exchanges became something deeper, each night a little more revealing than the last.
She remembered the first time Brandon had suggested they share a glass of wine after her first night. She was just nineteen then, a college student trying to juggle classes and the side gigs that kept her afloat. She had no idea the night would mark a turning point.
The memory was clear in her mind: she knocked on the door, there he was looking upset and eyes were dark. They sat down together and Brandon opened up about his relationship with Lynn. They shared some wine, then Brandon confessed how he felt about Jade. She didn't expect to see such a warm, vulnerable side of him, and he seemed surprised by her sincerity and depth.
From then on, it became a bit of a ritual. Once Emma was in bed, they'd sit in the living room with their wine, sharing bits of their worlds. Sometimes, he'd talk about his career, his ambitions and setbacks, while she'd listen, her empathy evident as she offered a fresh perspective. Other nights, he'd ask her about her classes and the plans she had, genuinely curious about her journey. She remembered how he'd lean in, attentive to every word, making her feel that her dreams were somehow more possible just by him listening to them.
It was in those quiet moments that she noticed the small things how he laughed, the way his eyes softened when he spoke about Emma, and the hints of loneliness he kept masked under his composed exterior. She admired him, respected him, but never thought it would evolve into more.
Yet, as the nights passed, there was a shift, a quiet tension that lingered between them. She would catch herself studying his profile when he wasn't looking or catching his gaze just a second longer than necessary. The memory brought a warmth to her cheeks even now, remembering how much she had tried to brush off her feelings, to tell herself it was just a small crush, harmless and fleeting.
It was only when she saw him kiss his ex-wife that everything crystallized, a harsh reminder of the complicated life he led, a life she wasn't ready to step into. And that's when she met Nick, a fresh distraction, one that made her feel seen without the weight of the past clinging to it. She let herself get swept up, hoping to put whatever she felt for Brandon behind her.
But now, sitting here years later, she wondered if those quiet nights with Brandon were where it all truly began. A foundation laid in whispered conversations and shared glances, something deeper than either of them had acknowledged.
